27

Close up of prism of 3rd order Fresnel lens installed in 1912 at Point Atkinson.
1920
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada


28

A third order Fresnel lens, the latest in lighthouse technology, was also installed in 1912. It sat in a mercury bath and was rotated by a clockwork system that required winding every 2 ½ hours.

29

Engine and compressor for fog alarm.
1930
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada


Credits:
Courtesy of Dave Grafton.

30

Larry Grafton remembers:
That was a curse having to wind that thing up every 2 ¾ hours or whatever it was, because you know, they have railings in there, but in the old days they just had the one hand rail…You went down 12 steps and they had this little platform and the next railing was way over here and you would get down there in the dark and you were just easing along the cement wall until you hit the rail…. Pretty slippery sometimes.

31

The Grafton family and friends outside the duplex at Point Atkinson.
1920
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada


Credits:
Courtesy of Brian Grafton.

32

Dad and Mother Grafton's silver wedding party at Point Atkinson, 1934.
1934
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada


Credits:
Courtesy of Brian Grafton.

33

Gordon and Laurence Grafton.
1920



Credits:
Courtesy of Brian Grafton.

34

Page from the keeper's log describing Grafton's death.
1934
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
TEXT ATTACHMENT


35

Thomas Grafton died in 1934, in a year that saw him the victim of two accidents, the last one fatal. In the first, in January, he was thrown into the flywheel by a broken compressor belt. Grafton was out of commission for six months. The second accident, in October, took place as he was fishing. His manner of fishing was to drop dynamite into the water and then come back to pick up the stunned fish. However, on October 6, Lawrence Grafton wrote in the log:
"started calm with light haze in bay. Pt. Grey showing all morning dimly. Lightkeeper was killed instantly sometime before 6 a.m. from a dynamite blast which exploded accidentally in his hand. The body was recovered at 7:15 a.m. by his youngest son drifting in the submerged boat about 200 yards off the point. Light W. wind during the day. Then calm with light fog drifting out of the bay from 9:30 p.m./ till midnight. S. shore light in sight till midnight. Partly cloudy."

36

Alton Grafton, Horace Lear and Laurence Grafton with fish.
1928
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada


Credits:
Courtesy of Brian Grafton.

37

Larry Grafton took over light keeping duties after his father's death. He petitioned the Department of Marine to be made permanent keeper at Point Atkinson to support his family but, because he was unmarried and without children, and Point Atkinson was one of the few lighthouses with a school close by, he was denied in favour of a keeper with children. The Grafton family had spent 47 years at Point Atkinson.

38

Left to right: Jack Jacob, Muriel Bell, Mother Grafton, Larry Grafton.
1920
Point Atkinson, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada


39

Street railwaymen. Ernie Dawe is in the first row, on the far right.
1920
Calgary, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Courtesy of Larry Dawe.

40

Dawes (1935-1961)
Ernie Dawe and his family took over the lighthouse from the Grafton family on 6 June 1935. His 26-year tenure at the lighthouse saw Point Atkinson become increasingly accessible. The military was stationed at the Point and their engineers built a road from Marine Drive to the lighthouse, which, after the war, made the lighthouse and the surrounding park, within easy reach to tourists and Lower Mainland residents.