I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.

Charles Alexander Stevenson (1855 - 1950)

Lighthouse engineer. Son of another lighthouse engineer David Stevenson (1815 - 1886), younger brother of David A. (1854 - 1938) and a member of the great Lighthouse Stevenson dynasty. Charles Stevenson was born in Edinburgh and educated at Edinburgh Academy and the University in the city. He was noted for his inventiveness, improving the efficiency of optics and fog-horns, together with an interest in the use of radio for communication.

Charles Stevenson worked with his brother David A. Stevenson (1854 - 1938) on twenty-three lighthouses at: Skaddan and Skroo (Fair Isle) (1892), Helliar Holm (1893), Sule Skerry (1895), Rattray Head (1895), Stroma (1896), Tod Head (1897), Noup Head (1898), Flannan Isles (1899), Tiumpan Head (1900), Killantringan (1900), Barns Ness (1901), Bass Rock (1903), Hyskeir (1904), Trodday (1908), Neist Point (1909), Rubh Re (1912), Milaid Point (1912), Maughold Head (1914), Copinsay (1915), Clyth Ness (1916), Duncansby Head (1924), Esha Ness (1929) and Tor Ness (1937).

His son, D. Alan Stevenson (1891 - 1971) was the last of the family to enter the profession of lighthouse-building.

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from Quotable Scots another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

PLACES

Some towns have quietly died. Some have been murdered. The most striking case of murder is Roxburgh. On the map of Scotland one finds Roxburghshire, but the town is gone, sacked by the armies of Edward I of England.

Stephen Bane, , Albion: an Artist's Britain (1939)

St Andrews by the northern sea,
A haunted town it is to me!
A little city, worn and grey,
The grey North Ocean girds it round.
And o'er the rocks, and up the bay,
The long sea-rollers surge and sound.

Andrew Lang (1844-1912), Almae Matres

And the sea below is still as deep
As the sky above.

Alexander Stewart (1829-1901), The St Kilda Maid's Song

Glòir nan càirdean as mìlse na mhil.

The praise of friends is sweeter than honey.

You can find more articles in the archive under Scottish Flotsam.