The following year, in 1833, a bill was passed in the Legislative Assembly to secure for the construction of a Beacon light in St. Andrew's Harbour. At the time St. Andrews was growing into an important seaport, local businessmen helped push to get a lighthouse constructed in the harbour to help facilitate this growing trade. Once the bill was passed by the Legislature the light was constructed very soon afterwords. Unlike offshore lights, this lighthouse was constructed quickly due to the fact it was built right in town, materials & tradesmen were easy to get for the project hence work progressed quickly on building this new lighthouse.
The light itself is situated 42 feet above the high water mark, Octogonal in shape, constructed of wood, cost £ 200 pounds to build and was a fixed white light. Its latitude is 45° 04' 10, longitude 67° 04" 00. It was intended to be a guiding range light for ships entering the harbour, a minor light compared to landfall lights like the Machais Seal Island the Gannet Rock ones. Only one lighthouse, as far as I can tell, ever existed here making it one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in the province after the Head Harbour and Gannet Rock Lights.

For most of its existence the light was also home to the Commissioners of the Bay of Fundy Lights, pre-Confederation, as well as a storage and staging area to supply the other regional lighthouses. that would include the ones on the St. Croix, the other Passamaquoddy Lights and Head Harbour. Its position next to the railway wharf proved ideal for supplies to arrive at since roads were crude at the best of times then.

Old Photo of St. Andrews, circa late 1800's. Photo Courtesy of the Provincial Archives.

"I have much please in reporting the efficient state of all, viz: - Machias Seal, Head Harbour and St. Andrews. I have had them all newly painted, the mason work done, and such general repairs as were considered necessary; they are now in a most satisfactory state, more so than they ever were. You will notice that the contingent expenses are stil kept at a moderate rate. The several keepers will comply with their log book report to you; this will tend to much good. A considerable balance is due the establishment, which occured from an ommission by my young man to credit a payment from Mr. Jack, however, there are some bills for oil, etc. not yet rendered, which, with supplies between this and spring, will redeem this amount. I hope that the Commissioners will consent to order the new improved shades for Saint Andrews Light House as suggested by you. "

I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant,
JOHN WILSON
Commissioner of Light Houses

In March of 1840, a report by the Commissioners of Lighthouses:
"The Saint Andrews Light was clean and in order, notwithstanding the keeping there of the oil and other supplies for the different stations under the charge of the Saint Andrews Commissioners. There are 4 reflectors here of 15 inches diameter. The Lighthouse is not lathed or plastered, and I should think the oil during winter, and in an inland station like this, would be apt to thicken, especially as from the shape of the frame the keeper cannot burn a Winter Lamp. The Keeper has only 30 pounds per annum with the use of a house, and I should have though his renumeration small had not the Commissioners said they could getothers to do the duties for the same rate. The premises should be painted in 1840, and the inside of the Light House washed with lime, if it is not plastered. The foundation of the Lighthouse is not good, or rather it is not properly secured on the wharf, as a shake on the balcony rods near the lantern makes the whole of the fabric tremble or rather totter. This can be remedied at small expense and it ought to be done, as in a gale of wind the building must shake so as to cause the Lamps to overflow and go out.

This lantern is utterly unfit. Its size is such to prevent any one from going into it except with great difficulty, even if only a small man. The burners are turned around to pivot, and brought to where the Keeper has to stand in order to be cleaned and have the reflectors put in order. The size of the glass is reduced to 11 1/2 X 7 1/2 inches, so that while the oil is consumed, the light furnished casnnot nevertheless be thrown out onto Saint Andres Bay. No time should be lost in procuring another Lantern, and probably if the Head Harbour one was removed to this place, and a new one got for that station, it would be the best and least costly plan, and the 4 15 inch diameter reflectors of this station would have room enough in the Head Harbour Lantern."

A December 1843 reported a storehouse of moderate size was built, along with a few feet of fence. A small but safe boat was also added, to enable the keeper to render prompt assistance, in cases of distress, to persons on the water. Instances have occurred in the day time of the loss of life by the upsetting of boats near the station, which might have been averted had a boat been available and it much to be regretted so necessary addition had not been made before. In 1847 a small bridge was constructed out to the light, its assumed it crossed over a small inlet.

