The Flannan Isles, or as they are sometimes called, the “Seven Hunters” are an uninhabited archipelago which lie eighteen miles west of the Isle of Lewis. This hazardous group of islands were also known as “the islands of the dead” so named for destroying trading ships on their way to the Scottish ports.
As Common Grazing’s for the crofters of Gt Bernera, however, the islands, although remote and desolate, were used for pasturing sheep. It was said that the sheep owners and shepherds would sail out twice annually to attend to and exchange some sixty sheep which they kept there. During the summer months, though, the Flannan’s were visited spasmodically by lobster-fishermen, and by trawlermen. They were often accused, and not unjustifiably, by the Bernera folk of having added an odd Flannan sheep to their larder at times. Alastair Alpin MacGregor, the novelist, recounted visiting John Maciver, a crofter in Breaclete, Bernera when he was on his research travels on the islands. The host had served him up, according to MacGregor, with the finest mutton broth he had ever tasted. The succulent potage had been produced using superior lamb from one of Maciver’s animals, which had spent most of its life grazing the verdant sea girt islands.
A lighthouse for the islands was designed by David and Allan Stevenson (cousins of the famous author, Robert Louis Stevenson) and was constructed and finished by 1899.
(Picture: The Flannans Island lighthouse).
It had been a difficult build, taking three years, as all the materials had to be taken out by boat. They then had to be carried up the 150ft cliff by means of steps, which had previously been cut into the rock. The workers also built a tramway, set from the landing places on the east and west of the main island, Eilean-Mor. The Lighthouse Board also at this time built a shore station in Breasclete. It was a large well-made stone construction for use by the families of the lighthouse keepers and the relief keepers. It stood out in the village as the local villagers still lived in thatched cottages, which were called blackhouses due to the soot that covered the inside of the buildings. These primitive homes had a fire of peat in the middle of the floor with the smoke meandering through the thatched roof. Shortly after the lighthouse’s first anniversary, the Flannan Isles became the scene of tragedy and an enduring mystery. The relief keepers were taken out to the Flannans from Breasclete every two weeks by the tender, Hesperus. On 15th of December 1900 a steamer called the Archtor reported that there was no light emanating from the lighthouse. On the 26th of the month the Hesperus, delayed from leaving Loch Roag by bad weather, sailed to investigate with relief keepers on board.
When they arrived at Eilean Mor there was no one at the steps there to greet them. They were surprised particularly as the relief flag was not flying in the usual place. The captain was concerned, so he sounded a blast on the ship’s whistle. There was no response, so he ordered a distress flare to be fired over the lighthouse.
Eventually a small boat was lowered and Joseph Moore, a seaman, was landed to investigate. When he approached the lighthouse, he found the outer gate and door to be closed. However, when he entered, he noticed things were different. The kitchen door was ajar, the clock had stopped, and the fire was not lit.
Finding the building deserted, he ran back to report his findings to the captain. A party of three returned to the island and further investigation found that the lamps had been cleaned and refilled ready for the night. The dining table, downstairs, was set for a meal of cold meat, pickles, and boiled potatoes. An upturned chair lay on the floor near the table. The clothes locker contained one set of oilskins and a pair of boots. However, the other two sets were missing. There was no sign of the three keepers, but it was discovered that the west landing had been damaged by the recent bad weather. The iron railings were bent, a life buoy had been ripped from its mountings and a stone weighing over a ton had been displaced high up on the island. The last entry, which was due to be written up in the log, had been transcribed on the 15th.
The master of the Hesperus sent a telegram to the Northern Lighthouse Board Office as soon as he had returned to the shore base at Breasclete. “A dreadful accident has happened at Flannans. The three keepers, Ducat, Marshall and the Occasional have disappeared from the island. On our arrival there this afternoon no sign of life was to be seen on the island. Fired a rocket but, as no response was made, managed to land Moore, who went up to the station, but found no keepers there. The clocks were stopped, and other signs indicated that the accident must have happened about a week ago. Poor fellows, they must have been blown over the cliffs or drowned trying to secure a crane or something like that. Night coming on, we could not wait to make further investigation but will go off again tomorrow morning to try and learn something as to their fate. I have left Moore, Macdonald, and Buoy[1]master and two seamen on the island to keep the light burning until you make other arrangements. Will not return to Oban until I hear from you. I have repeated this wire to Muirhead in case you are not at home. I will remain at the telegraph office tonight until it closes if you wish to wire me”.
Much speculation was entered into by the public when all the facts came to light. Large birds had attacked the men, some said, while others suggested they had been kidnapped. Sea dragons had dragged them away, was one fanciful proposal, while murder or suicide could not be ruled out, others implied.
