The photoelectrons emitted by lead atoms exposed to circularly-polarised VUV radiation are partially spin polarised. Unlike the photoionisation cross section, the measured polarisation does not show autoionisation resonances as a function of wavelength. The polarisation and the known cross section results together yield new absorption data, which can be compared with the oscillator strengths of the Rydberg series in the discrete spectrum. Full information about the first three autoionisation resonances is also given. Some selected parts of the apparatus used for the spin-polarisation measurements are discussed in detail.