Annual Report 1890
After considerable correspondence with the Trinity House on the subject of the establishment of a Lighthouse and Fog Signals on Rattray Head, for which the nautical sanctions of that Corporation was requested but finally refused, the Commissioners referred the matter in controversy to the decision of the Board of Trade under paras 406 and 407 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1854, with the result that the Board of Trade authorised the establishment of both sea-marks.
Rattray Head Foghorn
Extract from the engineer’s report 1895 – David Stevenson
This is the first instance of a powerful Fog-Signal being erected in a rock tower, the lower portion of the tower being so designed as to be suitable for the engine room and fog horn. Rattray Head is thus quite a new departure in Lighthouse establishments.
When Rattray Head Lighthouse was established in 1895, Messrs. Summers, fishermen, who reside close to the Shore Station, were appointed boatmen on the footing that they were to be paid 7/6d for each trip to the Rock, and 1/- for each cask of oil (between 50 and 60 per annum) taken off to the Rock. The foregoing rates included carting the stores, oil, coal, from the Shore Station to the boat, as also three men in the boat when making an ordinary relief and four or five when taking off oil or coals.
Rattray Head Lighthouse
31st August 1905
Sir
Referring to the recent death of our daughter I regret to say my wife has not recovered from the bereavement but is gradually going worse and in consequence of being so much alone frequently becomes very melancholy, and also suffers from loss of appetite so much that she feels her health giving way, and for the past two months she has often requested me to write to you and ask if you will be so kind as to transfer us to Douglas Head Lighthouse. I may say that this state of matters has very much affected myself, and I hope you will be able to consider this application favourably as soon as convenient. I regret having to trouble you with the matter, I may say this is my first application for transfer in 17 years of service and will be pleased to hear from you regarding the matter.
I am, Sir,
Your Obedient Servant
Wm Irvine PLK
To Secretary NLB, Edinburgh
Rattray Head Lighthouse
7th Sept 1907
Dear Sir
Referring to my telegram of this morning. I beg to say that fog came on at 9pm last night and Mr Mowat, and G A McDonald started two engines and after running thirty five minutes they found the engines got no circulatory water. They then started the third one with the same result, I was then called out of bed and they told me what took place, whereupon I again started the engines and tried all efforts to get back the water but failed and on examining the water tank I found it empty. I may state that on the 2nd inst we opened the sluice valve to supplement the supply of water as it was high tide and on going down into the tank last night I found the valve had refused to close although when we screwed it down it was the iron rod attached to it that bent out thus leaving the valve open, although the rod went down into the usual place.
Mr Mowat and myself worked all night last night trying to get it to work but failed so the fog signal is now at a standstill until it can be repaired, hoping assistance will soon arrive. Fog continued to come in banks from 9pm last night until 6am this morning but we could not work the fog signal.
I am, Sir
Your Obedient Servant
Wm Irvine
To Secretary, NLB Edinburgh
Northern Lighthouse Board
84 George Street Edinburgh
23rd April 1915
Dear Sirs
When I was at Rattray head on the 15th inst. John Summers spoke to me about the very small sum allowed for storing coals at the shore station.
The coals (40 tons) are delivered at the station by traction engine, and are laid down at the side of the road. Twelve tons for the rock are put into the store at the side of the road, the other 28 ton have to be taken up to the houses, and stored in the lightkeeper’s coal cellars. Summers says it takes five men with two horses and two carts the best part of three days, and he only receives 30/- for the whole work.
This seems to be the sum allowed since the establishment of the station in 1895, but I think it is altogether inadequate, and consider his request - that it be increased to £3 – quite reasonable.
The coals had just been stored before my visit, but if the increase is to be granted then I think it should be paid at the increased rate for this year’s work.
I am, dear Sir
Yours Faithfully
A Arthur Dick
Assistant Superintendent
To C Dick Peddie,NLB, Edinburgh
25th December 1916
Sir,
I am in receipt of your letter of the 15th inst. re messages sent off to Rock regarding exhibiting Light.
