Da Muckle Roe Lichthoose
Occasional Keeper Jack Williamson lookin til da Muckle Roe lichthoose
Julie Dennison fae Muckle Roe discusses da history o da oreeginal Muckle Roe lichthoose. Da hindmaist keeper o da licht, Jack Williamson, is her graandfaider, an da majority o da information ati dis piece cam fae a interview wi him an his wife Kathleen in Mairch 2022.
Shetland is weel kent fir da lichthooses at’s dottit aroond its cosstlines, impressive an impoartant structures biggit bi da Stevenson faimily trowe da 19t an 20t centuries. As weel as da major lichts sic as Sumburgh, Eshaness an Muckle Flugga, de wir minor lichts an aa at wis øsed tae fill da gaps efter da major lichts wis biggit - lichts at didna need tae be permanently manned, dey jüst haed tae be maintained. Da Muckle Roe lichthoose wis een o dem.
Da oreeginal Muckle Roe lichthoose, a prefabricatit cast iron octagonal tooer, wis designed bi David A an Charles Stevenson, an biggit in 1897 on da wast cosst o da isle lookin oot ti’ Swarbacks Minn, Vementry, an Papa Stour. Shø stüd at jüst eicht metres taall, wi a 1.6 metre third oarder Fresnel lens.
Occasional Keeper Peter Wood wi (fae left) dochters Betty an Margaret, son John, wife Robina an dochter Katie c. 1902
Ower her lifetime shø haed five keepers - kent as “occasional keepers” - aa fae da sam faimily at da Little Ayre, idder trowe birth or mairriage. Da Little Ayre wis da nearest hoose ti’ da licht at da time, so dat wis laekly why dey wir gien da responsibility o lookin til her. Da first keeper wis Peter Wood (b. 1856, d. 1921), follooed bi his son-in-laa Jeremiah “Jarm” Johnson (b. 1894, d. 1973) at wis da langest keeper, dan his son Jamie Johnson (b. 1915, d. 1984), neest wis his stepson Billy Williamson (b, 1958, d. 1985), an finally Jack Williamson (b. 1940), at’s wife Kathleen wis a sister o Jamie’s.
Assistant Keeper Andrew John Johnson (left) wi lichthoose wirkers Dewer an Alistair
De wir nae offeecial record o whin da poseetion o keeper cheinged haands as far as Jack is awaar, hit wis maist laekly at da role wis passed on whin da keeper passed awey or haed tae retire fir helt raisons. If ivver de wir times at da keeper needit someen tae step in tae maintain da licht, assistant keepers wis on haand tae help. Fir example, baith Andrew John Johnson fae da Sooth Hoose an Jarm’s dochter Peggy wid ging oot whin Jarm couldna becis o ill helt. Da occasional ooers needit tae maintain da lichthoose meant at da job couldna be da main source o income fir da keeper. Whin Jack wis da keeper, da montly wage fir lookin ti’ da lichthoose wis jüst £100.
Whin da lichthoose wis first biggit, shø wis pooered bi paraffin. In 1936, shø wis swappit ower ti’ carbide, an dan in 1965 shø wis swappit agein ti’ propane, at wis a lok mair dependable. Whin shø ran aff o da propane, shø güd trowe 10 gas bottles a year. Wirkers fae da Northern Lighthouse Board cam up ti’ Shetland tae convert da lichthoose fae wan power supply ti’ da neest. Whin da licht wis swappit ti’ carbide, twa men caad Dewer an Alistair cam ti’ Roe an beid at da Little Ayre while da wark wis kerried oot. Dewer keepit in touch wi da Little Ayre fokk, an wid send dem posstcairds fae time ti’ time.
Swappin da lichthoose fae paraffin ti’ carbide in 1936
Da process o burnin carbide is braaly interestin - da wye it wirks is it maks acetylene gas whin it comes inti’ contact wi watter, an it’s whin da gas is ignited at you git da flaem, an dan da licht. De wir big carbide tanks stowed inside da lichthoose, an you haed tae watch whin it cam ti’ gittin da ratio o carbide ti’ watter richt, cis ower muckle watter idda carbide wid caase it tae boil ower an explodd. Da burneen process maks lime waeste at wis fairly white, an de wir a drain at fed dis waeste awa fae da licht an doon ower da banks inti’ da sea. Even ti’ dis day you can aisy see da white strip doon da banks if y’ir aff in a boat. Some o da fokk in Roe, includin eens fae da Little Ayre, da Sooth Toon an Upperhoose øsed da waeste tae whitewaash dir hooses!