The strong storm gale of October 4th 1869 caused a lot of damage to the lightstation according to the following years Commissioner of Lights Report. A portion of the block on which the tower and keepers house dwelling stood was carried away, nearly up to the sills of the building. Luckily the lighthouse survived, the wharf repairs were ordered immediately as well as all other necessary repairs. Repairs totally $302.62. The reflectors were re-silvered and four new lamps placed in the lantern.
This Gale was later referred to as the "Tidal Wave" storm and caused extensive damage up and down the Bay of Fundy at numerous lightstations. It caused the gov't to spend about $4,000 more on lighthouses repairs for NB lights for that year alone. Even years later the repairs were still being made at some lightstations, it was just too costly to do all of the repair work at one time.
A later 1873 account states that the lighthouse was endanger of being washed away. Repairs were made to it at a cost of $221.96.

The fall of 1874 was another bad one for the lighthouse. A particularily bad storm, a Nor'easter, blew down the lighthouse! Tilted it some, not totally taking it down off the wharf. Fortunately damage was not as bad as it could have been, no one was hurt, so the light was repaired and moved back to the wharf.
It was in 1876 that the light saw major repairs. It was moved off the public wharf for major repairs, then moved to the old light block on the eastern side of the public wharf. It was moved to the western side of the wharf at some point previous to this but its unknown when it was moved. Before this time the lighthouse was in a bad state, "dilapitated" in the words of the Commissioner. The lighthouse was moved to its new location on the eastern side of the wharf in part because the Dept. was subject to rent on the public side of the wharf. Not so on the eastern side since the government owned that piece. The repairs raised and protect the tower and keepers house from the sea. A Mr. Whitlock supervised the move and re-building while the lighthouse was kept in operation during the move/repairs by the lightkeeper, George Pendlebury.

A Curious sidenote in the Sessional Papers(No.5. 1877, p.114):

"The inhabitants of St. Andrews still cling to the old buildings and appear unwilling to let them go."

It appears even back then the lighthouse was well loved by the people, it was already a fixture on the St. Andrews waterfront. They didn't want to see it destroyed or altered in any signifigant way. It appears residents were keeping a watchful eye on the repairs being carried out be the contractors hired to do the work.

At the same time the lighthouse here in St. Andrews was being repaired, another lighthouse was being constructed in the area at Sand Reef to aid vessels going up the Bay of Fundy from the West Quoddy and Head Harbour area then over to St. George. This light was constructed by a Angus Fisher for $4,740 and would later be known as the Passamaquoddy Bay Light on the sand reef. This dangerous reef had to be marked as it rests on the St. Stephen/St. Croix shipping channel. Later on a lighthouse was constructed on a reef in the outer harbour near Navy Island. The Navy Bar Light was constructed in 1904(lit on Oct. 17th), at the eastern entrance to St. Andrews Harbour.
In 1876 the Point Midjik (Bluff) Light near St. George came into operation to aid vessels entering the Magaguadavic River channel. Its hard to imagine today but there was once SEVEN other lighthouses in the immediate area besides the St. Andrews one. Spruce and Marks Point Lights on the St. Croix River, The Passamaquoddy Bay and Navy Island Lighthouses close to St. Andrews, The Chamcook Light, the Midjik Bluff light, and the US St. Croix Island Light, all of which are now gone, except for the one here at St. Andrews. There are several other surviving nearby lighthouses, the US Whitlock Mills light near Calais and the Greens Point light near Letete. That would have made for NINE lighthouses in the upper Passamaquoody Bay area to exist ot one time, only three remain, none of them are still active lights.

An 1875 Commissioner of Lights reports that the St. Andrews lighthouse is somewhat dilapitated from the long wear and tear of the elements as well as having been neglected by the government (colonial) for so long. The Commissioner reports that the whole block and foundation of the lighthouse are considerably decayed (very much like today, see the end of this page). Keeper George Pendlebury was commended though for keeping the station in such good care considering the difficulties he has had to face in keeping up the old lighthouse with little funding for repairs.

