Category Archives: History

Old Bricks at Race Rocks

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The bricks for the base of the flyweel were excavated from various deposits on the island. Grass grows between the bricks by 2007 Distinctive markings occur on some bricks. We hope to trace the origins.( see this file for information on the BAKER bricks.)
Clayburn Bricks were made after is 1905 and before 1930 in the first Company town in BC. Clayburn Brick Factory in Abbotsford BC.
 Bricks and debris near the shore by the tower. The beige bricks were firebrick.
This page is presented to reflect some of the historic origins of the materials used in the construction of the original buildings at Race Rocks. When you examine the pictures from the turn of the last century, you can see that only the tower now remains of the original buildings. Through the years, as buildings were replaced, the old construction materials were often just pushed over the edge or left buried in the ground. Whenever we encounter these locations, we try to recover some of the materials as historical evidence for the area. We urge any viewers who may have insight into the origin or use of these materials to contribute to these files by contacting us.

Original Engine Room at Race Rocks – (1860s)

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Foundation of the original engine room from the tower. February 2007 Foundation looking south.February 2007 Foundation looking north. February 2007
Flywheel from the air compressor The flywheel is mounted on a bed of bricks, excavated from rubble piles near the tower
A moon shot of the flywheel below the tower.

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Against the rock wall above the original concrete foundation of the old engine room, and below the tower, a group led by Hannah and Giovanni on one Project week did the digging out of soil, and replacement with crushed rock. . This allowed the creation of a natural looking corner for the old historic engine room equipment.
In this photo Hannah is on the bucket brigade carrying gravel.		 Some of the artifacts that had accumulated by 2005. In 2006, the area had taken on a life of its own
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Sylvia and Alex Chan examine the old engine parts. Looking straight down from the tower on the east side, one can see the concrete pathway which we believe went to the blacksmith shop. In the past, many old pieces of equipment were simply pushed over the side. In 2006,the old boiler which lay rusting in the intertidal zone for many years was starting to break up.
The storms in the winter of 2006 dispersed the parts of the boiler These pieces which are now small enough to move will be transferred to the collecting area. The other end of the boiler. This was carried up to shore on February 12, 2007 by members of the racerocks.com activity.See below. The hurricane in December 2006 moved rocks exposing more rubble below the energy building.
Link to the file on bricks of Race Rocks

The last of the rusted parts of the old boiler from the engine room shown above are carried up by Pearson College students in the Race Rocks Activity in 2007 to be part of the collection of other old parts stored at the base of the tower.

Early History of the Light Station — Part 2

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Historic TowerIn Jan of 2007 the following article was published in the Victoria Times Colonist:  A beacon of hope for Race Rocks
Carney tries again to win protection for prize lighthouses now withering away, Jack Knox, Times Colonist, Tuesday, Feb06, 2007. Over the next two days several e-mails full of documented history came from Dale Mumford who has worked at Fort Rod Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites for many years. He has provided an update which shows a different interpretation from some of the stories we had collected over the years. So to add to the documented history, we have included his comments and extracts from the original sources here. Fisgard and Race Rocks lighthouses were essentially built at the same time, Fisgard entering service just six weeks before Race Rocks in 1860. In developing exhibits and interpretive programs for Fisgard Lighthouse over the years the staff at the site have had to become very familiar with the early history Fisgard, and of Race Rocks as well. As the two lights were
designed to work together, and were the only lights constructed during the colonial period, we try to explain this relationship in programs for visitors (and virtual visitors). To support this work, we have on hand at the sites copies of many original documents regarding the early construction and operation of the lighthouses. We also have an excellent two volume history of the Fisgard Lighthouse and the Early Lighthouse of British Columbia produced on contract for Parks Canada in 1980. Unfortunately as this work was produced primarily as an in-house document for Parks Canada staff, it was printed only in very limited numbers as part of the Parks Canada Manuscript Report Series and has never been widely available to the public.

Mr.Mumford has invited us to have a look at documents in his possession so we certainly will do this in order to try to get to the bottom of what is the correct version of history of the Lighthouse. ” From these sources, we have been aware that there are a number of inaccurate stories that have been circulating for many years, and have beenrepeated in many books and articles about the original construction of these two lighthouses. It has often been stated that the lighthouses were built by the Royal Navy, and that the lighthouses were designed in Britain and the whole of the building materials were shipped to the colony. In particular with regard to Race Rocks it is often said that all of the stone was pre-cut in Scotland and shipped here like a giant lego set.

