THE recent and 1990s restoration of the Portland Breakwater Lighthouse was a topic we touched upon in the pages of Looking Back in recent weeks.

Jeanette Matthews submitted some photos of her husband’s scaffolding on the lighthouse during its redecoration in 1995 just before the Royal Naval Base closed, with the work protecting it in the extremely exposed environment until the recent major restoration.

It was wonderful to hear from Portland historian Stuart Morris who got in touch to let us know just how much historical importance this lighthouse has.

Mr Morris informs us: "This lighthouse on ‘A’-Head of Portland Breakwater was designed in 1902-4, and was first lit on March 14 1905. Responsibility was initially that of lighthouse authority Trinity House, but that soon passed to the Admiralty."

In the first photo Mr Morris has provided us with you can see the lighthouse under construction from 1904-5.

He said: "Its core is a massive cylinder of phosphor bronze, probably the best material for that exposed environment. (You can forgive the cameraman for the shaky second shot from a boat).

"W Hill & Co. of Gosport was the contractor for the North-Eastern Breakwater, including the pier head on which the tower stands.

"Specialists Chance & Co. built the lighthouse (they also supplied the optics for the ‘new’ Portland Bill lighthouse around the same time.

"Across the ship channel entrance (left) is the monumental Breakwater Fort. You can see here why it was nicknamed ‘Chequered Fort’, but the markings have now virtually disappeared.

"It is reassuring that the whole of the Breakwaters and everything on them are Scheduled Monuments. Portland Port should be thanked for preserving this functional and historic feature."