Unlike a lot of the coastal light in New Brunswick, the St. Andrews went longer with fewer repairs than most. This was due in part to its sheltered position in the inner harbour as well as to the diligent upkeep by the Pendlebury family over the years. The wharf was, and is, the weak point and often had to be fixed and repaired, much moreso than the lighthouse ever was.

The Lantern/Light

The light at Indian Point/St. Andrews originally had 4 lamps/reflectors which were white in colour. It was originally illuminated by porpoise/whale oil, later by regular oil. Its unknown if it was ever illuminated by electricity before it was de-commissioned but may have been so.

In 1841 the old Head Harbour lantern was taken from that station and placed here. It was noted that it was a better fit and the keeper could get into the lantern room a lot easier to clean the glass. While the lanterns were being changed it was noted by a Colonel Wyer that there was a state of confusion but once the change was made everything was in proper working order. during the same year the keepers residence was also painted and repaired and the block on which the buildings tand made more secure and filled with stone ballast to prevent any damage in stormy weather from the surf or high tide.

The lantern was originally octagonal in shape, the size of the panes of glass being 10 1/2 X 13 inches and the eight squares consist of 12 panes each. There are four flat-wick lamps, sun burners, and four reflectors, 14 3/8 inches in diameter, and with a concavity of 3 3/8 inches. The diameter across the lantern is 6 feet 8 inches inside and the light is 4 feet 8 inches from the floor.
Unfortunately this is not the lantern you see on the lighthouse today. Its unknown when the lamp and lantern room was replaced although postcards from 1908-1910 show the large lens and lantern room still in the lighthouse.

Keepers

Of all the original lighthouses prior to Confederation in 1867 this one was the one that paid the least amount to the keeper. For instance in April of 1846 John Pendlebury only received 30 pounds for the year compared to John Connley who was keeper at Machais Seal Island. This was common practise at the time as keepers at the highly isolated lights at Gannet Rock, Machais Seal, and Head Harbour made more than the land based keepers. They also usually had an assistant later on to help them. Coastal and river lights almost always never did.

The lighthouse is still sometimes referred to as the Pendlebury Lighthouse because a member of the Pendlebury family had been a lightkeeper here for almost 100 years, from 1840 to 1938. John Pendlebury wasthe second lightkeeper to serve at the light but he first served at the Machais Seal Island Light before transferring over to St. Andrews. He originally came over from England with his family to the new world to be a lightkeeper. John served until he died in 1853 at 78 years of age. His son George took over the lightkeeping. A George Pendlebury was named as lightkeeper at the light in an 1871 census. He was paid £ 200 pounds for the year as lightkeeper. He died of cancer on April 26th, 1889. Several more members of the family took up the duty as lightkeeper in successive years.

An 1842 account in the Provincial Sessional Papers of the first lightkeeper to serve at the Indian Point or St. Andrews LH:
As with most professions your going to get the bad along with the good. In one instance in 1842 a keeper was removed for being chronically drunk on duty! In the Provincial Sessional papers it was one James Smith who was removed by the Commissioners of Lighthouses.

"As previously reported to Your Excellency, the repeated acts of misconduct of the Keeper, James Smith, of the St. Andrews LH, led to his removal, his confirmed habits of intoxication left us no other course to persue, and we are assured that Your Excellency will unite with us in the opinion, that the principal qualification of a Keeper ought to be soberiety, for without it there can be no dependance or security, especially in the night when he in concealed from the public eye."

"In conclusion, they would further remark, that the present Keepers are diligent and attentive to their duties, using all the means in their power to show good lights with the burners and apparatus at present used, which they believe, from the information they possess, are open to much improvement."

THOS WYER,
J. ALLENSHAW,
JOHN WILSON,
W.F.W. OWEN,
Commissioners.

Saint Andrews, 31st January, 1843.

This was an exceedingly rare thing to do actually and there are only a handful of instances on the books in New Brunswick where a keeper was removed form his post. Financial irregularies was another reason for removal as was incompetentcy and old age.

