The main sources for family history are the Registers and Lists of Lightkeepers, 1837-1980 (NLC4/1) and the Establishment Books, 1913-1957 (NLC4/2). The Registers of Lightkeepers give career histories for each keeper, noting full name, date of birth, lighthouses worked at, promotions, demotions and date of retiral. The Registers are kept alphabetically according to surname and by lighthouse, and digital images may be viewed in our search rooms on the ‘Virtual Volumes’ system (microfilms are also available for consultation in the search rooms). Registers NLC4/1/1-4 (1837-1921) can now be searched free of charge via our Scotland's People website and images of the original handwritten registers can be viewed and downloaded for a small fee. The Establishment Books, which are not available online, give details of salaried, mostly headquarters, staff.
In addition, the Board Minutes, 1786-1984 (NLC2/1) often note the employment, dismissal, retirements of, and accidents to, individual employees, especially in the 19th century. The General Orders, 1844-1991 (NLC5/1) detail disciplinary offences of individual keepers, and the Secretary's Correspondence and Reports, 1901-1987 (NLC3/1) also contain material on individual employees.
