Out Skerries Lighthouse
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives
The Northern Lighthouse Board wanted to build the lighthouse on nearby Grunay, but the Board of Trade and Trinity House overruled them, and it was built at a cost of £21,000, 90% higher than the estimate of Thomas and David Stevenson.
Alan Brebner was the resident engineer for construction.
Basic Information :
| Name | Out Skerries Lighthouse |
| Position | Latitude 60° 25.5’N
Longitude 00° 43.5’W |
| Location | On the island Bound Skerry, Out Skerries |
| Description | The permanent tower, a white conical brick tower, 98 foot high |
| Built by | Thomas & David Stevenson |
| First lit | 1858 |
| Character | Flashing White/Red every 20 seconds |
| Nominal Range | 20 miles |
| Elevation | 132 foot |
| Automated | April 7th 1972 |
| Other information | A temporary light was estabished on the island Gruney on September 15 1854 |
History
During WWII, the Lighthouse buildings and the shore station on Grunay were machine-gunned on February 22nd 1941 but fortunately no one was hurt. On January 18th. 1942, the lighthouse's shore station were bombed, and a bomb directly hit the boatman's house. The boatman's mother, Mary Ann Anderson, was buried in the debris and died two days later in Lerwick.