James Smith served for 8 months in 1842, then was removed, and replaced by John Pendlebury who served for the last 4 months of the year 1842. He transferred over from Machais Seal Island where John Conly became the head lightkeeper.
An 1879 report stated that keeper George Pendlebury takes great care and attention to his duties as lightkeeper, the light was very well maintained. The report also mentions of a leak near the lantern that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. This kind of report was commonplace, the Pendlebury's loved their lighthouse and kept it in great shape in all the time that they were there. Even when the provincial/federal government neglected it for a time in the mid-1800's they still kept the light in as best shape as they could and it was noted in their reports. George A. Pendlebury died in St. Andrews on April 26th, 1889. He attended the Church of England and died of cancer.
That is why the lighthouse is often called the Pendlebury light although it was never called that officially when it was in service. I'm sure though that the local residents of St. Andrews at the time referred to it (and still do) as the "Pendlebury Light" by the late 1800's as the family was well known in the area and highly respected. No other lighthouse in the province, that I'm aware of, has been named after the family that has kept it, only the St. Andrews light has had this honour.

Being a keeper was never a high-paying job, back in 1861 the keeper was paid £200 pounds for the year. Additional expenses at the light for that year was for coal, oil, wick, annual stores and for repairs which brought the yearly total maintenance cost up to £ 557.74 pounds. Some other lightstations like Gannet Rock had an assistant keeper, but not so at St. Andrews, one keeper was considered sufficient to look after it all. It was considered a good posting for lightkeepers as you didn't have the isolation that certain other lights had like on Southern Wolf Island.
By the late 1800's many minor lighthouse lightkeeping jobs became politisized. Meaning that your job as a lightkeeper depended on which party you belonged to. This was not the case with the important landfall type lighthouses like Gannet Rock, but was common with the Saint John River Lighthouses and other minor lights like Grand Harbour. This was not the case with St. Andrews though. The Pendleburys were never accused of "Political Partisanship" perhaps because they were so well known and liked in the community. No politician dared try to appoint one of their friends to the job of lightkeeping at this minor light as they knew they would face the wrath of the electorate in the next election. The Pendlebury family were a fixture, an institution, in St. Andrews for almost a century until the sad day when the lighthouse was de-commissioned back in 1938. The light became redundant, no longer needed. I'm sure it was a sad day for the whole town when the lighthouse went dark, especially for the Pendlebury's who had such a strong attachment ot the light.

Keeping the light at St. Andrews was perhaps the best lightkeeping job in all the province because it was located right in the town of St. Andrews, close to everything you would ever want. This was definately not a "hardship post" like for example, Gannet Rock was. Isolation was not present at St. Andrews which may explain why each successive generation of the Pendlebury family applied to be lightkeepers here, it was a good life. The lightkeepers here could partake in regular activities after hours and not feel cut-off from the rest of the world that many keepers at isolated lighthouses felt.
Life in St. Andrews was good in the mid-1800's to early 1900's. Not only was St. Andrews a bustling port at the time, it was also developing into a summer vacation home for wealthy Canadian and Americans. At the time the Pendlebury's were lightkeeping here the town was at its peak as a tourism destination for the rich who often had summer homes in the area. The Van Horne Estate on Ministers Island is perhaps the best known of all these summer homes.

All these new lights helped serve the growing shipping/ship building trade that was flourishing in the Bay of Fundy in the 1800's. Ships such as schooners, brigs, and coasters needed to have dangerous hazards like rocks, shoals, reefs, as well as harbour entrances marked out for them. The colonial governement recognized this need in 1791 when the first lighthouse in the province was built on Partridge Island at the entrance to Saint John Harbour. At the time roads were crude at best and all commerce was carried out by ships. It was often the business community, like the Saint John Board of Trade, that pushed the government to build these lights to help safeguard their crews and cargo. Highways at the time were water highways, roads were still in their infancy, development wise.

