Cape Pembroke

This article is about the cape in the Falkland Islands. For the cape in Canada, see Cape Pembroke (Nunavut).

Cape Pembroke (Spanish: Cabo San Felipe) is the easternmost point of the Falkland Islands, and is on East Falkland. There is an automated lighthouse here.

Lighthouse

Cape Pembroke Lighthouse

Cape Pembroke Lighthouse
Cape Pembroke Lighthouse Falkland Islands
Location	Cape Pembroke Falkland Islands
Coordinates
Year first constructed	1855 (first)
Year first lit	1987 (current)
Deactivated	1982 (first)
Construction	cast iron tower
Tower shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern	black tower with a horizontal white band, black lantern
Height	18 metres (59 ft) (first)
Focal height	30 metres (98 ft) (current)
Original lens	3rd order Fresnel lens
Characteristic	Fl (3) W 20s.
Admiralty number	G1352
NGA number	20336
ARLHS number	FAL-001
Managing agent	Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust

An automated 18 metres (59 ft) lighthouse on Cape Pembroke was built in 1855, and rebuilt in 1906, and was restored in the 1990s. Previously, the nearby Billy Rock offshore had claimed fifteen ships, and there were unlit markers here.

The original light used rape seed oil, but as it burnt a thousand gallons a year, sea lion oil was attempted as a substitute. When it was rebuilt in 1906, it was converted to paraffin and worked by clockwork. After World War II a less romantic structure was built to the east.

A small lighthouse keepers cottage used to stand here. The lighthouse itself, is now a listed building.

Farm and James Smith

In the late nineteenth century, Cape Pembroke peninsula was a small farm, which the islands' government leased to James Smith of Stanley. There were few such small farms in the islands and James Smith was ardent in his support of agrarian reform.