Bickerton Light Ghost

In July 1963 my wife and I went to Port Bickerton Light where I was assistant to the then lightkeeper, Fred Budge.

Our dwelling was the old keepers dwelling , that is now the interpretive center. The dwelling had been renovated and a bathroom had been installed in what was once the ' light room' The lightroom was so called, because it was a store room for supplies for the light. The layout for that combined light and dwelling was basically the same as the one one Green Island, the one still standing at Isaac's Harbour, Queensport Island etc., and the lightroom door was the first door on the right at the head of the stairs that accessed the second floor.

One night shortly after we moved in Carol had put Darren to bed, just before dark. From his crib, the door of the lightroom could be seen down the hall. We were in the living room, just sitting and talking, and I was thinking that it was about time to go up in the tower and 'light the light.' We had no power at that point, hence the light was still an oil lamp. Suddenly we heard Darren shouting "Hi man! Hi man!! and he was really excited, ' talking to the first person.' He kept calling out to the visitor and we went up to try and get him quieted down, and when we got to his crib, he looked at us and said sadly, "Man gone!: When asked who he was talking to, he answered, " A man. " indicating the door to the lightroom. When questioned further, two points stood out, white hair and "big boots" Theodore O' Hara, Sadie' s granddad, habitually wore turned down thigh length rubber boots, and his last years at the light, his hair was snowy white.

It was dusk and time to go up and light the big brass lamp with two wicks, that served as a beacon to the Bickerton boats, as they passed in and out the harbour through the years. What, or who, Darren was talking to that night remains anyone's guess; I like to think that Theodores spirit had preceded me up to the lantern that evening by a few minutes.

Seanachie