The Flannan Isles Lighthouse was operational for a little over a year when its keepers disappeared. Situated on the largest island of the Isles called Eilean Mòr, the lighthouse was designed by David Alan Stevenson. The light had not been seen from the nearest point on Lewis, 16 miles away, for 10 days, before the lightkeepers’ disappearance was discovered.
Three lightkeepers had been on duty: James Ducat, Principal Lightkeeper; Thomas Marshall, Assistant Lightkeeper; and Donald McArthur, Occasional Keeper, who was on duty for William Ross (Assistant Lightkeeper) who was on sick leave. Joseph Moore, Assistant Lightkeeper, was on shore duty on Breasclete, Isle of Lewis.
A steamer passing the lighthouse around midnight on the 15 December noted that the light was not lit and reported this when they arrived at port. However, this was not communicated to the Commissioners and the disappearance of the keepers was only discovered as a result of the routine visit by the lighthouse tender Hesperus, on 26 December 1900.
Portrait photograph of Joseph Moore, courtesy of Lesley Morgan
The relieving keeper, Joseph Moore, was landed to investigate, but upon entering the lighthouse, found no one there.
Further investigation ensued, but no trace of the men was discovered. Moore confirmed in his report that he found the station deserted, with lamps trimmed and ready, the lens and machinery cleaned, the kitchen tidied and two sets of outdoors clothing missing.
The archives inform us that the last entries in the keeper’s log were for the 13 December. However, other particulars and weather readings dating up to 9 am on 15 December were all noted on a slate for transferring to the log later. Everything was in order, “the lamp was cleaned. The fountain full. Blinds on the windows etc.”, and clear evidence of the work of the morning on the 15 having been completed; all of which suggests the men disappeared on the afternoon of Saturday 15 December.
While no evidence of the men was found, traces of bad weather were present. A report into the incident submitted by Superintendent Robert Muirhead notes:
"…The iron railing round the crane platform from the terminus of the tramway to the concrete steps up from West landing were displaced and twisted. A large block of stone, weighing upwards of 20 cwt, had been dislodged..."
- NRS, NLC3/1/1
Muirhead proposed that the lightkeepers had made their way to the landings, perhaps to secure gear or to ascertain what damage had been done:
“When the accident occurred, Ducat was wearing sea boots and a waterproof, Marshall sea boots and oilskins, and as Moore assures me that the men only wore those articles when going down to the landings, they must have intended, when they left the Station, either to go down to the landings or the proximity of it”.
- NRS, NLC3/1/1
The conclusion of the investigation suggested that the men had been caught by an unexpected ‘large roller’ (wave) and swept into the sea.
