The Eilean Mor Lighthouse Keepers

The disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from Eilean Mor in December 1900 is one of maritime history’s most enduring mysteries. Thomas Marshall, James Ducat, and Donald MacArthur were found to be missing when a relief vessel arrived, and their fate has never been determined.

The Empty Lighthouse

When the relief ship arrived on December 26, the lighthouse had been dark for days. Inside, everything was in order except that all three keepers were gone. An uneaten meal sat on the table. The clock had stopped.

Two sets of oilskins were missing from the hooks, but one remained. In December, in the Outer Hebrides, no keeper would go outside without his coat unless in extreme emergency.

The Logbook

The final log entries were peculiar. They described a terrible storm with unprecedented waves. The entries mentioned the keepers praying and expressed fear. Yet no storm was recorded on the mainland for those dates.

The Official Conclusion

The Northern Lighthouse Board concluded the men had gone to secure equipment on the western landing during a sudden storm and were swept away. But this explanation requires all three to have violated protocol by leaving the lighthouse unmanned.

Alternative Theories

Wilder theories have proposed: a giant sea creature, murder followed by suicide, a kidnapping by foreign agents, or supernatural intervention. Each theory has adherents and critics.

What is certain is that three men vanished from a small island and were never seen again. Their bodies were never recovered. The truth of what happened in December 1900 remains unknown.