Bristolians are invited to watch out for spectacular light display tomorrow (Thursday, June 2) that will mark the city's contribution to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons.
The Lord Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol has commissioned this sustainable take on a Beacon, with a light display installed that will shine out across the city from Cabot Tower on Brandon Hill. Beams of light will be shone into the night sky at 9.45pm, as a sustainable alternative to lighting a fire.
County Lieutenants date back to the Tudors when they were first appointed by Henry VIII to replace the military functions of sheriffs who were historically responsible for the local militia. They were abolished during a period of republican rule following the execution of Charles I but it was not until 1921 that they lost the right to call upon able-bodied men to fight when needed.
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Their current role of Lord Lieutenants is to represent the monarch and uphold the dignity of the crown. The Lord Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, Peaches Golding OBE was the first Black woman to be appointed for the role.
Peaches Golding, OBE, Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol, said: "As one of the most distinctive historic buildings in Bristol it seems fitting that we select it as the place to send a message across the city.
"The beacon will be able to be seen far and wide and the public are invited to watch from afar as this will provide the best view of the spectacle. Many people will be able to see from their own homes or from a nearby vantage point as it shines across the city.”
The project, which is being designed and executed by Bristol’s technical lighting company SLX, with support from Bristol based event management experts Richmond Event Management, is designed to symbolise positivity and solidarity as part of the beacon lightings across the country.
It marks Her Majesty The Queen’s 70th year as the Monarch and Head of the Commonwealth. More than 2,022 beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, and one in each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries.
In 1897, beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen, and in 2016, her 90th birthday.