In fact, the primary source documents that have survived from 1858 to 1860, and there are many, make it clear that none of this is true. The British government did provide funding for the construction of the two lighthouses, (7,000 pounds, half as a grant and half as a loan), but the construction and operation of the lights was undertaken under the supervision of the Colony of Vancouver Island, (construction specifically under the direction of the colonial surveyor, Joseph Pemberton) and the lighthouses were constructed by local contractors using local materials. The only materials sent from England were the lanterns (in architectural terms the iron and glass lamp rooms at the tops of the towers) and lighting apparatus and stores. In the case of Race Rocks stone for the lower portion of the tower was initially quarried right on the island!
<The treasury officials in providing the funding specified in a letter to the Colonial office dated April 29, 1859 “…that Sir E.B. Lytton will make Governor Douglas fully aware tht altho’ the Board of Trade will readily afford any advice or information , and will send out from this country the lighting apparatus, they decline undertaking responsibilty as to the selection of the site or the construction of the Towers…” The colonial surveyor, J. Pemberton in his original estimates to Gov. Douglas states he planned to quarry rock on the site. In the estimates dated Aug 23rd 1860 he states: ” That brick would be preferable at Esquimalt, and stone quarried on the spot, at Race Rocks, where the distance from Victoria is greater, the currents more rapid, exposure to weather more and Building stone (bluish Granite) excellent.

  • In a report of progress from April 7, 1860 he states “… that sufficient stone has been dressed to build one third of the tower, and enough stone to build the Lightkeeper’s House, and that large quantities of material & stores are safely landed at the Rock. At present there are 12 Stonecutters, 1 cook and one overseer, and on Monday the Contractor proposes to commence building the Keeper’s house.”
  • I had heard ( and I’m trying to remember from what source) that the tower was finished in sandstone from the Gulf Islands as they had run out of suitable stone on site. If the granite stone in the tower is not from the site, this represents a change in the original plans for construction, and there is no mention in the papers we have of where else it could have come from. It is clear no one ever intended to send stone from Britain for the purpose. The main source for most manufactured building materials ( including finely dressed lumber) at that time was San Francisco.
  • The ballast story doesn’t actually make any sense if you dig deeper. While all sailing ships carried some ballast, this was only removed to lighten the ship for dry docking, carreening or to get it afloat if it ran aground. Ships with no cargo took on extra ballast for the duration of their voyage, but shipping rates to British Columbia during the gold rush were amoung the highest in the world. There was a market here for every concievable comodity and it is very hard to imagine why any ship would have sailed here in ballast at that time. In over 30 years of reading about maritime history, I have never come across a reference to a ship ballasted with granite blocks or bricks. Invariably permanent ballast is referred to as “shingle” ( i.e. heavy beach stones, usually shale etc. easily shovelled ) or pig iron, so I have never bought the ballast story. I’m not saying impossible, just very unlikely and certainly unsupported by any orignal documents I’ve ever seen.
  • Mr. John Morris was awarded the contract to build Race Rocks lighthouse.John Wright built Fisgard. Along with Jos. Pembertons Surveyor General, there were five Captains in the original group of Lighthouse Commisioners that choose the specific sites in 1859; Captain Richards, H.M.S.Plumper; Captain Fulford, HMS Ganges; Captain. Moutt HBC steamer Otter, and Captain Cooper and Captain Nagle, Harbour Masters of Esquimalt and Victoria respectively. All this appears in Walbran* and . Note that Walbran does not mention anything about stone from Britain or the navy building the
    lighthouse. He does say the British government built the lighthouse and correctly provides the amount of the grant/loan.

 

Richards had already identified the need for lights on the Race Rocks group and at the entrance to Esquimalt harbour in his report of Oct. 1858 which accompanied by letters from Gov. Douglas and Rear-Adm. Baynes, had first requested funding be considered for the two lighthouses, so it is sometimes stated that he chose the sites.”

” If you remain sceptical about some of this information, I can hardly blame you as many of these stories have been repeated over and over in many publications.. ”

Dale Mumford,
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites of Canada *Walbran,Captain John T.,British Columbia Coast Names 1592-1906 : Their Origin and History. First published by the Government Printing Bureau, Ottawa, 1909

It is interesting how different versions of “history” can arise over the relatively short time of almost 150 years. There is still some question about the rock being quarried on site. As it seems that many of the blocks of granite that are still existing from the house which was attached at the base of the tower are of grey granite. The only problem is that most of the existing rock that makes up the island of Race Rocks is a black fractured basalt, and not consistent with the type of rock of the area. So the jury is still out on that one until we can determine the type of stone at the base of the tower. (More on this later!)

