132-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Discovered in Scottish Lighthouse Wall

A bottle containing a message dating back 132 years has been discovered by engineers deep within the walls of a lighthouse located in the south of Scotland. The discovery occurred within the Corsewall Lighthouse, situated at the northernmost tip of the Rhins of Galloway. This “once in a lifetime” discovery is believed to be the inaugural instance of a message in a bottle being found inside a Scottish lighthouse. The letter, penned with quill and ink and dated 4 September 1892, lists the names of three engineers responsible for installing a new lighting system in the 100ft (30m) tower. Additionally, it includes the names of the three lighthouse keepers stationed there at the time. Ross Russell, a mechanical engineer with the Northern Lighthouse Board, located the 8in (20cm) bottle during an inspection. He observed it after taking off panels in a cupboard, though it was beyond arm’s length. The team managed to retrieve it using an improvised device fashioned from a rope and a broom handle. However, they postponed opening it until retained lighthouse keeper, Barry Miller, was present. Miller commented, “My goodness am I grateful for them doing that.” The bottle features an uncommon convex base, preventing it from standing upright, and is constructed from coarse glass embedded with numerous tiny air bubbles. It is speculated that it once held oil. Its stopper, made of cork, had expanded over time and adhered to the glass, while the retaining wire had corroded. The men were required to cut off the cork’s top and meticulously drill out the remainder. Initially, the note appeared too large to be extracted through the bottle’s neck, prompting them to create a tool from two pieces of cable to twist it through the confined aperture. Dr. Miller, aged 77, informed BBC Scotland News that his hands trembled as he opened it. He stated, “It was so exciting, it was like meeting our colleagues from the past. It was actually like them being there.” Miller added, “It was like touching them. Like them being part of our team instead of just four of us being there, we were all there sharing what they had written because it was tangible and you could see the style of their handwriting.” He further remarked, “You knew what they had done. You knew they had hidden it in such a place it wouldn’t be found for a long, long time.” The note itself reads: “Corsewall Light & Fog Signal Station, Sept 4th 1892. This lantern was erected by James Wells Engineer, John Westwood Millwright, James Brodie Engineer, David Scott Labourer, of the firm of James Milne & Son Engineers, Milton House Works, Edinburgh, during the months from May to September and relighted on Thursday night 15th Sept 1892. The following being keepers at the station at this time, John Wilson Principal, John B Henderson 1st assistant, John Lockhart 2nd assistant. The lens and machine being supplied by James Dove &Co Engineers Greenside Edinburgh and erected by William Burness, John Harrower, James Dods. Engineers with the above firm.” Ross Russell, an Oban resident who discovered the bottle alongside his colleagues Morgan Dennison and Neil Armstrong, characterized the find as an unbelievable discovery. Ross stated, “The note was just sensational, I was just in utter amazement.” He added, “Being the first person to touch the bottle after 132 years was just mind blowing.” Russell concluded, “It’s a once in a lifetime find.” The engineers had journeyed to the 209-year-old lighthouse in advance of a year-long project aimed at inspecting the bearing upon which the five-tonne lens rotates. They were in the process of examining the area beneath the floor to ascertain its capacity to support the lens while it was disengaged from its bearing when the bottle was located. The individuals who penned the note in 1892 had traveled from Edinburgh to the lighthouse to install a distinct type of lantern and glazing at the tower’s summit. Ross commented, “It was just a strange coincidence to find the note while working on the equipment described on the note.” The 36-year-old indicated their intention to return the note and bottle to their original location, in addition to placing a new message of their own. Presently, the bottle and note are being kept at the Northern Lighthouse Board’s headquarters in Edinburgh. Concurrently, a descendant of one of the lighthouse keepers expressed his delight regarding the discovery. Euan Murray, who was raised 10 miles (16km) from the lighthouse in Stranraer, is the great great great grandson of Robert