On the night of Thursday Nov 23rd I received a message from the Coast Guard at 9.59 p.m. I went down to the water’s edge and shouted through the megaphone, and there was no difficulty in getting the message off, but owing to the wind S5, I had difficulty in hearing their reply, but eventually, I got understood.
On the morning of Friday Nov 24th, I received message from Coast Guard at 7.25 a.m. to exhibit Light till further orders. I went to the water’s edge and shouted through megaphone, after a few seconds the Keepers came out and I semaphored the above message. "What do you mean by further orders" came back from the Rock. I told them to light up till extinguishing time, as on the Lightroom Time Table. I then went to CG Station and asked the C.G. to ask the Admiral what further orders meant; his reply was till daylight. I went back and told the Keepers the Admiral’s reply.
Regarding Mr Mitchell A.L.K. failing to get the attention of the Keepers on the rock on the morning of Sunday Oct 15th at 3.30 a.m. In the first place, we were both asleep and in the second place the noise of the sea and wind on that particular morning was such that allowing we heard them (CG and Keeper) shouting, it would have been impossible to have understood the message even through the megaphone. The CG suggested to the Admiral at Peterhead that he (CG) should try the Morse Lamp. The Admiral (I understand this from the CG) says that on no account are flashing signals to be used to the Keeper from the shore - if you cannot get them by megaphone, owing to the noise of the wind and sea, well it cannot be helped.
Watch is kept for messages from the Shore till 10 p.m. as directed by yourself when you were last here. It is seldom I turn in till midnight.
We have had no message since November 24th.
I will notify the Secretary the next message we fail to get.
I am Sir
Your obedient Servant
Ernest Aldebert
P.L.K.
From Rear Admiral to NLB
14th September 1917
Sir,
I find that communication cannot be obtained between the Coast Guard at Rattray Head and the Lighthouse there, as there is no telephone nor system of signals, and it is too far from the Lighthouse building on shore to the lighthouse for a hail to be effective. I submit can you make arrangements as follows?
2. When I send a message to your man who is stationed at the Coast Guard building on shore that I want the lighthouse to be lit at a certain time with full power of light, that your man shall put a white light in a certain window of his house and keep it there for as long as the light is wanted: the light on the lighthouse to be put out when he removes that white light.
(b) That when I want the Rattray light lit with a reduced brilliancy, he should put a red light in that window when the lighthouse is to be lit up and keep it there so long as the light in the light house is required. Or perhaps if he could shew two white lights for a full power, and one white only for a reduced power.
3. I am informed by the Coast Guard at Rattray that you only have two men living in the lighthouse at a time. Could one of them not keep continual watch for these lights during dark hours?
4. To legislate for time of fog and the fog signal being carried out, could you not supply a portable hand fog-horn for your man on shore to blow a certain signal to the light-house keepers, when the fog signal should be turned on, temporarily as required during the war.
5. I would be glad to have some arrangement come to with regard to this matter, and of course will assist you in all ways I can.
I am Sir,
Your obedient Servant
(signed) F.W. Kennedy
Rear Admiral
Proposal was put to D.A. Stevenson who replied:
24th September 1917
Dear Sir,
Rattray Head Lighthouse
With regard to the letter of 14th instant from the Rear Admiral, Peterhead, with proposals for signalling to the Lighthouse from the shore by means of lights and a manual fog-horn, I consider that the proposed system of signals would be unsatisfactory and unreliable and that, if the importance to the Admiralty of communicating such messages as indicated to the Lighthouse justifies the expense of installation, a telephone should be installed between the Coastguard Station and the Lighthouse.
The most suitable method of carrying this out at Rattray Head would be by a lead-covered and armoured cable from the Tower to the shore and thence taken on to the Coastguard buildings. I have prepared a Specification of the materials necessary, which I find I can arrange to get delivered at Longmay station for £181. A length of 16,000 feet of the armoured cable would be required and the track of the overland section of the telephone would be 6,100 feet. The armoured cable would be well fixed to the rock on which the Tower is built and when passing over the sand would be kept in place by wood stobs driven alternately on each side of the cable.