An additional note on the history page also confirms that the crew from the British Naval vessel Topaze assisted in the building of the tower.

On the Canadian Coast Guard Site in “USQUE AD MARE,–A History of the Canadian Coast Guard and Marine Services by Thomas E. Appleton” further support for the theory of the granite rock coming from Britain is included:

    • “Between this time and Confederation many light stations were built in Canada, mostly of wooden rather than stone construction, as this was cheaper and more suited to the needs of the country; among notable exceptions, the Race Rocks light tower in British Columbia was constructed of stone which had been quarried and cut in Scotland and sent out by sailing ship around Cape Horn.”
Go to theHISTORY INDEX for Race Rocks

<Proceed to: CONTEMPORARY HISTORY- 1975-present
For photographs of the Light station in the early years go to this file:

Early History of Race Rocks Lighthouse Part 2

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In Jan of 2007 the following article was published in the Victoria Times Colonist:

49446-15805A beacon of hope for Race Rocks
Carney tries again to win protection for prize lighthouses now withering away, Jack Knox, Times Colonist, Tuesday, Feb06, 2007. 

. Over the next two days several e-mails full of documented history came from Dale Mumford who has worked at Fort Rod Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites for many years. He has provided an update which shows a different interpretation from some of the stories we had collected over the years. So to add to the documented history, we have included his comments and extracts from the original sources here. Fisgard and Race Rocks lighthouses were essentially built at the same time, Fisgard entering service just six weeks before Race Rocks in 1860. In developing exhibits and interpretive programs for Fisgard Lighthouse over the years the staff at the site have had to become very familiar with the early history Fisgard, and of Race Rocks as well. As the two lights were designed to work together, and were the only lights constructed during the colonial period, we try to explain this relationship in programs for visitors (and virtual visitors). To support this work, we have on hand at the sites copies of many original documents regarding the early construction and operation of the lighthouses. We also have an excellent two volume history of the Fisgard Lighthouse and the Early Lighthouse of British Columbia produced on contract for Parks Canada in 1980. Unfortunately as this work was produced primarily as an in-house document for Parks Canada staff, it was printed only in very limited numbers as part of the Parks Canada Manuscript Report Series and has never been widely available to the public.

Ed note: Now these publications have been digitized and are available at the following URLS:

http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/mrs/356-1.pdf -this document is on Fisgard lighthouse since it was the one being targeted for National Historic park status at the time this document was written:
http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/mrs/356-2.pdf— This is on the rest of the lighthouses including Race Rocks.

Mr.Mumford has invited us to have a look at documents in his possession so we certainly will do this in order to try to get to the bottom of what is the correct version of history of the Lighthouse. He goes on with

