Lighthouse lamp maintenance. Historical illustra- tion of two lighthouse keepers maintaining the lighthouse's oil lamps. The keeper at lower centre, is winding the clockwork motor which turns the lamps. While he does this, his colleague polishes the parabolic mirrors of the lamps. Oil lamps were used for lighthouse illumination well into the 20th century. The wicks burned near the focus of the parabolic mirrors. This illustration is of the oil lamps in Beachy Head Lighthouse, off southern England. This lighthouse (lower left) was built off the Belle Tout Cliff (bottom centre) in 1831.