Occasional Keeper Jamie Johnson (saetit left) wi Assistant Keeper Andrew John Johnson, twa lichthoose wirkers, an Jamie’s niece Karen Fullerton in 1965
Jamie wis da keeper whin da licht wis swappit ower ti’ propane, an Kathleen can mind da men at cam up ti’ Shetland tae dø da wark. Whinivver de wir lichthoose men at cam ti’ da Little Ayre fir dir denner, it wis een o da few occasions at da white tablecloth wid come oot, as weel as da best cups.
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Swarbacks Minn, while a busy straetch o watter fir boats comin in an oot o Busta Voe an Olna Firth, nivver saa ony hugely catastrophic events tak plaess idda area. Hoosumivver, de wir wan ship at wis wreckit aff o Roe, da SV Ayrshire. Shø wis wreckit aff o Birkie Ayre in 1865, 30 year afore de wir ony lichthoose, an een o da 16 crew died. Shø wis bøn traivellin fae Québec ti’ Liverpool, an wis bøn salistin aff o Roe efter bein driven ti’ Shetland idda middle o a storm, as shø wis kerryin a lodd o timber. Shø brook anchor, driftit inti’ da banks an eventually sank. Da remains o da ship lies aff o Birkie Ayre ti’ dis day, an her ballast can still be fun idda saand.
Sungaets fae tap: Ruby Johnson, Occasional Keeper Jarm Johnson, Chrissie Hall, an Assistant Keeper Andrew John Johnson
Swarbacks Minn saa mair activity trowe da First Wirld War, as warships wis baessed idda naval anchorage in Busta Voe an in Olna Firth. De wir also a boom defence barricade ferder oot across fae da point o Gillarunna. Da Tenth Cruiser Squadron haed da responsbility o forcin a blockade, so ony cargo ships passin trowe haed tae be checkit bi dem. If de wir onythin at dey wirna happy wi, da ship an her cargo wis sent ti’ Lerwick.
Meanwhile apø dry laand, da peerie stane-biggit hut at’s neest ti’ da lichthoose, wi a single windoo lookin oot ti’ Papa Stour, wis øsed as a watch hut trowe da war. De wir fokk at beid oot at da licht at dat time tae keep watch, an trowe aa dir time spent dere, dey haed da øs o a fire an a paet bank doon near da Mirbiesoond Crø. De wir a phone line at wis connekit wi Jarm’s midder at da Greentaing, da Nort Knowe an Scarvataing an on ti’ Busta, so if da watchmen wis awaar o onythin at wis suspeecious dan dey could pit oot a alert. So alang wi da war guns poseetioned on tap o Vementry, aa dis effort helpit tae keep Swarbacks Minn, an Shetland, safe.
Da Mirbie Soonds an Papa Stour as seen fae da windoo o da stane biggit hut
Ootside o wartime, it wis impoartant tae alert ony boats at micht be enterin da deingerous straetch o watter in Papa Soond, an so da licht haed a red peen set in tae alert dem in plenty o time. Dis meant at dey could reroute ahint Papa Stour insteid. Da licht’s reach wis nine mile so it gae dem a good amount o waarneen.
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Da lichthoose haed tae be checkit wance a week, alang wi da spares sic as da extry flasher, tae mak sure aathin wis in proper wirkeen oarder. Da bress an da lens wis cleaned reglarly firbye. It wis up ti’ da keeper tae decide whin he wantit tae dø his weekly check - Jarm güd ivvry Sundy. Kathleen tocht at gyaan oot ti’ da lichthoose wi her faider wis a treat whin shø wis peerie, shø wid play aroond da steps aroond da Mirbie Soonds, an shø wid hae tae wi him idda shed. Shø tocht da tae oot at da licht ey haed a speecial taeste. Jack also güd oot on a Sundy, he wid ging oot first thing aa moarneen an be back afore his Sundy denner.