The official report from the superintendent of the Northern Lighthouse Board offered a more prosaic interpretation of events. “After a careful examination of the place, the railings, ropes etc, and weighing all the evidence which I could secure, I am of the opinion that the most likely explanation of the disappearance of the men is that they had all gone down on the afternoon of Saturday15th December to the proximity of the west landing to secure the box with the mooring ropes, etc, and that an unexpectedly large roller had washed upon the island, and that a large body of water going up higher than where they were and coming down upon them had swept them away with resistless force”.
This does not however explain the upturned chair, or the fact one man’s wet weather gear remained in the locker. Later, experts speculated that perhaps one keeper was engaged in arranging dinner, while the other two had left to check the equipment at the west landing due to the stormy conditions. The keeper in the lighthouse suddenly noticed an enormous wave advancing towards the small island from the Atlantic. He rushed out, without putting on his wet weather gear, to warn his colleagues, knocking over the chair in the process. As he got to them the wave hit and washed the three unfortunate keepers away. It was reported by several people that an extremely large wave had hit the wild shoreline of Lewis on the day in question.
Extremely large single waves which had sent ships to the deep had been talked about for many years by sailors. We now know that although very rare, volcanic activity beneath the oceans can on occasion cause unfathomable wave patterns.
The three keepers, who were lost, were James Ducat, Thomas Marshall, and Donald Macarthur. Donald, known in the Gaelic as Domhnall Chalum Sheoc, was a local man who worked as a stonemason, when not away. He was involved in building the local Free Presbyterian Church and according to local folklore he left instructions for work that was to be carried out in his absence, prior to leaving for his ill-fated trip to the Flannans. Another local man, a relief lighthouse keeper who was more fortunate was Angus Maciver from Carloway. He was not on the doomed shift and after the tragedy he wisely took up alternative employment, working as a ghillie, an altogether safer occupation. Maciver was an expert fisherman who utilized his undoubted talents at the Garynahine hotel, where he took guest salmon and sea[1]trout fishing at the famous Blackwater River nearby. His untimely death occurred in 1907 at the early age of forty-four.
(Picture: Thomas Marshall, James Ducat & Donald MacArthur).
The poem “Flannan Isle” was written shortly after the tragedy by the acclaimed poet, Wilfred Wilson Gibson. A close friend of Rupert Brooke, he went on to write and was famous for his war poetry. These were based on stories he had heard or experiences he had while serving in the trenches in WW1. Gibson had included the fanciful notion in his poem about the Flannan Isles, that Moore “saw three queer black ugly birds[1]too big by far in my belief-for cormorant or shag-like seamen bolt upright” as he approached Eilean-Mor. Although there is no evidence for this sighting of the birds, many only knew of the tragedy through this famous poem, and so all kinds of outlandish theories involving these giant birds were added to the enigma.
NEW FLANNAN ISLAND TRAGEDY MEMORIAL
A memorial to the Flannan Isles calamity was unveiled officially by Princess Anne. Designed and built by local artisan and craftsman, James Crawford, it is situated in Breasclete near the shoreline from where the lighthouse tender would transport the keepers to the island. The memorial has a large bronze wave bearing down on a representation of the island, a large boulder of Lewisian gneiss. Surmounting the boulder is a model of the lighthouse, crafted out of sandstone.
(Picture: Flannans Memorial).
It is a striking design with a tablet below which reads as follows:
FLANNAN MEMORIAL INSCRIPTION
Is sinne air ar fagal-Ri faire na soluis-A feitheamh ri dubhar na h-oidhche.
(We leave to the protecting light, to stay the darkness of the night).
This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the N.L.B. Keepers who died on the 15th , December 1900 in pursuit of their duties.
JAMES DUCAT---THOMAS MARSHALL---DONALD MACARTHUR
Sailm 89:9 “Riaghlaidh tusa onfhadh na fairge; n uair a dheireas a tonnan, caisgidh tu iad.
(Psalm 89:9 You rule over the surging sea, when its waves rise You still them).
Princess Anne moved on to the shore station itself, known locally as Taighe Mhoir (the Big House). The station, which has a striking design and history, is now community owned and plans are afoot to develop part of the building to be able to provide exhibition space.
An extensive archive of material has been amassed over the years relating to the lighthouse service on the Flannans. Original news reports of the tragedy are supplemented by related items donated by the keeper’s families. Drawings of the lighthouse hope to be on display, executed by David and Allan Stevenson which have been reproduced by permission of the Northern Lighthouse Board.
The Taighe Mhoir has tremendous local significance, not only to marine history but to the village of Breasclete itself where keepers and their families lived until the lighthouse itself was automated in 1971.