  • ” From these sources, we have been aware that there are a number of inaccurate stories that have been circulating for many years, and have beenrepeated in many books and articles about the original construction of these two lighthouses. It has often been stated that the lighthouses were built by the Royal Navy, and that the lighthouses were designed in Britain and the whole of the building materials were shipped to the colony. In particular with regard to Race Rocks it is often said that all of the stone was pre-cut in Scotland and shipped here like a giant lego set.
  • In fact, the primary source documents that have survived from 1858 to 1860, and there are many, make it clear that none of this is true. The British government did provide funding for the construction of the two lighthouses, (7,000 pounds, half as a grant and half as a loan), but the construction and operation of the lights was undertaken under the supervision of the Colony of Vancouver Island, (construction specifically under the direction of the colonial surveyor, Joseph Pemberton) and the lighthouses were constructed by local contractors using local materials. The only materials sent from England were the lanterns (in architectural terms the iron and glass lamp rooms at the tops of the towers) and lighting apparatus and stores. In the case of Race Rocks stone for the lower portion of the tower was initially quarried right on the island!
  • The treasury officials in providing the funding specified in a letter to the Colonial office dated April 29, 1859 “…that Sir E.B. Lytton will make Governor Douglas fully aware tht altho’ the Board of Trade will readily afford any advice or information , and will send out from this country the lighting apparatus, they decline undertaking responsibilty as to the selection of the site or the construction of the Towers…” The colonial surveyor, J. Pemberton in his original estimates to Gov. Douglas states he planned to quarry rock on the site. In the estimates dated Aug 23rd 1860 he states: ” That brick would be preferable at Esquimalt, and stone quarried on the spot, at Race Rocks, where the distance from Victoria is greater, the currents more rapid, exposure to weather more and Building stone (bluish Granite) excellent.
  • In a report of progress from April 7, 1860 he states “… that sufficient stone has been dressed to build one third of the tower, and enough stone to build the Lightkeeper’s House, and that large quantities of material & stores are safely landed at the Rock. At present there are 12 Stonecutters, 1 cook and one overseer, and on Monday the Contractor proposes to commence building the Keeper’s house.”
  • I had heard ( and I’m trying to remember from what source) that the tower was finished in sandstone from the Gulf Islands as they had run out of suitable stone on site. If the granite stone in the tower is not from the site, this represents a change in the original plans for construction, and there is no mention in the papers we have of where else it could have come from. It is clear no one ever intended to send stone from Britain for the purpose. The main source for most manufactured building materials ( including finely dressed lumber) at that time was San Francisco.
  • The ballast story doesn’t actually make any sense if you dig deeper. While all sailing ships carried some ballast, this was only removed to lighten the ship for dry docking, carreening or to get it afloat if it ran aground. Ships with no cargo took on extra ballast for the duration of their voyage, but shipping rates to British Columbia during the gold rush were amoung the highest in the world. There was a market here for every concievable comodity and it is very hard to imagine why any ship would have sailed here in ballast at that time. In over 30 years of reading about maritime history, I have never come across a reference to a ship ballasted with granite blocks or bricks. Invariably permanent ballast is referred to as “shingle” ( i.e. heavy beach stones, usually shale etc. easily shovelled ) or pig iron, so I have never bought the ballast story. I’m not saying impossible, just very unlikely and certainly unsupported by any orignal documents I’ve ever seen.
  • Mr. John Morris was awarded the contract to build Race Rocks lighthouse.John Wright built Fisgard. Along with Jos. Pembertons Surveyor General, there were five Captains in the original group of Lighthouse Commisioners that choose the specific sites in 1859; Captain Richards, H.M.S.Plumper; Captain Fulford, HMS Ganges; Captain. Moutt HBC steamer Otter, and Captain Cooper and Captain Nagle, Harbour Masters of Esquimalt and Victoria respectively. All this appears in Walbran* and . Note that Walbran does not mention anything about stone from Britain or the navy building the lighthouse. He does say the British government built the lighthouse and correctly provides the amount of the grant/loan.Richards had already identified the need for lights on the Race Rocks group and at the entrance to Esquimalt harbour in his report of Oct. 1858 which accompanied by letters from Gov. Douglas and Rear-Adm. Baynes, had first requested funding be considered for the two lighthouses, so it is sometimes stated that he chose the sites.”

” If you remain sceptical about some of this information, I can hardly blame you as many of these stories have been repeated over and over in many publications.. ”

Dale Mumford,
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites of Canada

  • *Walbran,Captain John T.,British Columbia Coast Names 1592-1906 : Their Origin and History. First published by the Government Printing Bureau, Ottawa, 1909

Ed Note: It is interesting how different versions of “history” can arise over the relatively short time of 150 years. There is still some question about the rock being quarried on site. As it seems that many of the blocks of granite that are still existing from the house which was attached at the base of the tower are of grey granite. The only problem is that most of the existing rock that makes up the island of Race Rocks is a black fractured basalt, and not consistent with the type of rock of the area. So the jury is still out on that one until we can determine the type of stone at the base of the tower. (More on this later!)  There are several examples of Imperial Lights in the British Empire being built with granite from Great Britain. eg. in New Zealand and in South Africa.

An additional note on the history page also confirms that the crew from the British Naval vessel Topaze assisted in the building of the tower.

On the Canadian Coast Guard Site in “USQUE AD MARE,–A History of the Canadian Coast Guard and Marine Services by Thomas E. Appleton” further support for the theory of the granite rock coming from Britain is included:

  • “Between this time and Confederation many light stations were built in Canada, mostly of wooden rather than stone construction, as this was cheaper and more suited to the needs of the country; among notable exceptions, the Race Rocks light tower in British Columbia was constructed of stone which had been quarried and cut in Scotland and sent out by sailing ship around Cape Horn.”

