For the chemist, see Thomas Stevenson (toxicologist)

Thomas Stevenson (1818-1887) was a pioneering lighthouse designer, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, as well as the Stevenson screen used in meteorology. His designs, celebrated as ground breaking, ushered in a new era of lighthouse creation .

Background

Well known for his boyish good looks and flamboyant personality, he was a favourite among his male companions. As the youngest son of engineer Robert Stevenson, and brother of the lighthouse engineers Alan and David Stevenson, between 1854 and 1886 he designed many lighthouses, with his brother David, and then with David's son David Alan Stevenson. He married Margaret Balfour and their son was the writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who caused him much disappointment by failing to follow in the engineering of his family.

Thomas Stevenson was a devout and regular attender at St. Stephen's Church in St Stephen's Place, Silvermills, at the north end of St Vincent Street, Edinburgh.

He was involved in regrettable efforts to rubbish the inventions of John Richardson Wigham.

Lighthouses designed by Thomas Stevenson

• Whalsay Skerries (1854)
• Out Skerries (1854)
• Muckle Flugga (1854)
• Davaar (1854)
• Ushenish (1857)
• South Rona (1857)
• Kyleakin (1857)
• Ornsay (1857)
• Sound of Mull (1857)
• Cantick Head (1858)
• Bressay (1858)
• Ruvaal (1859)
• Corran Point (1860)
• Fladda (1860)
• McArthur's Head (1861)
• St Abb's Head (1862)
• Butt of Lewis (1862)
• Holborn Head (1862)
• Monach Islands (1864)
• Skervuile (1865)
• Auskerry (1866)
• Lochindaal (1869)
• Scurdie Ness (1870)
• Stour Head (1870)
• Dubh Artach (1872)
• Turnberry (1873)
• Chicken Rock (1875)
• Lindisfarne (1877, 1880)
• Fidra (1885)
• Oxcar (1886)
• Ailsa Craig Lighthouse (1886)

See also

• Richard Henry Brunton

References

External links

• Eilean Bàn - Kyleakin Lighthouse
• 'Lighthouse Library' of the Northern Lighthouse Board