The cost of fitting up the installation is difficult to estimate and it is not possible to get a firm offer for this work but it should not exceed £110 if the work is carried out on the usual percentage basis. I can arrange for the installation to be carried out on this basis and completed in about a fortnight after delivery of the materials at Longmay stations, that is in about seven weeks after instructions are received to proceed with the work.
In regard to the reduction of the power
of the light, this is best done by a temporary fitting to the burner to carry a
glass shade of suitable tint, and if necessary the light can be further reduced
or increased in intensity to suit the requirements of the Admiralty. The cost
of this fitting would be very small.
Yours faithfully
(signed) D.A. Stevenson
Engineer
Keyhead, St Fergus
April 11th 1921
Sir
We had no order for relief at Rattray on the 8th. Is it by your orders, they have made shift, if so, it is all right, but I would like an explanation. They gave me no notice until the day of relief. We had the bread ordered and we cannot get clear of it. I don’t think it is fair owing to what we have done for them in the past always put everything in as cheap and as good as could be done.
Hope to hear from you soon
Your obedient servant
George Third
Reply from Keeper to NLB
I do not know what explanation he wants as we have had correspondence with him about the procuring of bread. I advised him that we were giving a trial order to a new firm and that we would give him plenty of time if we require anything further. In any case seeing he got no order he had no business to take any action in the way of getting goods. The statement of bread lying on his hands cannot be correct. I presume we are at liberty to give our custom where we can get best value. I may inform you that there has been several complaints during the whole time Mr Third had the catering for the Rock, and on some occasions the ham especially was so bad it had to be sent back to him. He was also overcharging to such an extent that we had to send him a letter of protest. As to his goodness to us in the past we do not admit anything of the kind. We are now getting supplies from Orquart and Hephere, Crimond and glad to say the goods are of excellent quality and also much cheaper.
Your Obedient Servant,
Jas A Fraser
To NLB, Edinburgh
Reply to Mr Third from NLB
NLB Edinburgh
21st April 1921
With reference to your letter of the 11th instant regarding supply of bread to the lightkeepers at Rattray Head, I beg to inform you that having made enquiries, I do not think it is a case in which I can usefully interfere.
Your Obedient Servant
C Dick Peddie
11 May 1921
There was submitted a letter from the Board of Trade dated 21st March forwarding for the observations of the Commissioners, a copy of a Report of an Enquiry into the stranding of the S.S. “Orizaba” of Grimsby near Scotstoun Head on or about 22nd October 1920, which resulted in the Court finding that the Lightkeepers at Rattray Head were at fault in not sounding the Fog Signal about the time of the stranding. The Commissioners approved of the Secretary’s reply dated 31st March dissenting from this finding.
15th June 1921
The Secretary reported that on the night of the 24th May, James Rowan, the Resident Occasional Keeper at Rattray Head, fell asleep while on watch with the result that the apparatus became stationary for a period of about thirty minutes. In respect that Rowan’s training had unavoidably been shorter than is usual and that he had been keeping an independent watch for only ten days, the Commissioners decided not to impose the penalty of dismissal which is prescribed for this offence, but severely reprimand Rowan, and warn him of the serious consequences of any similar action in the future.
8th March 1922
The Secretary reported that at 3 o’clock on the morning of 25th February James Rowan, Assistant Light Keeper, Rattray Head, failed to call the next Lightkeeper for duty in the Lightroom until about 3.50 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. and that he had given no explanation of his neglect except that he was cleaning brass. Rowan having been severely reprimanded for a similar offence on 24th May last, and then warned that any repetition of it would be followed by dismissal, the Commissioners now dismissed him from the Service, and directed that this should be intimated by General Order.
11th January 1922
Alteration of Character from two blasts – High, Low – of five seconds each every three minutes, to two Low blasts of two and a half seconds each every one and a half minutes.
