New technology illuminates church

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(L-R) John Woodward, James Jose, Revd Mike Firbank
(L-R) John Woodward, James Jose, Revd Mike Firbank

One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of LED technology is helping to restore light to an historic Cornish churchyard.

Based in Redruth, OMC has been supplying and manufacturing LED (light emitting diode) products for the electronics industry in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world for over 20 years.

The firm has joined forces with a local engineering company to return a set of decorative Victorian lamps and lanterns to Camborne Church after an absence of more than 65 years.

The lamp and lantern were taken down from the churchyard, along with the cast iron railings, during the Second World War to be melted down for munitions.

JW Engineering, owned and operated by John Woodward of Camborne, was initially contracted to design, make and install new cast iron railings and re-instate the lamp and decorative archway and lantern to the front wall of the church.

They also undertook further refurbishment work to large cast iron entrance gates and designed and made a second lamp for a surviving Victorian lamp-post on the church’s south side – having only a single photograph of the original to work from.

“The works undertaken at Camborne Church have been the most interesting and rewarding of my career,” said John Woodward.

“Many engineering challenges presented themselves but all were overcome. This church has been looking after my family for at least 200 years so it was something I wanted to do and the end result has given me both a great sense of achievement and satisfaction.”

“I am proud to have my business name associated with this work and OMC’s expertise has enabled me to reinstate the frontage of Camborne Parish Church to its former Victorian glory,” he added.

As both of the lamps were originally powered by gaslight, the company needed to find a modern, low maintenance and environmentally friendly alternative method of illumination.

OMC’s James Jose said: “We were approached by John and were only too pleased to get involved in such a worthwhile project which utilises the very best of traditional methods with the latest in new technology.”