Da leider tae win up ti’ da lens wis on da ootside o da tooer, but it wis oreeginally on da inside, wi a hatch idda ceileen tae win up tae da licht room. Whin da leider wis shiftit ti’ da ootside, a hol wis cut idda waa o da licht room so you could win inside fae da platform. Da door wisna very big or very high, so da keeper haed tae creep in twafaald tae win inside.
Da spares an pent wis aa keepit idda widden tool shed at sat neest ti’ da licht. Da licht wis pentit yearly - Jack wid mak a point o gittin dis wark døn afore startin da paets idda first o da year. De wir dat mony layer o pent fae ower da years at it endit up at you couldna see da individual panels o da tooer! Jack minded da wye at da rüf wis da warst bit tae pent. He haed da øs o some steps at wis keepit idda shed, alang wi a broom haandle wi a pentbrush tied apø da end tae reck da very tap!
Logbooks haed tae be keepit an updaetit wi ivvry veesit. Da wadder, da ert o wind an da condeetion o da licht haed tae aa be recoardit. Montly letters haed tae be sent ti’ da Northern Lighthouse Board, ats heidquaarters is on George Street in Edinburgh. Kathleen recaaled da wirdeen o da letters at wis sent awa:
“I have visited the light on XXX dates, and have found it to be flashing to character.
Your faithful servant,
John T Williamson”
Kathleen minds da wye Jarm wid lat her draa idda aald logbooks, as de wir ey a blank page in dem. Een o da books, lang lost noo, haed a traeceen o her baby fit on een o da pages.
Da lichthoose in da laet 1980s
Da lichthoose is nearly a mile an a half awa fae da nearest hoose, an da gaet at da keepers haed tae ging oot ti’ da lichthoose is da sam gaet at’s øsed bi fokk noo tae waak da loop fae da lichthoose ti’ da Hams. Da gaet starts aff at da Muckle Ayre, up an ower Birkie Hill, by Birkie Ayre an da Heddery Ness, aroond Stova Loch an Gilsa Loch, up an ower Da Lea aa Tungans, doon by da Mirbie Soond Crø an dan up ti’ da licht, owerlookin da Mirbie Soonds an Manse Gyo idda distance. Hit’s no da aisiest gaet tae waak even in fine wadder, an could be deingerous idda winter. Whin Jarm wis da keeper, a raileen wis pitten up jüst abün da Coo Gyo an da Heddery Ness so at he didna hae tae ging up ower da Brunt Hill if da gaet wis covered in snaa. Dis raileen is still in plaess yit. Whin Billy wis da keeper, he haed da øs o a boat tae win oot ti’ da licht.
De wir fokk across da watter in Vementry at wid keep a eye gyaan ivvry nicht tae mak sure at da licht wis flashin ti’ character - twa licht an wan dark - an dey wid phone across ti’ Muckle Roe if da licht wis geen oot. It micht jüst bøn a caess o gas bottles no cheingin ower automatically, but da keeper haed tae mak fir oot ower tae richt da issue, no maitter hoo poor da wadder micht o bøn.
Da Pole Star lyin aff o da Little Ayre
Stores wis brocht in yearly fae Oban bi da Pole Star, øswally in Jün. Da keeper haed tae submit a airrent line o whit wis required an it wis aa stored idda widden hut at sat neest ti’ da licht. Da Pole Star wid ging aroond aa Shetland’s minor lichts in a wanner, an whin shø peid a veesit, da Superintendent o da Northern Lighthouse Board wid come ashore an mak sure at aathin wis til his satisfaction. Whin da ship cam ti’ Roe, shø wid lie aff o da Little Ayre owernicht, an dan da crew wid send a lanch oot tae pick da keeper up tae save him waakin oot ower. Jack haed a uniform at he wis gien bi da Northern Lighthouse Board, an dis wid come oot whin da Superintendent cam ti’ Roe tae inspect da licht. He haed a navy security jumper wi da NLB logo embroidered on een o da shooders, an twa berets. He nivver wøre da berets.
Northern Lighthouse Board gansie belangin til Occasional Keeper Jack Williamson
Fae da mid 1980s an on, da Pole Star still cam ti’ Shetland, but dey wid tak in da stores bi helicopter. Whin dey cam ti’ Roe dey wid tak Jack oot ower ti’ da lichthoose at da sam time. Da helicopter beid apø da boat, an da stores wis hookit up underneath her so at dey could be set doon nearer ti’ da lichthoose. Dis wis a lok aisier as haein tae hent it aa up fae da Mirbie Soonds aff o a lanch. Wance da stores fir da licht wis delivered bi da helicopter, shø wid dan set aff fir Hillswick.
