The main source for lighthouse history at National Records of Scotland (NRS) are the records of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses. The Commissioners are a corporate body, operating as the Northern Lighthouse Board, with responsibility for Scotland and the Isle of Man.
Although the earliest Scottish lighthouse was constructed soon after 1635 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. Following an act of parliament in 1786 the Commissioners were created and given powers to borrow money, purchase land and levy dues from ships to finance their work. They were allowed to build four lighthouses, one of which, Kinnaird Head, Fraserburgh, is now part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. Further acts of parliament in 1788 and 1789 gave the Commissioners the power to construct new lighthouses as they deemed necessary. Jurisdiction was extended to the Isle of Man in 1845.
The earliest lighthouse in Scotland was built on the Isle of May by James Maxwell of Innerwick and John Cunninghame of Barnes, under a patent from Charles I of 1635. In 1814 the Commissioners purchased the lighthouse from its then owners, and the present lighthouse was built and illuminated from 1816.
Local lights (which were much smaller than lighthouses) and seamarks were usually constructed and maintained under local acts of parliament or burgh charters. The earliest recorded Scottish light was at Buddonness on the Tay, constructed by an act of the Privy Council in 1687. An act of 1836 made local lights and seamarks subject to the inspection and supervision of the Commissioners.
The records
Full descriptions of the Northern Lighthouse Board's records can be found on our online catalogue (series reference NLC). The records themselves are not stored at General Register House on-site and they must be ordered in advance of a visit.
The records can be summarised as follows:
Board Records (reference NLC1-NLC2)
Includes annual reports 1848-1937 (reference NLC1); minute books 1786-1984 (reference NLC2/1); schedules of meetings 1901-1989 (reference NLC2/2); and meeting papers 1892-1900 (reference NLC2/3).
Secretary's Department Records (reference NLC3-NLC6)
The Secretary's Department was responsible for finance and general administration. It also maintained the records of the Board's personnel, issued orders and circulars to shore stations and lighthouses, and 'Notices to Mariners' to the seafaring public. There are also shipwreck returns in the papers of the secretary's department.
Includes correspondence and reports 1901-1987 (reference NLC3); registers of lightkeepers 1837-1980 and registers of candidate and expectant lightkeepers 1885-1895 (reference NLC4/1); establishment books 1913-1957 (reference NLC4/2); general orders 1844-1991 (reference NLC5); and shipwreck returns 1927-1983 (reference NLC6). Earlier shipwreck returns can be found amongst records of individual lighthouses (see below).
Engineer's Department Records (reference NLC11)
The Engineer's Department had overall responsibility for the construction, maintenance and inspections of lighthouses, seamarks and buoys, radio and radar installations.
Includes letterbooks 1896-1956 (reference NLC11/1); harbour lights letterbooks 1905-1937 (reference NLC11/2); and files on construction and maintenance of lighthouses and associated machinery 1838-1946 (reference NLC11/3 and reference NLC11/4).
Individual Lighthouse Records (reference NLC 20-NLC111)
The records of individual lighthouses include records originating in, or providing for, the major manned lighthouses. Records for each lighthouse might have some of the following: general orders and correspondence; shipwreck returns; visitors albums; postage books; receipt books; meteorological returns books; stores books; order books; return of observation of neighbouring lights; inventory books. The individual lighthouses represented are listed below:
- Ailsa Craig Lighthouse, 1862-1985 (NLC20)
- Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, 1972-1987 (NLC21)
- Barns Ness Lighthouse, 1982-1986 (NLC23)
- Barra Head Lighhouse, 1953-1980 (NLC24)
- Buchan Ness Lighthouse, 1915-1971 (NLC28)
- Copinsay Lighthouse, 1915-1900 (NLC36)
- Corsewall Lighthouse, 1883-1992 (NLC38)
- Cromarty Lighthouse, 1868-1985 (NLC40)
- Davaar Lighthouse, 1868-1980 (NLC42)
- Dubh Lighthouse, 1929-1971 (NLC44)
- Eilean Glas Lighthouse, 1853-1925 (NLC47)
- Esha Ness Lighthouse, 1955-1966 (NLC48)
- Fidra Lighthouse, 1951-1970 (NLC51)
- Flannan Isles Lighthouse, 1899-1971 (NLC53)
- Holy Island (Inner) Lighthouse, 1900-1978 (NLC57)
- Holy Island (Outer) Lighthouse, 1926-1964 (NLC58)
- Inchkeith Lighthouse, 1845-1869 (NLC62)
- Isle of May Lighthouse, 1836-1989 (NLC63)
- Loch Indaal Lighthouse, 1869-1948 (NLC70)
- Maughold Head Lighthouse (Isle of Man), 1914-1993 (NLC72)
- McArthur's Head Lighthuse, 1861-1969 (NLC73)
- Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, 1936-1995 (NLC75)
- Neist Point Lighthouse, 1898-1988 (NLC78)
- Noss Head Lighthouse, 1892-1967 (NLC80)
- Out Skerries Lighthouse, 1854-1935 (NLC83)
- Pentland Skerries Lighthouse, 1871-1994 (NLC85)
- Pladda Lighthouse, 1970-1990 (NLC86)
- Point of Ayre Lighthouse (Isle of Man), 1957-1993 (NLC87)
- Rona Lighthouse, 1857-1975 (NLC91)
- Rubh' Re Lighhouse, 1944-1985 (NLC92)
- Ruvaal Lighthouse, 1858-1983 (LC94)
- Sanda Lighthouse, 1863-1991 (NLC95)
- Scurdie Ness Lighthouse, 1975-1983 (NLC96)
- Skerryvore Lighthouse, 1968-1991 (NLC97)
- St Abb's Lighthouse, 1844-1993 (NLC99)
- Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, 1868-1976 (NLC107)
- Tiumpan Head Lighthouse, 1920-1984 (NLC108)
- Turnberry Lighthouse, 1873-1985 (NLC110)
- Ushenish Lighthouse, 1857-1971 (NLC111)
Records in NLC1-19 are closed to public inspection for 30 years from the date of the last entry in each file or volume.
Items in NLC20-111 are open to inspection unless otherwise indicated.
