Falks 'Beaufort' open refractor lantern for 200w tungsten lamps. Problably better associated with the lighting of 1950/60's petrol station forecourts, old factory carparks, and roadways around postwar municipal buildings, the Falks 'Beaufort' lantern is a classic design from the late 1950's, examples of which can still be found today. All the lanterns in the range were of the same basic post-top design, but were available in three different canopy sizes (20", 25", and 35" diameters), and various bowl and open reflector/refractor options. Edison Screw, or three-pin lampholders could also be specified if required.

My sincere thanks to Davy Warren for originally identifying this lantern for me, and for supplying these images from a contemporary Falks catalogue of the period. Please note that the prices are in the old British pounds, shillings, and pence.

The lantern in the Collection.

The lantern acquired for the collection was one of several S.93880B open-refactor Falks 'Beaufort' lanterns that once adorned the perimeter wall and entrance gates to the Harlescott Livestock Market in Shrewsbury. The Livestock Market had been built in 1958 and these lanterns appear to have been installed at the time of construction. According to the above literature, the S.93880B open refractor lantern gave a non-axial light distribution for kerbside mounting, which would be correct for the position these lanterns were mounted in, fronting the pavement and pedestrian entrance to the site. The lanterns would have cost about

£9.18s.0d, (£9.80p) when new.

In 2005, the Livestock Market was finally closed and the council owned site was sold to Tesco's for redevelopment into a huge supermarket. Just prior to this, John Thompson had managed to save several Ediswan 'Court' lanterns from the same site that would have enevitably been lost in the redevelopment. However, part of the old Market car park had been temporalily retained by the Council because one of the City's park and ride bus routes operated out of the Harlescott site; it was on the perimeter wall that surrounded this car park that three remaining Falks 'Beaufort' lanterns were to be found. Of the three 'Beauforts', one was damaged beyond repair, one had it canopy slightly dented, but its glass refractor ring was broken, However, the third example remained intact. I decided that the intact 'Beaufort' was worth saving and made efforts to contact Shrewsbury and Atcham Council to see what could be done. I was lucky enough to speak to Council Officer Paul Harris, who was most understanding and became instrumental in rescuing the lantern for the Collection. When two of the lanterns were finally removed by the council's electricans in December 2006 (both the intact example and the slightly damaged lantern), contractors had already took possession of this part of the site. By the January of 2007 the last remnants of the old Harlescott Livestock Market had dissappeared under the blades of the earth movers and the lanterns would have certainly been lost if action hadn't been taken. I finally collected the lanterns on 18th January 2007 from the Council's Weeping Cross Depot in Shrewsbury, where they'd been placed into storage for me.  My sincere thanks to Paul Harris for his kind help and assistance in the saving of these 1950's design classics.

The intact example that was saved for the collection is seen in situ at the Harlescott Livestock Market, Shrewsbury in the Summer of 2006, just a few months prior to its removal.

 This view showing the top of the lantern reveals that the canopy is unmarked and in good condition. In terms of post top lanterns of the period, the 20" diameter Falks 'Beaufort' is a relatively small lantern.

Fortunately, the lantern's glass prismatic refractor is unscathed despite having stood on the Livestock Market's perimeter wall for some 47-years!

The glass refractor is held in position by what I assume to be three spring-loaded hooks? The white enamel reflector plate will need some attention, but at least it hasn't corroded through. The cap of the broken 200w GLS bulb can be seen still fixed into the porcelain lamp holder.