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Occasional Keeper Jack Williamson an da Northern Lighthouse Board helicopter at da Little Ayre
As time wøre on, da Northern Lighthouse Board set on tae automate aa da lichthooses in Scotland, an in 2001 da licht wis swappit fir a fully automated tooer wi solar panels. Da automation o Scotland’s lichthooses startit on da mainland an wrocht its wye nort, so it wis ey kent at automation wid win ti’ Shetland eventually. Whin da new licht wis biggit, watter fir mixin concrete haed tae be taen oot bi helicopter so at da new baess could be maed fir her. Da oreeginal licht wis dismantled an taen awa fae whar shø wis stüd fir da last 105 year or dereaboots, an a keeper wis nae langer needit.
Da plaque presentit til Occasional Keeper Jack Williamson in October 2002
Of coorse da commitments o Shetland’s keepers wis tae be recognised, an on 28t October 2002, a Attendants’ Commemorative Presentation took plaess at da Shetland Hotel. In attendance wis da Chief Executive o da Northern Lighthouse Board, James Taylor, alang wi NLB personnel an da Commissioner o Shetland Islands Council, George Sutherland. Da event startit wi high tea, follooed bi da individual presentations, an dan da attendants wis tosstit. Each keeper wis presentit wi a commemorative plaque, an a Certificate Of Service at listit da daets at dey startit wirkin ti’ da Board, an whin dey feenished. Dir photoo wis taen wi Chief Executive James Taylor, alang wi a group photoo o aa da former keepers, dir pairtners, an da personnel in attendance.
In 2012, wark startit tae develop da buildeens aroond Sumburgh Head intil a veesitor centre. As da wark wis kerried oot, a peerie prefabricatit cast iron lichthoose appeared doon at da carpark. Da Roe lichthoose wis sitten in storige fir da last 12 year, but shø wis brocht back ti’ life tae be øsed as a infirmation point fir tourists. A very different view tae whit shø wis seen afore, an a very different purpose.
Fir ower a century, da role o occasional lichthoose keeper in Muckle Roe wis crucial tae keep Swarbacks Minn an beyond safe fir aa marine traffic in baith wartime an paecetime. You haed tae be dedicatit ti’ da wark, an willin tae drap whit you wir døin if da licht wisna wirkin as shø sud o bøn as onythin could happen at dat time. Keepin a nott o da condeetions o da licht, an keepin her lookin kirsen involved a gret deal o commitment an respect. Shø wis a promiment laandmark fir baith boats an fokk, an a impoartant laandmark an aa. Da Muckle Roe lichthoose micht onnly o bøn a minor licht, but shø wis a major pairt o da lives o da keepers, an dir faimilies, at lookit til her.
Occasional Keeper Jack Williamson wi graanddochters Helen (left) an Julie Dennison neest ti’ da oreeginal Muckle Roe lichthoose at Sumburgh Head in 2021
SOURCES AN REFERENCES
Audio recoardeen wi Jack an Kathleen Williamson (Recoardit 5 Mairch 2022)
Youtube - The Muckle Roe Light: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM4AO82ADEY (Accessed 19 Sep 2022)
Ibiblio - Lighthouses of the United Kingdom: Shetland, Scotland: https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/sht.htm (Accessed 19 Sep 2022)
Sumburgh Head - Muckle Roe Light: https://www.sumburghhead.com/muckle-roe-light (Accessed 19 Sep 2022)
Sumburgh Head - Sumburgh Head Project: https://www.sumburghhead.com/sumburgh-head-project (Accessed 13 October 2022)
Northern Lighthouse Board - Stevenson Engineers: https://www.nlb.org.uk/history/stevenson-engineers/ (Accessed 19 Sep 2022)
Canmore - Ayrshire: Gilsabight, Muckle Roe, Atlantic: https://canmore.org.uk/site/213280/ayrshire-gilsabight-muckle-roe-atlantic (Accessed 14 October 2022)
Brother’s Keeper local databaess (Accessed 15 October 2022)
