AFTERMATH - The Lighthouse - page 71

hisloss,whenputtotheBoardofTradeforapprovalitwasrejectedonthegroundsthat
it was unfair to other companies who had tendered in good faith.
After the sea hitting and washing away the cranes in December 1900 and the close
potential accident with Thomas Marshall in April 1900, problems with the crane on the
west landing continued into 1901. What was described as a rough trip was made on
the NLB Tender Pharos from Loch Roag out to the Flannans on 2 August 1901 by the
Lighthouse Commissioners (on an inspection voyage). It was the first such trip that the
Commissioners had made to the Flannans since the lighthouse started operations. They
had just inspected the shore station at Breasclete and despite the rough crossing from
Lewis, they made a fairly smooth landing. the inspection taking place only around sev-
en months after the disaster, the disappearance of the lightkeepers must have weighed
heavily on their minds as they set foot on Eilean Mor. Their report 25 found everything
in order after a tour of the station, but they noted, with regret, a recent accident to the
craneatthewestlanding.Adefectivecoghadcausedthebuttendofthe50ftjibtosnap
andfalltothelandingarea70ftbelow,fortunatelywithnoinjurytoeitherthelightkeep-
ers or crew members of a boat moored underneath the crane at the time. No mention
was made of the loss of Ducat, Marshall or Macarthur in the report of the visit. 26
Asapostscripttothesaga,SuperintendentRobertMuirheadhadinvestigatedthedis-
appearances whilehewasinhisearlyforties.HehadjoinedtheNLBasanassistant su-
perintendent in 1881before being promoted to chief superintendent in 1884.The job of
superintendent, it was felt, required men of character and fortitude; surprisingly, Muir-
head was a man who was always considered to have been of 'delicate health'. In addi-
tion to what can only have been a stressful job as superintendent for the NLB, Muir-
head was very civic-minded and as a native of Edinburgh (he lived at Broomieknowe,
Lasswade) was elected to Bonnyrigg Town Council in 1902. He became senior bailie
three years later. In 1913 his health required him to step down from his duties. After a
period of rest he was able to take up his duties with the NLB once again. He continued
until the very end of December 1915 when ill health again forced him to stop working.
Three weeks later he passed away at the relatively early age of fifty-eight. A stressful
job which required constant travel to the remote areas of the Scottish coast and islands
as well as the Isle of Man cannot have helped his health. There is also no doubt that the
disappearance of Ducat, Marshall and Macarthur could not have failed to have affected
him, as he was the last person to see them alive and shake their hands as he said good-
bye when he left them on Eilean Mor on 7 December 1900, eight days before.
Notes
1 Telegram copies, Scottish National Archives file no. NLC3/1/1.
2 Ibid.