 

A beacon of hope for Race Rocks ( Times Colonist, 2007)

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A beacon of hope for Race Rocks — Times Colonist (Victoria) February 6, 2007

When Garry Fletcher pulls his hand away from the wet wall of the Race Rocks light station, chunks of stone come off in his palm and fall to the steps of the curving stairwell.

The 147-year-old tower’s base, built out of Scottish granite, isn’t so bad, but up at the top, salt and water have worked through the sandstone. Outside, on the parapet encircling the light, old orange paint peels off in sheets. Continue reading →

The Present Conditions of the Race Rocks Tower February, 2007

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These pictures were taken before restoration of the Race Rocks Lighthouse in 2009-2010 Historic Tower.  The Times Colonist ran an article on the problems of the deterioration of the heritage light tower at Race Rocks.Jack Knox and Deborah Brash pay a visit to the tower at the end of January 2007. The following article appears in the Times Colonist. “A beacon of hope for Race Rocks Carney tries again to win protection for prize lighthouses now withering away, Jack Knox, Times Colonist, Tuesday, Feb. 06, 2007.

Link to original

THE PRESENT CONDITIONS OF THE RACE ROCKS LIGHT TOWER: 2007
Note: These are addressed in 2009: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/history/restoration/restoration.htm
The light tower of Race Rocks is managed by The Canadian Coast Guard as anAid to Navigation. Coast Guard is operated by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Currently, there are no funds allocated by this Department for lighthouse restoration, although they are expected to maintain their Aids to Navigation. Parks Canada is responsible for National Historic Sites across Canada. Only one Lighthouse (Fisgard) on the Pacific Coast is provided for by that Department.
The Race Rocks Lighthouse, built in 1860 sits on a small parcel of land on Great Race Rocks leased from BC lands. This leased area remains out of the provincial Ecological Reserve. The Ecological reserve covers the remainder of Great Race Rock Island, and the whole area is an MPA designate under the Ocean’s Act of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Geology of Race Rocks

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TOPOGRAPHY of SUBTIDAL RACE ROCKS

 Topography of Subtidal Race Rocks

Only by looking beneath the waves can we really get a full picture of the extent of the topography of the Race Rocks Archipelago. We were fortunate in 1999 to have a comprehensive study and mapping project done by the Canadian Hydrographic Service. They used multi- beam sonar to plot the bottom profile down to 150 metres.

 

With the results of this imaging process we are now able to appreciate the extensive powers of the glaciers as they moulded the terrain at the Southern tip of Vancouver Island. Now, the only surface features that attest to this force are the glacial scouring on the rocks and the erratics, (rocks of basalt or conglomerate) left by the last glacier to pass over Race Rocks and the adjacent shorelines of Vancouver Island.

 

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The Abiotic effect on Organisms of the Surface Topography of Race Rocks

 

Go to this Google Map of the Surface topography of Race Rocks to see how the abiotic factors of geology and topography affect the distribution of organisms at Race Rocks

AND THE GEOLOGY IS EVER-CHANGING

This large boulder at one end of the artificial tidepool moved 2 metres during the Hurricane of Dec 15, 2006. See this file for before and after pictures.

 

 

THE QUARTZ INTRUSIONS:
We have very little formal information on the Geology of Race Rocks, but no doubt it has an important role to play in the distribution of organisms. Most of the foundation rock at Race Rocks is a black coloured basalt. It was formed underneath a volcanic range which has since been scoured away by glaciers. One obvious example to which we often refer students on field labs is the interesting rock structure of the bottom of tidepool number 4 on the west intertidal shelf of Great Race Rock. On the this side of the island, many seams of white rock occur as intrusions into cracks of the previously hardened basaltic background rock.

 

On the bottom of this shallow pool is a seam of quartz with some obvious crystalline structure.. In the tidepool we find a pure white variant of the usually black coloured Littorine snail, Littorina sitkana( periwinkle) We speculate on the existence of this color variant being due to the quartz background which makes it well camouflaged in the pool and thus able to avoid the predation of shorebirds. In the picture several white and several black variants of this species are shown against the quartz background.

