What lightkeeper registers are available on ScotlandsPeople? On 31 March 1998, over 211 years of lightkeeping tradition came to an end in Scotland, when Fair Isle South became Scotland’s last manned lighthouse. Our feature Shining a Light on the Lives of Lightkeepers provides more historical background to the role of lightkeepers. At rock stations such as the Bell Rock or Skerryvore, there were six lightkeepers (three on the rock and three having a spell ashore) and four at mainland fog signal stations. During the daytime all keepers were engaged in cleaning, painting and generally keeping the premises clean and tidy. The hours for this varied depending on the type of station. At night, keepers took turns to keep watch in the lightroom to make sure the light was working properly. Lightkeepers were divided into two grades – Principal Lightkeeper and Assistant Lightkeeper. Jurisdiction was extended to the Isle of Man in 1845. Further acts of parliament in 17 gave the Commissioners the power to construct new lighthouses as they deemed necessary. They were allowed to build four lighthouses, one of which, Kinnaird Head, Fraserburgh, is now part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. Following an act of parliament in 1786 the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses were created and given powers to borrow money, purchase land and levy dues from ships to finance their work. The origins of the Northern Lighthouse Board date to 1782, when a number of severe storms highlighted the lack of lighthouses around the Scottish coasts. This light, however, was rather primitive compared to modern standards, consisting of a stone structure, with a coal fire serving as the illuminant. The earliest lighthouse to be built in Scotland was constructed on the Isle of May by James Maxwell of Innerwick and John Cunninghame of Barnes, under a patent from King Charles I of 1635. Registers covering 1837 to 1921 are available to search and view on ScotlandsPeople (see What lightkeeper registers are available on ScotlandsPeople?) Overview of Scottish lighthouses and lightkeepers The registers are kept alphabetically according to surname and also separately by lighthouse. Later volumes also record the lightkeeper’s date of birth. Lightkeeper registers give career histories for each keeper, noting their full name, lighthouses worked at, promotions, demotions and date of retiral. Lighthouses were manned by lightkeepers, whose primary duties were to keep the light and fog signal in perfect working order. Included within this broad collection are lightkeeper registers (NRS, NLC4/1). The Commissioners are a corporate body, operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, with responsibility for Scotland and the Isle of Man. The main source for lighthouse history at National Records of Scotland (NRS) are the records of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses. Understanding the content of lightkeeper registers Overview of Scottish lighthouses and lightkeepers
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