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Collection NLC - Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses
Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1786-1994 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
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Name of creator
Administrative history
The Erection of Lighthouses Act 1786 (26 Geo. III, c.101) founded the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses (numbering 19), who had the power to borrow money, purchase land, levy dues from ship owners, and to construct lighthouses. The first lighthouse constructed by the NLC was Kinnaird Head, near Fraserburgh, opened in 1787. The jurisdiction of the Commissioners was extended by statute to include the Isle of Man (under the Isle of Man and Calf of Man Lighthouses Act 1815: 55 Geo. III, ch.lxvii) and lighthouses established by burghs and other local authorities under the Lighthouses Act 1836 (6 & 7 Will. IV, c.79), which also made plans for new lighthouses to be built by the Commissioners subject to approval of Trinity House. The powers of Trinity House were strengthened and the funding of lighthouses consolidated into the Mercantile Marine Fund under the Merchant Shipping Law Amendment Act 1853 (16 & 17 Vict., c.131). The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 (57 & 58 Vict., c.60) confirmed the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses as the authority for lighthouses in Scotland and the adjacent seas and islands, and the Isle of Man. The Merchant Shipping Act 1979 freed the Commissioners from the supervision of Trinity House.
The Northern Lighthouse Board, together with Trinity House (England, Wales and the Channel Isles) and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (Eire and Northern Ireland) are the General Lighthouse Authorities for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Running costs are met from a 'General Lighthouse Fund', financed by the collection of Light Dues paid by commercial ships calling at British and Irish ports, and by fishing vessels over 10 metres in length. The fund, although administered by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, is entirely self-financing, and receives no grant from the Exchequer. The powers and duties of the General Lighthouse Authorities are laid down in the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c.21). All the NLC's lighthouses have been automated for operational purposes since end March 1998.
Repository
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NLC1 Annual reports, 1848-1852, 1873-1937
NLC2 Board minutes and related papers, 1786-1989
Secretary's Department
NLC3 Correspondence and reports, 1901-1987
NLC4 Staff records, 1837-1980
NLC5 Orders and Circulars: General Orders, 1844-1991
NLC6 Returns: Shipwreck Returns, 1927-1983
Engineer's Department
NLC11 Engineer's department: Letterbooks and correspondence files, 1838-1958
Records of individual lighthouses
NLC20 Ailsa Craig Lighthouse, 1862-1985
NLC21 Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, 1972-1987
NLC23 Barns Ness Lighthouse, 1982-1986
NLC24 Barra Head Lighthouse, 1953-1980
NLC28 Buchan Ness Lighthouse, 1915-1971
NLC36 Copinsay Lighthouse, 1915-1990
NLC38 Corsewall Lighthouse, 1883-1992
NLC40 Cromarty Lighthouse, 1868-1985
NLC42 Davaar Lighthouse, 1868-1980
NLC44 Dubh Artach Lighthouse, 1929-1971
NLC47 Eilean Glas Lighthouse, 1853-1925
NLC48 Esha Ness Lighthouse, 1955-1966
NLC51 Fidra Lighthouse, 1951-1970
NLC53 Flannan Isles Lighthouse, 1899-1971
NLC57 Holy Island (Inner) Lighthouse, 1900-1978
NLC58 Holy Island (Outer) Lighthouse, 1926-1964
NLC62 Inchkeith Lighthouse, 1845-1869
NLC63 Isle of May Lighthouse, 1836-1989
NLC70 Loch Indaal Lighthouse, 1869-1948
NLC72 Maughold Head Lighthouse (Isle of Man), 1914-1993
NLC73 McArthur's Head Lighthouse, 1861-1969
NLC75 Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, 1936-1995
NLC78 Neist Point Lighthouse, 1898-1988
NLC80 Noss Head Lighthouse,1892-1967
NLC83 Out Skerries Lighthouse, 1854-1935
NLC85 Pentland Skerries Lighthouse, 1871-1994
NLC86 Pladda Lighthouse, 1970-1990
NLC87 Point of Ayre Lighthouse (Isle of Man), 1957-1993
NLC91 Rona Lighthouse, 1857-1975
NLC92 Rubh' Re Lighthouse, 1944-1985
NLC94 Ruvaal Lighthouse, 1858-1983
NLC95 Sanda Lighthouse, 1863-1991
NLC96 Scurdie Ness Lighthouse, 1975-1983
NLC97 Skerryvore Lighthouse, 1968-1991
NLC99 St Abb's Lighthouse, 1844-1993
NLC107 Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, 1868-1976
NLC108 Tiumpan Head Lighthouse, 1920-1984
NLC110 Turnberry Lighthouse, 1873-1985
NLC111 Ushenish Lighthouse, 1857-1971
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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Language of material
- English
Script of material
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Name access points
- Commissioners for Northern Lighthouses (Creator)
