The date of the annual Lecture of the Quaker Historical Committee has been fixed for Wednesday 30 September at 7 o’clock  in the National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire. It will be in-person only.

The lecture is entitled ‘Lighting the Sea,  the John R Wigham story.’

Jonathan Wigham will speak about his distinguished great-grandfather, John R. Wigham, an engineer who pioneered developments in gas lighting, who is particularly famous for his inventions for  lighthouses and on buoys. His products were used literally all over the world. The  enormous lens or optic from the Bailey Lighthouse, installed in 1902, is now housed in the National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire and will be switched on during the lecture. Originally it emitted two million candlepower! John Wigham was offered a knighthood on two occasions but turned down both as being against Quaker belief in equality.

The lecture will be accompanied by slide show, and a collection will be held on behalf of the Historical Library.

You can find some more information in this flyer about the lecture.