In 1793, 53 cm (21-inch) diameter parabolic reflectors were used to concentrate and direct the light from burning sperm oil.
Henry Thomas and his sons, George and John, were present in the late 1850s when Michael Faraday and Professor Holmes carried out the first experiments with electricity as a light source.
[5] During Henry Knott's period of service, in 1813, the great Scottish lighthouse engineer, Robert Stevenson paid a visit to the Forelands as part of one of his famous inspection tours.
After serving under his father at the South Foreland low lighthouse, he was transferred in 1861 to the Smeaton tower on the Eddystone where he remained for five years as Principal Keeper.
Models of Smeaton's tower, Bull Point and North Foreland still exist.
South Foreland lighthouse was also the site of experiments in radio communication by Marconi from 1898.
In March and April 1899, radio transmissions from South Foreland were of great assistance in the distress of at least two vessels on the Goodwin Sands.
The Knott family is also linked to the Darling Family of Lighthouse Keepers via the marriage of Thomas Owen Hall (born Dale, Pembs 1840) (Son of John Hall (born 1810 Dale, Pembs) keeper of St. Ann's Low Light) to Grace Horsley Darling (born Bamburgh 1844) (daughter of William Darling (born 1806 Bamburgh) Keeper of Farne Island Lighthouse) and niece of Grace Darling.