The Disappearance of the Flannan Isles Keepers

The Deserted Station

Three lighthouse keepers disappeared from the Flannan Isles. These men worked to keep the light shining each night on Eilean Mòr, the largest of the Flannan Islands. A three-man crew maintained the lamp at the top of the lighthouse.

Discovery of the Empty Station

Assistant keeper Joseph Moore arrived at the islands on a steam ship and found the lighthouse deserted. The lighthouse tender Hesperus arrived on the island with Moore. Upon entering, he found the lighthouse was unlit, food was half-eaten, and two coats were missing.

The Open Kitchen and Unlit Fire

The kitchen door was open, and the fire had not been lighted for some days. Below the lighthouse is located St Flannan Chapel. The keepers left behind logs reporting a storm that brought them to tears and caused them to pray for their lives.

Damage at the West Landing

Robert Muirhead arrived on Eilean Mòr on 29 December. He and other men made a thorough search over and round the island. They found that iron railings were displaced and twisted, and a large block of stone weighing upwards of 20 cwt was dislodged from its position.

Ropes and the Lost Crane

At the East landing place, everything was in order. The crane originally erected on this platform was washed away during last winter, while the crane put up in summer was unharmed. Ropes normally held in a suspended brown crate were scattered over the rocks, and an old box for holding mooring ropes was gone.

The Families Left Behind

The disappearance left behind a widow for Donald McArthur, and a widow and four children for James Ducat. Some speculate that after months of solitude one of the men was driven to insanity and murdered his colleagues, but there was no sound evidence of a struggle.

What the Record Shows

21 sourced claims in this story, resting on 6 sources. Numbers link to the bibliography below.

• The lighthouse was located on Eilean Mòr, the largest of the Flannan Islands. - source: 1
• The men at the Flannan Isle lighthouse worked to keep the light shining each night. - source: 1
• Three lighthouse keepers disappeared from the Flannan Isles lighthouse in December 1900. - source: 2
• A three-man crew maintained the lamp at the top of the lighthouse. - source: 3
• The lighthouse tender Hesperus arrived on the island with Joseph Moore. - source: 1
• The lighthouse was unlit, two coats were missing, and food was half-eaten when Moore entered. - source: 4
• Assistant keeper Joseph Moore arrived at the islands on a steam ship and found the lighthouse deserted. - source: 2
• St Flannan’s Chapel is located below the lighthouse. - source: 5
• The kitchen door was open, but the fire was not lit for some days. - source: 1
• The keepers left behind logs reporting a storm that brought them to tears and caused them to pray for their lives. - source: 4
• The iron railings were displaced and twisted. - source: 1
• Robert Muirhead arrived on Eilean Mòr on 29 December. - source: 1
• The men made a thorough search over and round the island. - source: 1
• A large block of stone weighing upwards of 20 cwt was dislodged from its position. - source: 1
• Everything at the East landing place was in order. - source: 1
• The crane was washed away during last winter. - source: 1
• Ropes normally held in a suspended brown crate were scattered over the rocks. - source: 4
• The old box at West landing was missing. - source: 6
• James Ducat left behind a widow and four children. - source: 1
• Donald McArthur left behind a widow. - source: 1
• Some speculate that one of the men was driven to insanity and murdered his colleagues and took his own life. - source: 4

Archival Evidence & Picture Credits

• The lighthouse on Eilean Mor (CC BY-SA 2.0, Marc Calhoun) - Wikimedia Commons file page
• Steps to landing Place Flannan Isles - geograph.org.uk - 633245 (CC BY-SA 2.0, JJM) - Wikimedia Commons file page
• Flannan Island Lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 882869 (CC BY-SA 2.0, Peter Standing) - Wikimedia Commons file page
• Flannan Isles- close-up of the lighthouse (geograph 3201960) (CC BY-SA 2.0, Chris Downer) - Wikimedia Commons file page
• Flannan Isles, the lighthouse through a hole in the wall - geograph.org.uk - 3088281 (CC BY-SA 2.0, Chris Downer) - Wikimedia Commons file page
• Eilean a’ Ghobha and Roareim (CC BY-SA 2.0, Marc Calhoun) - Wikimedia Commons file page

Verified Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. userhome.brooklyn.cuny.edu
2. bbc.com
3. bbc.co.uk
4. sites.psu.edu
5. saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk
6. lighthousemuseum.org.uk