In August we welcomed a very honoured guest and his family to the lookout. The Ferrett family are a large family with a long and deep history in Boscastle. The late Grandfather and Grandmother Jim and Beth Ferrett were part of a large family and raised nine children of their own. Alan Ferrett is one of those children and was our honoured guest on a pleasant Sunday afternoon in August.
Alan was a Boscastle Coastguard in the 1960s and before that a member of the Life Saving Apparatus (LSA). He would be called out on watch in stormy weather and would work from 6pm to midnight or midnight to 6am (after which he would start his day job!), earning £1.50 per watch. The lookout is still quite basic today but back in the 60s there was no heating, a paraffin lamp for illumination, table & logbook and a telephone to stay in contact with the Coastguard. Like today, watchkeepers were expected to operate in all weathers and Alan recalls crawling up to the lookout on his hands and knees in strong windy conditions.
Alan was shown around the lookout by today’s NCI Station Manager Chris Evans. Chris explained the modernisation of equipment that has occurred in the meantime, including radar, VHF radios, high power binoculars and AIS receivers.
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The visit was part of a large family reunion, creating the opportunity for Alan’s grandchildren to see where their grandfather grew up, take a trip down memory lane and take in some of the beautiful sights of Boscastle whilst meeting up with their extended family. There were about 35 family members in all with 20 of them accompanying him on his visit to the lookout.
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It was fantastic to receive a visitor with such a strong and historical connection to the lookout station and it was a very enjoyable time for all involved.
