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20th February 1905
Sir,
On receipt of your letter on Saturday re the Lighthouse road, I at once went over it and found it in a very different state since my former Report to Mr Coats; from the Tarbet Gate to past the Farm steading it is very much cut up from the heavy Carting of Manure and Turnips also the weather , but the far end is in fair good order.
I am Sir
Your most obedient Servant
William Ingram
Mull of Galloway Carting
£13 paid at present for church trips, carting coals, oil and stores.
Church trips – one per man per month = 36 per annum. Hardie calculates 4/- per trip= £7.4/- per annum, Of course, the lightkeepers don’t take the full number of trips especially in bad weather in winter, but man has to be ready if required. Mr Hardie says he pays his man 1/- and it costs him 6d for stabling in Drummore so it doesn’t leave much for horse and trap.
3rd December 1917
Sir,
With reference to the Bridge on Mull of Galloway road, reported by Mr Michie, Logan Estates Office to have fallen. I was along and saw it on Saturday 1st inst. The Bridge is still carrying the road traffic, but is severely cracked and part of the parapet has fallen. It looks to me as if part of the bridge is still sound, but that will only be fully ascertained when it is opened out. A considerable part of it will undoubtedly have to be rebuilt.
I am Sir,
Your Obdt Servant
John R Laurence
PLK
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse 30 July 1913
Report by the Superintendent regarding allowance for schooling at Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
The nearest school to Mull of Galloway Lighthouse is 3 ½ miles distant from the station over an exposed road. The school itself is only for junior pupils and some of the children are already further advanced than the education given at it. If the keepers got the allowance of £10 per child to enable them to board their children in Stranraer or elsewhere it would greatly improve this lighthouse from an educational point of view. I therefore recommend that this school be added to the list of stations at which the allowance for schooling is made.
Robt. Minehead Superintendent 30 July 1913
Excerpt from Inspection Voyage 1913
Corsewall, Mull of Galloway and Langness. In the case of each of these Stations the nearest school is distant considerably over 3 1/2 miles along a most exposed road, and it is impossible for young children to attend school with regularity in bad weather without incurring risks which in more than one case have already resulted in dangerous illness. The committee therefore recommend that these Stations should be added to the List of those at which an allowance of Ten pounds per annum is made on account of each child boarded out for the purpose of education.
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
26th June 1915
Sir,
In reply to your letter regarding coast watchers, there is only one man that would come he lives in the cottage nearest the Lighthouse McAulay to name. Captain Farquar told me as he McAulay received the grant for his son being in the army he was debarred from being a coast watcher but the Post Mistress says there is plenty does their days work for full pay although they get that grant. All the available labourers in the district have been taken up at a flying machine shed that is being built, where they get 10 ½ d per hour 8 miles from Stranraer. In the event of McAulay not being suitable if I could tell any suitable man the hours of work and pay it might attract some ones attention. The soldiers patrol to within a mile of the Lt House and could easily come the rest of the distance, however I will let it be known the job is open until I hear further from you.
I am Sir
Your obedient Servant
(signed) Chas H Braid
McAulay says 4d per hour from 9 to 4 he would come for.
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse
30th June 1915
Sir,
I beg to acknowledge receipt of letter and will start McAulay as coast watch tomorrow. I also, when writing now, beg the use of a good pair of prism binoculars which I could hand over to one of the Steamers when the war is over. The reason I ask them, the field of view is so small in the telescope, also it seems enemy Submarines use the bay as a resting place, two being seen the day previous to the sinking of the Luisitania, one I saw and reported in mid-channel same night. On the 19th I was to keep a sharp lookout for damaged submarine. The flight commander told me she was captured at Port William, the other side of the Bay.
I am Sir
Your obedient Servant
Chas H Braid
MULL OF GALLOWAY FOG SIGNAL
25th October 1918
The fog signal plant at this station is now about 22 years old and will soon need renewal but if the following suggestions are given effect to, it will relieve the engines and at the same time improve the signal.
The present character is two blasts – high, low, - each of 5 seconds every 3 minutes and I would suggest this be altered to 2 low blasts each of 2½ secs. Every 1½ minute.
This will improve the character, being shorter interval, and will not confuse with other signals on the Scottish or Irish coasts in the vicinity. The engines can then run at a speed of about 180 revs. per minute. At present the speed appears to be from 230 to240 RPM.
There is considerable problem experienced at this station due to the siren clock stopping on the tappet valves and the keepers find difficulty keeping them properly adjusted. This is probably due to the clock being fixed in the heated engine room and at a distance from the siren. The clock was originally put in the engine house for convenience of winding but the modern self winding clock is always put as close to the siren as possible. I would suggest that the old self winding clock and piping from the Point of Ayre be erected in a small case near the horn. The existing signal will thus not require to be put out of operation during the alteration.
The cost of the work in connection with the alteration will be small.
D A Stevenson
17th November 1920
It was reported that the statutory approval of the Trinity House and sanction of the Board of Trade had been accorded to the following alterations of the characters of the Fog Signals at Rhinns of Islay and Mull of Galloway:
Mull of Galloway: - to be altered from two blasts, high, low, each of five seconds’ duration in quick succession every three minutes, to two low blasts each of two and a half seconds’ duration in quick succession every one and a half minutes.
Letter from D A Stevenson Re Mull of Galloway Fog Horn
12th June 1925
Mull of Galloway
I recommend that Mr Peter Milne 26 Bonaly Road, Edinburgh be appointed Inspector of works at Mull of Galloway at the usual rates of pay.
Yours Faithfully
D A Stevenson
Engineer
To C Dick Peddie Secretary NLB.
12th June 1925
Dear Sir
I wish you to go to the Mull of Galloway on Monday morning to inspect the work of making certain alterations on the engine room and the building of a new horn house. Your pay will be at the former rates. Please call here tomorrow.
Yours Faithfully
D A Stevenson
Engineer
To Mr Peter Milne, Bonaly Road.
25th June 1925
Mull of Galloway Fog Signal
Dear Sir
I have yours of the 24th inst. with tracing enclosed and approve of what you suggest.
Yours Faithfully
D A Stevenson
Engineer
To Mr A L Westwood, Lochend Works, Dalgety Road
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Jim Moffatt building the Foghorn at the Mull of Galloway in 1926
2nd July 1925
Dear Sir
With reference to your letter of 29th inst. it is unnecessary to sink down to the hard. Just put concrete slab on top of the pavement.
Yours faithfully
D A Stevenson
Engineer
To Mr P Milne, Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, Stranraer
