William died at the age of 67 two years after his 50th birthday. William was recognized for his contributions to the community as a result of his retirement from his job. After decades of working as lighthouse keepers, the Norgates moved to Thursday Island in 1930 to raise four children. Even though the island appeared more isolated and communal with others on the same island, William’s own problems were more extensive because he was surrounded by so many people. Daily entries detail William’s many responsibilities, including cleaning, repairing, painting, building, and, above all, keeping the light burning. It is fitting that William Norgate’s log of daily use for nearly 30 years should be kept in his memory. The log is dilapidated and fragile but serves as a testament to the humble, yet extraordinary life we can find in nature. He worked as a lighthouse keeper on Goods Island (or Goode Island) and Booby Island in Torres Strait for nearly 40 years. The log book that William Norgate kept at the lighthouse from November 1893 to November 1929 can be found in this book. ![]() The work was hard and the hours were long, but the lighthouse keepers were an important part of keeping ships safe. This meant that they had to be up all night, and often times, they were not able to get much sleep during the day. ![]() They had to keep the light burning all night and into the early morning hours. Lighthouse keepers in the early 1900s had a difficult job.
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