Editing Leasowe Lighthouse (section)

==History==

An [[Act of Parliament]] passed in 1761 allowed the Liverpool Docks Trustees to build four lighthouses. Two were built at [[Moreton, Merseyside|Moreton]]. These were the Upper Mockbeggar Light and Lower Mockbeggar Light.<ref name="mycetes.co.uk1">{{cite web|url=http://www.mycetes.co.uk/a/page66.html|title=Lighthouse Compendium|website=www.mycetes.co.uk}}</ref> When lined up, these allowed for safe passage through "Rock Channel" to the [[Port of Liverpool]].<ref name="auto1">{{citation|url=http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/100006/200073/670/content_0001020.html|title=Leasowe Lighthouse|publisher=Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|access-date=14 January 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004952/http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/100006/200073/670/content_0001020.html|archive-date=27 September 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> 
The former is now known as Leasowe Lighthouse, while the latter was built one quarter of a mile into the sea and was destroyed by a storm in 1769,<ref name="wirralhistory.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.wirralhistory.com/lighthouse.html|title=Leasowe Lighthouse|website=www.wirralhistory.com|access-date=8 August 2018|archive-date=14 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414182655/http://www.wirralhistory.com/lighthouse.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> with its replacement, Bidston Lighthouse, built in 1771 on [[Bidston Hill]].<ref name="mycetes.co.uk1" /> The other two lighthouses permitted by the Act were built at [[Hoylake]] (the name ''Hoylake'' was derived from ''Hoyle Lake'', the name of a channel of water between [[Hilbre Island]] and Dove Point, [[Meols]]<ref name="Pictures From The Past: Book 3">{{cite book|last1=Young|first1=Derek|last2=Young|first2=Marian|title=Pictures From The Past: A unique collection of photographs of old Hoylake, Meols and West Kirby|year=1984|asin=B001KA5LEY|asin-tld=co.uk}}</ref>) to facilitate safe access into the Hoyle Lake anchorage.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lighthouses of Liverpool Bay |first1=John |last1=Robinson |first2=Diane |last2=Robinson |publisher=[[The History Press]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-7524-4209-9}}</ref> Protected by a wide [[sandbank]] known as Hoyle Bank and with a water depth of about 20 feet, it provided a safe [[anchor]]age for ships.<ref name="Hoylake History">{{citation|url=http://www.hoylakegolfopen.co.uk/id13.html|title=Hoylake History|website=HoylakeAndWestKirby.com|access-date=23 December 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071208195738/http://www.hoylakegolfopen.co.uk/id13.html |archive-date = 8 December 2007}}</ref>

Leasowe Lighthouse was in use until 14 July 1908;<ref name="auto1"/> by this time, the sand banks had shifted so much that Rock Channel was barely navigable, rendering the lighthouse obsolete.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bidstonlighthouse.org.uk/lines-of-sight/|title=Lines of Sight – Bidston Lighthouse|date=2 April 2014}}</ref> The lighthouse was a place of work and also a home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leasowelighthouse.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=44|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808140855/http://www.leasowelighthouse.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=44|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 August 2018|title=Leasowe Lighthouse|website=www.leasowelighthouse.co.uk}}</ref> The last [[lighthouse keeper]] was a Mrs. Williams, the only known female lighthouse keeper in this period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hype-merseyside.co.uk/leasowe-lighthouse/|title=Leasowe Lighthouse History – HYPE Merseyside|website=hype-merseyside.co.uk|access-date=8 August 2018|archive-date=8 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808171437/http://hype-merseyside.co.uk/leasowe-lighthouse/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Upon its closure as a lighthouse, Williams moved into a cottage but kept the lighthouse open as a [[tearoom]] during the summer months. In 1930, the lighthouse was bought by the Wallasey Corporation, in 1935 Williams died and the building was closed.<ref name="archive.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/100006/200073/670/content_0001020.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004952/http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/100006/200073/670/content_0001020.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2007|title=Leasowe Lighthouse|date=27 September 2007}}</ref> The lighthouse was listed as a historic Grade II building with [[Historic England]] in 1952.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1259738|title=Leasowe Lighthouse, Wirral – 1259738- Historic England|first=Historic|last=England|website=historicengland.org.uk}}</ref> A period of disrepair ensued and the lighthouse became derelict. It was then restored by a community group called "The Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwidelighthouses.com/Lighthouses/English-Lighthouses/Privately-Owned/Leasowe|title=Leasowe Lighthouse – Worldwide Lighthouses|first=Worldwide|last=Lighthouses|website=www.worldwidelighthouses.com}}</ref>