William Tregarthen
Douglas
William Tregarthen Douglass (1857-1913) was engineer who built
lighthouses in the late-nineteenth- and early
twentieth-century. He is responsible for a number of their designs
and associated structures. He was a consulting
engineer for lighthouse construction for several governments around
the world.
His father was Sir
James Nicholas Douglass, and his uncle
William and his
grandfather Nicholas were also famous in lighthouse construction.
William T. Douglass was Assistant Engineer to Thomas Edmond in the
construction of the fourth Eddystone Lighthouse and then
superintendent of work after Edmond was called to other work.
William T. Douglass supervised the whole work of fitting up the
internal arrangements of the new Eddystone Lighthouse, as well as
dismantling and removing the upper portion of Smeaton's Tower,
leaving the foundation intact.
One of William Douglass's most
impressive achievements was his supervision of the renovation and
reinforcement of the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. He designed the
second Fastnet Rock Lighthouse. He designed 38 lighthouses all over
the world and harbours at Buckie, Cullen, Eyemouth, Mevagissey,
Newlyn, and other places.
Examples of Douglass's
designs
Fastnet Rock Lighthouse, County Cork (1897–1904)
Blackhead Lighthouse Complex, McCrea’s Brae, built by William
Campbell & Sons contractors between 1899 and 1902 to aid shipping in
Belfast Lough, complementing a lighthouse at Mew Island (Copeland
Islands), opened in 1884. Blackhead opened 1 April 1902 and was
automated in 1975.
Blackhead Lighthouse, Whitehead, County
Antrim, Northern Ireland
Blackhead Lighthouse Superintendent
House, which since automation is rented out to the general public.
William Tregarthen Douglass drowned in a boating accident off Start
Point near Dartmouth on 10 August 1913 at the age of 56 while
visiting his mother.
James Nicholas Douglass was born at Stella House, Penzance, in 1826,
and died at Stella House, Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, on July 19th
1898. It therefore seems reasonable to suppose that it was he who
gave the name of 'Stella House' to 11 College Road, which in 1877
(when it was one of the very few freehold properties on the estate)
was purchased by W. T. Douglass "for the use of J. N. Douglass". The
association of the word 'stella' (Latin for 'star') with Douglass is
entirely appropriate, as he devoted his working life to creating
artificial suns as navigational and safety aids for sailors - in
other words, lighthouses. The inventor of the 'Douglass Burner', he
was the designer and engineer in charge of construction for the
replacement for the Eddystone Lighthouse, for which work he was
knighted in 1882. At various times he had been resident engineer on
the Bishop Rock, Smalls, and Wolf Rock Light-houses off the
south-west coast of England, and then held the post of
Engineer-in-Chief to the Trinity House until his retirement in 1892.
As well as being a Fellow of the Royal Society, Douglass became
an Estates Governor and a Governor of Dulwich College, to which he
sent two of his five sons. One of these was William Tregarthen
Douglass (the purchaser of Stella House in 1877), who was himself a
distinguished engineer, the author of several books on the subject,
and Consulting Engineer to various public boards.
147475 Lieutenant Edward James Douglass was the son of William
Tregarthen Douglass and Ada Douglass and husband of Francis Muriel
Douglass of Paddington, London. He was a Freeman of the City of
London. he was awarded the Military Medal.
He served with 16
Bomb Disposal Company, Royal Engineers and died on the 17th February
1943, aged 46, apparently 'in an incident at Brackenhurst, Higher
Lane, Mumbles, Wales'. He was probably killed clearing bombs after
an air raid on Swansea.
He was buried at Saint Perox
Churchyard, Dartmouth.
Any contributions to this item will be
gratefully accepted
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