Photographic copy of drawing showing front elevation, back elevation and plans of ground and upper floors. Muckle Flugga, dwelling houses at Burra Fiord.

Description Photographic copy of drawing showing front elevation, back elevation and plans of ground and upper floors. Muckle Flugga, dwelling houses at Burra Fiord.

Date c. 1856

Collection Records of the Northern Lighthouse Board, Edinburgh, Scotland

Catalogue Number E 25750 CN

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copy of DC 8905

Copies SC 781530

Scope and Content Photographic copy of plans and elevations of dwelling houses, Lighthouse Shore Station, Burrafirth, Unst, Shetland Islands This shows the plans and elevations for the main accommodation block at the shore station. The building is made of harled and whitewashed brick with stone dressings, tall chimneys and a flat roof and would have originally accommodated keepers and their families. Being a lighthouse keeper was a lonely and restricted life, and few people would consider a lifestyle which usually required them to live on a tower in the middle of the sea for six weeks at a time with only two other people for company. After six weeks on duty (or longer if relief staff could not travel to them due to bad weather) they would spend a month on land at the shore station with their families. The lighthouse shore station at Burrafirth (called Burra Fiord on the plans) was built in 1856, with later additions and alterations as the station was modernised. The station was used to house relief staff and stores for North Unst Lighthouse (now known as Muckle Flugga Lighthouse), and includes a two-storeyed, seven bayed, flat-roofed accommodation block, cottage, slipway with derrick, stores, water cistern and walled garden. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Medium colour negative

Accession Number 1987/10

External Reference C/57/15

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