RATTRAY HEAD – Reported Different Intensities of Flashes
With reference to the letter of the 20th September (1939) from the Principal Lightkeeper at Buchanness regarding the difference in intensities of the flashes at Rattray Head, it is not apparent why the flashes should differ in intensity. Rattray Head is distant 8½ miles from Buchanness, from which lighthouse it is viewed over the town of Peterhead and the fact that flashes, however faint, can be seen from Buchanness means that no necessary light is being cut off from the sea. It may be that formerly with the full power light the difference was not noticeable, but is now apparent due to the dim mantle. It seems very unlikely that the painting of the landward side of the lantern would produce this effect. It would be desirable, however, to investigate this question at the site and I would suggest that Mr Gardner visit these lights. He would also take the opportunity of visiting other lighthouses in the neighbourhood in order to see if what has been done as regards the painting of the landward side of the lanterns is satisfactory. He would also inspect several harbour lights in the neighbourhood which are due for inspection.
(signed) JD
Engineer
23rd September 1939
Extract from a NLB Journal
We have had rather a stormy time in the first few months of 1972 and the shore line and sand dunes have altered their shape with so much sand being shifted by wind and sea.
The Relief on the night of 17 January was particularly hectic, and resulted in the loss of the old tractor and trailer. The old tractor was a 1947 Fordson Major, petrol/paraffin type. It had been here for a great many years and served the Station well, but latterly it seemed to shudder its way out to the Rock and back. The sea splashing on to its magneto was equivalent to a heart attack, although another 15 minutes would have seen the tractor home and dry again.
BIRD WATCHING AT RATTRAY HEAD
The Lighthouse has proved to be a first class observation post for sea watching, and is one of the few places on the Eastern coast of Great Britain where regular sea watches are kept.... The Loch of Strathbeg, only a short distance from the shore station is a bird-watchers paradise... Most of the wild fowl regularly recorded in Great Britain have occurred here. On the Southern shore of the loch there are areas of small trees and bushes, where, in spring and autumn, especially during foggy conditions, small passage migrants, coming in from the sea, make their first land fall. The area around the shore station too, attracts these birds, the favourite place being the run off pipe from the septic tank where vegetation is lush and insects abound. A red-breasted flycatcher was mist-netted inside the station grounds.
55 species have been proved to breed in the area since the onset of the Breeding Bird Atlas organised by the British Trust for Ornithology in 1968. Sea bird breeding, however, is hampered by the lack of cliffs in the area - (sandy beaches stretch for 4 miles each side of the lighthouse), the only representatives being arctic, common and little terns and common and black-headed gulls, although the fulmar has been prospecting the higher sand dunes for a number of years.
The following is a list of birds known to have occurred here in the period 1967 - 69.
Little Auk, Blackbird, Black Cap, Brambling, Bullfinch, Bunting, Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting, Buzzard, Honey Buzzard, Carrion/Hooded Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Curlew, Black-Throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Red-Throated Diver, Long Tailed Duck, Tufted Duck, Collared Dove, Dove, Little Dove, Dunlin, Dunnock, Eider, Fieldfare, Pied Flycatcher, Red-Breasted Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Fulmar, Gannet, Garganey, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Goosander, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Grey Lag Goose, Pink-Footed Goose, White Fronted Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Black Guillemot, Guillemot, Black-Headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Little Gull, Raucous Gull, Sparrow Hawk, Marsh Harrier, Red Harrier, Moor Hen, Grey Heron, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kittiwake, Knot, Lapwing, Lark, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, House Martin, Martin, Red-Breasted Merganser, Merlin, Ring Ouzel, Owl, Eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Oyster Catcher, Partridge, Peregrine, Storm Petrel, Pheasant, Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Pintail, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Red-Crested Pochard, Red Poll, Lapland Puffin, Razorbill, Water Rail, Redshank, Great-Spotted Black Redstart, Redstart, Redwing, Robin, Rook, Golden Eye Ruff, Sanderling, Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Scaup, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Shag, Great Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Shelduck, Red-Backed Shrike, Shoveller, Siskin, Skua, Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Smew, Snipe, Jack Snipe, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Starling, Stonechat, Little Stint, Swallow, Swan, Caper Swan, Wick's Swan, Swift, Common Tern, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Tern, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Turnstone, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Wood Warbler, Waxwing, Wheatear, Whimbrel, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Woodcock, Wood Pecker, Wren, Yellow Hammer.