In 1998, a Pearson College student, Giovanni Rosso, conducted research on this color variation and produced a paper on shell colour variations at Race Rocks. In his abstract he summarizes:

“As with most intertidal gastropods, Littorina sitkana shows remarkable variations in shell color. This occurs both in microhabitats which are exposed or sheltered from wave action. There seemed to be a close link between the shell coloration of the periwinkle and the color of the background substrate. Field work was carried out on the Race Rocks Marine Protected Area in order to investigate patterns of color polymorphism. Evidence from previous studies was used to support interpretations and understand certain behaviors.
The results showed that in the study site there was a very strong relation between the shades of the shells and the colors of the rocks. Light colored shells stayed on light shaded rocks and vice versa. An interesting pattern was noticed with the white morphs. These were rare along the coast (only 2%), but were present in relatively high numbers in tidepools of white quartz. From previous experience (Ron J.Etter,1988), these morphs seem to have developed as evolutionary response a higher resistance to physiological stress from drastic temperature changes between tides. Some results showed that the white morph is present in an unexpectedly high percentage at the juvenile stage, but then their number decreases dramatically.”

APPEARANCE of CONGLOMERATE SUBTIDALLY.

An interesting discovery was made in 2005 on the preliminary dives to examine the substrate where the tidal current generator was going to be installed, The bottom at location 1, just North of the docks at Race Rocks, yielded a conglomerate type of rock surface at 15 meter depth in the channel . We were surprised at this as we had never come across this formation before, certainly it doesn’t appear to exist on the rocky islets, above water on the archipelago. Dr. Chris Yorath who has recently published a new version of “The Geology of Southern Vancouver Island” has supplied the following information which may explain this finding:


1. Race Rocks are part of the Metchosin Igneous Complex and is part of the Crescent Terrain (25 million years old).

2. Conglomerate rock overlays the igneous rocks although it has been eroded away in many places.

3. The source of the “boulders” within the conglomerate is often from within the Metchosin Complex but there may also be sources from other parts of Vancouver Island.

This large glacial erratic boulder made of conglomerate rests on the shoreline 50 metres east of Fossil Point. in nearby Pedder Bay.

4. The conglomerate is called Sooke Conglomerate and can be found in East Sooke Park (between Aldridge Point and Creke Point).

 

 

 

 

 

 

EARTHQUAKES

The 1872 Earthquake as recorded at Race Rocks by Mr .Argyle the Lightkeeper from:
The 1872 North Cascades Earthquake British Columbia Reporting Localities.

The 1872 North Cascades Earthquake British Columbia Reporting Localities.
The Metchosin volcanics are particularly unusual in that they are not only an emergent sequence with ocean-floor affinity (Muller.). but as we will demonstrate, they are also an example of low-titanium normal mid-oceanic ridge basaIts (low-Ti MORB-N).
METCHOSIN VOLCANIC: A LOW-TITANIUM EMERGENT SEAMOUNT
AT THE BASE OF THE CRESCENT TERRANE” (92~)
By Andree de Rosen-Spence and A.J. Sinclair
The University of British Columbia
Accretion-related metamorphism of the Metchosin Igneous Complex, southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia Sean Timpa, Kathryn M. Gillis, and Dante Canil

 

Artifacts and Historical Items at Race Rocks

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These museum pieces are located at Race Rocks in the science house.

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The following items are no longer at Race Rocks:

Link to the Canon at Race Rocks

Cannon from the Swordfish wreck.
In 1978, PC student Alex Guevarra and faculty member Garry Fletcher while diving on the wreck of the Swordfish in Beecher bay, discovered a cast iron cannon. The cannon was retrieved after some effort and under the direction of Pearson College Anthropology teacher Brad Myers, was restored over a period of 10 years in a solution with electrolysis. It was transferred to Race Rocks and now sits on a cradle, made by a former light keeper’s assistant, at the base of the tower. It has been found out since that the cannon was probably being carried as ballast on the ship, it had been was cast in Glasgow in 1790, in a set of cannons that all had oval bores. The set was subsequently sold off as scrap metal.

 

The Lantern Room at Race Rocks

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Archived Video on History of Race Rocks.

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 Demolition at Race Rocks: Shows the stone building originally built at the base of the tower and the wooden foghorn tower. Both removed in the ’60’s and 70’s. See this file on the foghorns.  Darcy Mathews explains his research on Burial Cairns at Race Rocks to the Anthroplogy students from Pearson College.

Rusted parts of the old boiler from the engine room are carried up to a
collection of other old parts stored at the base of the tower.

History of Race Rocks with early photos.