Lightning conductors on tall chimneys

[Booking Hall]

Lightning conductors are fitted to pretty much all tall structures these days, but were they that common in the early 1960's? I have just built a scale 70ft brick boiler house chimney and wonder whether to fit it with a conductor rod and earth tape. Unfortunately, pictures of the period don't seem to be of good enough quality to see whether similar chimneys had them then.

[peach james]

I believe they were fairly regular- you could try looking in OGFB, under steeplejacking.  https://www.oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk/FORUM.asp?FORUM_ID=6&CAT_ID=5&Forum_Title=One+Guy+From+Barlick+Web+Site

[sigtech]

This is an interesting question - I've must admit I never really thought much about it, but I believe it also applies to my layout 'Sproston' which is set 1956-1965, and its creamery also has a 70' chimney.

 

Looking forward to see what useful info comes out of this topic...

 

Regards,

Steve

(SIGTECH)

[smokebox]

http://www.lightningstrikeltd.co.uk/blog/the-history-of-lightning-protection/

[phil gollin]

.

 

Easy answer - YES.  They were on most buildings that were higher than surrounding trees, e.g. almost every church.

 

The actual conductor was often very thin, and before the 60s the conductor down the side of the building tended to also be thinnish, the wide strip which is most common nowadays was introduced slowly

[Guius]

British and French Men-of-War as long ago as the 18th c were fitted with lightening protection, the French included a loop at the top which under modern testing has proved to be more efficient than the straight ended variety.  So by extension it's fair to say the benefits of fitting lightening conductors would be understood and be common place in architecture at this time.

 

Best

 

Guy

[Joseph_Pestell]

Even chimneys on larger houses used to be fitted with lightning conductors.

[runs as required]

Moving up to the north west in 1948/49 (Whaley Bridge, terminus of the C&HP), lightening conductors on mill chimneys were one of the first recurring details to catch an eleven year old's eye.

Here's a trawl of mill chimneys

Has anyone ever seen a lightening conductor actually work in a storm?

dh

[Trog]

One of the interesting things about lightning conductors is that their inventor Benjamin Franklin thought that they would work better if they had a sharp point. Mad King George III not wanting to take the advice of a man he regarded as a traitor ordered that British Royal buildings should have blunt ended lightning rods. Modern science eventually proved that the King was right and that blunt worked better.

[Guius]

As the French Navy did >200 years ago.

 

Best

 

Guy

[Booking Hall]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the useful information. It seems that lightning conductors were the rule rather than the exception so now I'll be sticking one on my chimney.

 

Thanks again for all the help.