14 August 2024
Shona Riddell is a Wellington-based writer with a love of cold weather and an interest in the history of remote locations. She has written three books including Trial of Strength: Adventures and Misadventures on the Wild and Remote Subantarctic Islands and picture book, The Tale of the Anzac Tortoise. With a new book, Guiding Lights: The Extraordinary Lives of Lighthouse Women releasing in late August, I caught up with Shona to find out about the book and where her fascination with lighthouses began.
What sparked your interest in lighthouses and women lighthouse-keepers?
I love stories about the sea and remote locations, so lighthouses are a perfect fit for me! There are so many fascinating tales of lighthouse keepers' bravery on wild coastlines or offshore islands, keeping the lights burning at these unique outposts in terrible weather. New Zealand's only woman to be employed as a lighthouse keeper (from 1855–1865), Mary Jane Bennett, lived with her six children at Pencarrow Lighthouse in Wellington at the harbour entrance – a solitary, exposed location even today. After learning her story, I wondered if there were many other female keepers around the world. That took me on a wonderful research journey. I also love that lighthouses are a symbol of hope – they are comforting beacons in the night, guiding people and ships to safety for hundreds of years – but many also come with dramatic tales and ghostly legends.
What’s the most interesting thing you discovered in researching this topic?
It's hard to pick just one, so I'll give you three things that surprised me the most:
1) Women were employed as head (senior) lighthouse keepers in the 1800s.
2) Some were paid more than male keepers, depending on the location and how dangerous their job was.
3) In a few parts of the world, such as Canada, there are still lighthouse keepers. Most lighthouses are now automated so it's wonderful to know there are still people 'tending the light'.
How many of the lighthouses in the book have you had the chance to visit in person? Any favourites?
A few, but definitely not all – there are more than 100 lighthouses from around the world in Guiding Lights. As a Kiwi, my favourites are the New Zealand ones and I really enjoyed interviewing people who had lived and worked in them in the late 20th century, before automation. My top two are Pencarrow Lighthouse, as it was the home of Mary Jane Bennett, and Castlepoint Lighthouse, which I think of as my 'childhood' lighthouse because we used to visit it regularly.
What was the most difficult part of writing this book?
I suppose the biggest learning curve for me was studying and sharing how lighthouses evolved over the centuries, from coastal bonfires to sophisticated towers with powerful beams that are able to withstand centuries of gale-force winds and lashing waves. Also, there are so many beautiful and dramatic photos of lighthouses that it became a challenge to pick which ones to include in the book! But I think all the colour images in Guiding Lights help bring the old stories to life.
What’s next for you?
After writing two maritime history books and spending a lot of time near the sea, I decided it was time to leap in! I'm now a year-round ocean swimmer and I enjoy writing about open water swimming, marine biology, and conservation. I have just completed a Master's degree (Science in Society) at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.
