13
A sample cultivated in a tropical glasshouse in
Edinburgh took three years to produce flowers and
confirm it as a new species to science
Shining a light on
Scotland’s Keepers
lot of them volcanoes. I’ve seen some of the
world’s most amazing forests and that for me is
just a day in the office.
“There is usually blood, sweat and tears in
fieldwork. There is always something trying to bite
you. You’re always feeding the forest fauna when
you are there — leeches and mosquitoes mostly.
“Most large animals disappear before you get
near them but I’ve seen some whopping snakes.
You also see spiders, particularly in the mornings.
If you’re first in line on the trail it’s your job to
clear the webs.”
It has never been more important to catalogue
the world’s species, and to conserve them. Some of
the RBGE’s newly described species may have as
yet unknown properties, while others already have
cultural importance in their native lands.
Dr Hughes (photographed below) added: “We
live on this amazing planet — some of the plants
we have described are incredibly beautiful but
they’ve never been given any formal recognition.
“Unless they have a name, these things could be
lost and nobody would know. Once they have a
name they have a presence and a voice on the
conservation stage... We will never know enough
because there is always more to be discovered.”
Dr Hughes insists it’s not all about the human
perspective, however, adding: “We live on a
unique planet in the universe, quite possibly the
only place with life and who are we to erase it?
“It’s taken millions of years to get here and
evolve and it’s our moral duty to protect it. And
you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”A begonia growing wild in
Gunung Tanggamus
South SumatraTHE EMPLOYMENT records of
more than one thousand
lighthouse keepers are now
available to see online for the first
time on the genealogy website
ScotlandsPeople.
More than 2,000 newly scanned
images from The Northern
Lighthouse Board records give
details of more than 1,
lightkeepers working in 92
lighthouses between 1837
and 1921.
Lightkeepers had hard working
lives, long days and nights
maintaining light and fog signals,
and cleaning and ensuring the
upkeep of isolated stations in
harsh conditions.
Many keepers lived in cramped
spaces for long periods, often with
only basic washing facilities or
toilets. They could be separated
from family and friends while
working to maintain the safety of
shipping around the Scottish coast.
The records cover all of Scotland,
from Muckle Flugga near Shetland
to the most southerly at Drumore,
Mull of Galloway. They also include
Bell Rock, the world’s oldest
working sea-washed lighthouse,
and the three keepers of the
Flannan Isles who disappeared
following a storm in 1900,
presumed drowned.
Jocelyn Grant, NRS Outreach
and Learning archivist, said: “The
last lighthouse was automated in
1998 and these records shine a
light on the working lives of over1,300 men in a profession that has
now mostly passed into history.
“The Northern Lighthouse Board
records are frequently requested
by visitors to our buildings. If your
ancestor worked in a Scottish
lighthouse, there’s a good chance
you will find them here.”
“This is the latest in a series of
popular record sets added to the
National Records of Scotland
genealogy service ScotlandsPeople
as part of our wider programme
making more of our archive
holdings accessible to people
across the country and around
the world.”
ScotlandsPeople is the country’s
official family and social history
research website. Record indexes
are free to search, with charges for
viewing some images.