Welcome to Episode 9 of the second season of KEEPING WATCH - a fortnightly podcast for enthusiasts of lighthouses, lighthouse keepers, light vessels and other aids to maritime navigation. 

This week Mel and I tracked down former Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) keeper, John Boath. We discovered John was the last ever keeper on the Bell Rock. 

What inspired John to join the lighthouse service? Believe it or not, it was an episode of Blue Peter!

John turned out to be a natural and very accomplished public speaker, and the conversation flowed so freely that Mel’s and my questions barely seemed necessary. So I took the decision to edit out almost all our input, except where absolutely necessary. Personally, I think It’s a lot better as a result. 

So settle down with a mug of tea or coffee and enjoy hearing about John’s rich and enjoyable career. 

We’re keen to talk with other former light vessel and lighthouse keepers and crew - as well as others currently working in the lighthouse service. Again, you can email me at [email protected]. 

Please spread the word to friends and family who might be interested in listening. And do like, follow or subscribe to this podcast so that you are notified when each new episode is published. A comment or a splendid review on your podcast platform of choice would be very welcome and really helps us to get noticed. 

If you have an idea for a story you'd like us to cover, or an interesting person with a lighthouse connection we might interview, do please drop me a line. Or perhaps you are a fellow enthusiast and would like to contribute to the podcast either once or on a regular basis?

You can contact me at [email protected]. 

KEEPING WATCH is brought to you in association with the ALK - The Association of Lighthouse Keepers - a charitable trust in the UK dedicated to keeping lighthouse heritage alive. 

Visit the Association of Lighthouse Keepers: www.alk.org.uk