Let there be Lights!
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Lighthouse Stevensons
What comes across loud and clear was the desperate need for navigation aids on the coast of Britain in the 18th Century; in 1800, Lloyds reckoned they were losing one ship a day (!) to shipwreck - and these are only the ones reported - the true figure, including small craft, was probably many times that. The lighthouses that did exist were coal-fired, inadequate, confusing and extinguished at the worst possible times - in storms.This book does not pretend to be a treatise on all lighthouses, but specifically those built by the 4 generations of the Stephenson family.
It starts unusually with the youngest, and most famous, of the Stephensons - Robert Louis - who had few dealings in lighthouses, nor any wish to; but his experiences and those of his forebears influenced his life and writings, as in 'Kidnapped' and 'Treasure Island' - both concerned with wrecks and dark deeds on lonely islands.
His unfinished family history is a fount of information (and speculation), however, and this is the reason for his place in the book; the main protagonists come next, starting with his step-great-grandfather, who stumbled into the job of erecting a REAL lighthouse (as opposed to the earlier amateur attempts) on the basis of his experiments with lamps... the rest is history.
The chapter on the Bell Rock reads almost like a novel; Rennie, the man originally hired to design and build the light, being gradually ousted by Robert, who claims the work as his own - understandably, as Rennie wanted the kudos, but had no desire for the hardship, only visiting the construction 3 times, whereas Robert thrived on it (but was not averse to a touch of glory).
Of course it all ends in tears, with an acrimonious wrangle dragging on for years; but it established Robert as THE lighthouse engineer, winning him new commisions for roads, canals, bridges etc..
His descendants follow in the family tradition (pushed heavily by Robert), keeping to the same basic design of Smeaton's Eddystone light, they erect lights all round the Scottish coast; incidentally gaining the undying hostility of the hordes of wreckers, whose grisly activities were effectively foiled by the lights. Ms.Bathhurst's writing is fluid, assured and informative, never patronising or descending into scholarly jargon, and, though very well-researched, (see the comprehensive bibliography), does not pepper the text with notes, foot-notes and references - this is after all a Popular History book. Thoroughly entertaining - highly recommended.*****.
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Let there be lights!
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What comes across loud and clear was the desperate need for navigation aids on the coast of Britain in the 18th Century; in 1800, Lloyds reckoned they were losing one ship a day (!) to shipwreck - and these are only the ones reported - the true figure, including small craft, was probably many times that. The lighthouses that did exist were coal-fired, inadequate, confusing and extinguished at the worst possible times - in storms. This book does not pretend to be a treatise on all lighthouses, but specifically those built by the 4 generations of the Stevenson family.
It starts unusually with the youngest, and most famous, of the Stevensons - Robert Louis - who had few dealings in lighthouses, nor any wish to; but his experiences and those of his forebears influenced his life and writings, as in 'Kidnapped' and 'Treasure Island' - both concerned with wrecks and dark deeds on lonely islands.
His unfinished family history is a fount of information (and speculation), however, and this is the reason for his place in the book; the main protagonists come next, starting with his step-great-grandfather, who stumbled into the job of erecting a REAL lighthouse (as opposed to the earlier amateur attempts) on the basis of his experiments with lamps... the rest is history. The chapter on the Bell Rock reads almost like a novel; Rennie, the man originally hired to design and build the light, being gradually ousted by Robert, who claims the work as his own - understandably, as Rennie wanted the kudos, but had no desire for the hardship, only visiting the construction 3 times, whereas Robert thrived on it (but was not averse to a touch of glory).
Of course it all ends in tears, with an acrimonious wrangle dragging on for years; but it established Robert as THE lighthouse engineer, winning him new commisions for roads, canals, bridges etc..
His descendants follow in the family tradition (pushed heavily by Robert), keeping to the same basic design of Smeaton's Eddystone light, they erect lights all round the Scottish coast; incidentally gaining the undying hostility of the hordes of wreckers, whose grisly activities were effectively foiled by the lights. Ms.Bathhurst's writing is fluid, assured and informative, never patronisong or descending into scholarly jargon, and, though very well-researched, (see the comprehensive bibliography), does not pepper the text with notes, foot-notes and references - this is after all a Popular History book. Thoroughly entertaining - highly recommended.*****.
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Left me wanting to visit all of these majestic buildings
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I love lighthouses so was predisposed to enjoy this book but even so it greatly exceeded my expectations. My abiding memories are the descriptions of the sheer physical difficulty of constructing the buildings without the benefit of modern techniques, materials and transport as well as the almost unbearable hardships suffered by the workforce during construction at the offshore locations.
A highly evocative book that really does justice to the almost super-human determination and resolve of these quite brilliant, pioneering engineers. Although I found it hard to warm to the family characters I was nonetheless left with a deep sense of admiration for all of them. This is an unsentimental tale of triumph over adversity. Read it - you won't be disappointed.
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Insightful and evocative
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Set out as a family saga this book chronicles the establishment of the earliest effective lighthouses around the coast of Britain. Paying particular reference to the engineering achievements of the Stevenson dynasty and their work off the wild coast of Scotland. The author skillfully weave's the family story around the technical stuff. She also gives good insight into the values of the times, the motivation and character of each of her subjects. I particularly enjoyed the story of the "frail" Alan Stevenson. Not originally as enthusiastic as his father his engineering carrier reaches its zenith in the building of the remote and mighty Skerryvore lighthouse. Often in mortal peril the lighthouse builders' story is set in good hands here. The passages depicting of the actual construction, although short on technical content, are hugely evocative I felt the storms gather around me as I read.
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Worth persevering
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Budding authors are told to grip their readers' attention early. If I have one fault with Bella Bathurst's Lighthouse Stevensons it is that it gets off to a slow start.
But do persevere. Once it gets going this is an epic tale of man's triumph over the elements. The difficulties in building lighthouses on isolated outcrops, exposed to the elements at their most challenging, are vividly brought to life and the absolute confidence of the engineers of the period is astonishing. Technical isues are explained in layman's terms but with no sense of dumbing down.
The book also succeeds on other levels. It is an absorbing real-life family saga and a fascinating portrait of Scottish 19th century life.
An ideal mixture of information and entertainment.
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A vivid and entertaining account of an unusual subject
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It is well-known that Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island, Kidnapped and other children's classics. Few will know the details of his family background and yet in their own way a the "Lighthouse Stevensons" were also remarkable men.
Against great odds these men designed and arranged for the building of the network of lighthouses around the dangerous and inhospitable Scottish coast.
They were typical of the Victorian age-when no obstacle seemed too great to overcome, despite the limited technology available at the time.
The book is full of interesting facts and anecdotes. For example, we are told about the "wreckers"-islanders who gained from shipwrecks and were opposed to the erecting of lighthouses.
The characters are well drawn and the style of writing is very reader-friendly. It is a good read for both the general reader and for anyone with an interest the Victorian age, in heroic feats of engineering and/or in the writer, Robert Louis Stevenson.
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One of the most informative books written
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Bella, brings to life the era of industrial revolution, the progress of enginering as a science, and the tenacity of the Stevenson family. Quite simply a wonderful book.
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