Life on the Rocks

Examining the role and life of a lighthouse keeper

In all weathers and for prolonged periods of time, lighthouse keepers put their lives on the line to safeguard ships and sailors from the hazardous seas around our island nation. They faced danger from wild seas and winter storms, mounted rescue missions to come to the aid of shipwrecked passengers, sailors and fishermen, and contended with loneliness and isolation. They provided vital weather reports, monitored shipping with leather-bound telescopes, fished with giant, kite-shaped lines, and cultivated hobbies such as birdwatching and stamp collecting to while away the hours. For hundreds of years, members of Kathryn Kelly’s family served their country by tending the lights at some of the most dangerous and remote spots along Britain’s coastline. This book considers the role and life of a lighthouse keeper, alongside a deeply personal account of a family shaped by their work, and provides a fascinating insight into a way of life that was once passed on from father to son, but has now disappeared.