Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Each weekday morning, the PLK and usually one ALK (though sometimes the L/ALK
would also attend as well) would gather together in the engine room to be advised by
the PLK what the morning's tasks would be, whether cleaning or painting or whatever
othertasksneededtobecarriedout.The2a.m.-6a.m.watchwasgenerallyexcusedas
he would probably be asleep. This work detail only lasted until lunchtime, to give them
the opportunity to get some sleep, as the keepers would all be keeping watch later.
Heating and cooking was usually via a coal-fired range, with possibly one or two
paraffin heaters for domestic use. A kettle would always have been on the range. The
existence and use of coal-fired ranges lasted at some stations into the 1960s. Fresh wa-
ter would have been landed and stored in barrels. In addition to this, there was in many
stations, some sort of catchment system for utilising rainwater for washing and toilet
purposes. Usually, such water would be run off the roof into a stone cistern.
Weather observations were initially very basic, most likely limited to what could be
seen with what was known as the Mk.1 'eyeball' from the station. Every tower usually
had an outside temperature thermometer mounted on one of the astragels with its read-
ing recorded daily. Again, in the earlier days, there was not a formal requirement for
any other readings, nor indeed would any other meteorological instruments have been
supplied. In later years certain stations were designated weather reporting sites and had
various other instruments with which to carry out this task. These readings eventually
found their way to the Meteorological Office at Bracknell, where they were incorpor-
ated into the Shipping Forecast.
On the Flannans, as at all the other rocks, one of the ALKs or OLKs would be des-
ignated cook for the week, switching over with his companion; the PLK being excused
thistask.WithregardtoprovisioninginScotland,itwasfeltthatthingswereonamuch
more civilised level. The NLB was unlike Trinity House, where provisioning was car-
riedoutona'pooled'basiswithonecook.WithTrinityHouse,everybodybasicallydid
their own 'thing', i.e. obtaining and cooking their own food.
In the morning, after extinguishing the light and pulling the curtains over, whoever
had the morning watch would have made all preparations for lighting-up that night.
Brief details of the night's activities would have been recorded with pen and paper (ori-
ginally this was on a slate), ready to be transferred to the log book by the PLK in due
course. After breakfast, the other two would carry out any cleaning, maintenance or re-
pair work on a daily basis, as well as whatever painting might be deemed necessary.
This also kept them out of the cook's way. Everyone, including the cook, had to be
mindful of upcoming watchkeeping duties and getting sufficient rest beforehand. Usu-
ally the lightkeeper who covered the 6 p.m.-10 p.m. shift would try to get his head
down in the afternoon.
