Genealogical Research Illuminates Lives of Men Who Concealed Lighthouse Note 132 Years Ago

Detailed information has come to light regarding the three individuals who left a message hidden within the structure of a Scottish lighthouse 132 years ago, following genealogical investigations. Earlier this month, BBC Scotland News reported the discovery of a bottle holding the note inside the Corsewall Lighthouse. The note, penned with quill and ink and dated 4 September 1892, identified the three laborers responsible for fitting a novel lighting system in the 100ft (30m) tower. Specialists from the genealogy company Findmypast have since meticulously examined census records and historical newspaper archives to reconstruct the lives of these individuals who deposited the fascinating time capsule. While Queen Victoria reigned and Gladstone headed a Liberal government, the genealogists’ findings illuminate the personal histories of the common laborers who journeyed from Edinburgh to make their contribution to the distant lighthouse. John Westwood, an Edinburgh-based millwright—a skilled worker specializing in machinery—was 28 years old. He had journeyed from the capital city to the lighthouse, situated at the northernmost tip of the Rhins of Galloway, to undertake the work for James Milne & Son. His profession as a millwright mirrored that of his father, David Westwood. David Westwood operated his own millwright enterprise, involving John’s two older brothers, David, also a millwright, and Alexander, a mechanical draughtsman. John, born in St Andrews, Fife, in 1864, was the youngest among eight children. His two oldest sisters, Mary and Margaret, were employed as domestic servants while John and his three other siblings were still attending school. Upon turning 16, John also became a millwright. By 1891, John had relocated to Edinburgh, residing as a lodger with Richard Honeyman, a 70-year-old widowed pianoforte maker, and his 45-year-old daughter, Helen. The following year, he was assigned to the Corsewall Lighthouse project. In 1896, he married Margaret Gow, the 26-year-old daughter of a Blairgowrie contractor. The couple subsequently had three children: John, Jane, and Neil. John Sr enjoyed a lengthy life, passing away at 93 in March 1958 at Edinburgh City Hospital. James Brodie was 48 years old when the three workers hid the bottle. He was an engineer for James Milne & Sons, also having journeyed from Edinburgh. Born in Renfrewshire in 1844, he was the oldest of James and Margaret’s five offspring. According to census data, he was an apprentice engineer at age 17, residing with his parents on George Street in Greenock. His father worked as a shawl weaver, and his mother was a cotton winder. He married Annie F Scott in Paisley in 1868. When he penned the hidden note, he and his wife had seven children, all under 14, and resided on Tannahill Place, Paisley. David Scott, a labourer for James Milne & Sons, was 32 years old when he placed the note in the lighthouse. Born in 1860, he was the son of Jane and William Scott, an Edinburgh grain loftman. At the time of writing the lighthouse note, he was still residing at 40 Fox Street in Edinburgh with his mother, who was a housekeeper, his sister Jane Mackay, a millworker, and her two sons, David and William. A decade later, David, then 41, remained unmarried and was lodging with the Munro family (James, Jane, and their infant son John) at 41 Leith Walk, Edinburgh. His trade had become more specialized, and he was then employed as a lead and metal worker. All three individuals were employed by James Milne & Son, a company established “prior to 1750” as brassfounders. By 1821, they had installed an oil-gas plant at author Sir Walter Scott’s Melrose residence, Abbotsford, and by 1837, they were manufacturing gas meters. Approximately 1885, the firm relocated from its Edinburgh High Street premises to the more expansive Milton House Works in Abbeyhill. Their Glasgow branch commenced operations two years subsequent, showcasing gasoliers, pumps, light-fittings, and the Wenham Patent Gas Lamp. By the close of the 1890s, they were producing “lamps for lighthouses” and had developed expertise in aluminium. Ross Russell, a mechanical engineer with the Northern Lighthouse Board, discovered the bottle holding the note during a routine inspection. He observed it after taking out cupboard panels, though it was beyond arm’s length. The discovery team recovered it using an improvised device constructed from a rope and a broom handle. He expressed astonishment upon learning about the individuals who had penned the note. “I’ve touched the note and the bottle but never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we would find out all this about their lives,” he said. “It’s just incredible.” Jen Baldwin, a research specialist at Findmypast, commented: “These rare mementoes offer such a wonderful window into the past.” She added: “From just a name, date and location, we’ve been able to trace some of their stories back in time and build up a rich picture of their lives and the world around them.” Baldwin further stated: “This one lighthouse project might appear at first glance simple and remote, but these workers were part of a revolution in technology and engineering during the late 1800s and were enabling ships to safely navigate through a busy sea passage – part of a wider network of trade and travel routes across a global empire.” According to historian Eric Melvin: “The Carsewell Lighthouse story of the hidden message in a bottle is absolutely fascinating.” He continued: “To discover an original contemporary source is always exciting but to find one deliberately hidden away is intriguing.” Melvin pondered: “Did the three engineers plan this together? What motivated them? Did they tell anyone about the hidden bottle and did they leave any clues?” He concluded: “Great credit is due to those who have researched their family stories.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.