To help fund all this lighthouse construction and upkeep the provincial government came up with a plan to charge "Lighthouse Duties" to each ship captain. These fees were collected in every major port of call in NB to help pay for all these new lighthouses as well as for the maintenance of the existing lights, one of New Brunswick's very first "user fees" as it were. The fees were usually based on how large the vessel was and whether it was a local ship or a foreign one. Agents in each port, like St. Andrews, would go out and collect the fee from ships arriving, or departing from, the port. There usually was a maximum per year set cost for each ship owner. Some ship owners complained that all the fees they were paying out to the governement they could have saved them and built their own lighthouse instead! For example, in 1834 the lighthouse duties collected in the Bay of Fundy amounted to £ 1,743 8 8. Duties were collected in the port of St. Andrews by government agents.

Submitted colourized photo showing the lightstation when it was operational

Today the lighthouse is still located at the end of Patrick Street and is presently part of the "Lighthouse Restaurant", a seasonal seafood establishment. It was de-commissioned back in the 1938 and sold to a private party. This was one of the first colonial lighthouses to be built in New Brunswick, just after Gannet Rock and Machais Seal Island were constructed in 1832. It was built as an octogonal white wooden tower with a large red lantern room or cuppola. Unfortunately only the wooden tower remains original, the lantern room has since been replaced over time. Hence it is the oldest surviving mainland New Brunswick lighthouse and currently the most endangered lighthouse in the province, if you don't include the old Grand Harbour Light near Grand Manan which is really a lost cause now. The Lighthouse is one of only eight octagonal-style wooden lighthouses left standing in the province.
We nearly lost this old light back in the 1960's when part of the seawall collapsed causing the light to tilt 30 degrees to the side. Luckily though it was saved by the Charlotte County Historical Society and Ralph Conley who righted it and fixed the seawall. The Historical Society has placed a plaque on the side of the lighthouse proclaiming it to be the Pendlebury Lighthouse, built in 1833, de-commissioned in 1938.

The lantern room at top is presently boarded up and has been deteriorating over the years. Back in 1999 the Cuppola was covered up in a very ugly red tarp painted red, but in 2000 it was replaced with boards painted red surrounding the lantern room with small metal guy wires giving additional support. A big improvement over the previous year! But the biggest problem in recent years is the deterioration of the wharf, a bad storm could take out this light at any time causing it to tip over. In the fall of 2001 Civic Trust placed large cut stones at the base of the seawall/wharf to help stem some of the force of the winter tides until something more permanent could be done later.

In terms of status the St. Andrews Lighthouse does not yet have FHRBO(Federal Heritage Review Board) or Provincial Historic Site status yet but could easily qualify for both in the future. The first priority is saving the lighthouse and restoring the wharf and tower. Part of the keepers house is still around, part of the roof and one wall of the keepers house is part of the Lighthouse Restaurant. The rest of the building no longer exists.
Currently the light is now owned by St. Andrews Civic Trust who have now temporarily moved the light to a safer location on dry land( about 25 feet away) while the seawall and wharf are rebuilt. The former owners(LH Restaurant) sold it to the Trust who will plan on fixing the wharf and then restore the lantern room with the help of the local community college welding class. A lens may even be placed back in the lighthouse once everything else is completed. The lighthouse will be placed back into its original position on the old wharf. Future plans call for buying and developing the whole site into a tourism destination. Immediate plans call for moving and safeguarding the lighthouse.

This is excellent news, another piece of New Brunswick's heritage is now about to be saved! The Trust will be holding a fundraiser on August 30th at the Sunbury Shores Art Gallery(139 Water Street St. Andrews) to aid in the costs associated with this worthwhile project. They are seeking submissions of paintings by artists of either the lighthouse, seascapes, nature, etc. to be submitted for the auction. The money will be used to help in the estimated $200,000 cost involved in restoring this lighthouse. Right now they are seeking support and money from anyone they can.
They plan on opening the light up to tourists sometime in the future and may even place a light back in the top again.
Things are definately looking a lot brighter with regards to New Brunswick's Lighthouses!

See a gallery of recent photos
(Taken on May 11th, 2002.)

1960's - after storm caused a 30° tilt to the lighthouse tower. Charlotte County Historical Society helps right it later.

1920 - 1938 Miss E. Pendlebury (paid $405 for the year 1920.)

Timeline