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| Angus Hutchison obituary | Angus Hutchison obituary |
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| My father, Angus Hutchison, who has died aged 75, was Scotland's last principal lighthouse keeper. When he moved out of the South lighthouse on Fair Isle, a remote island about halfway between Orkney and Shetland, in 1998, a 200-year tradition was brought to an end. | My father, Angus Hutchison, who has died aged 75, was Scotland's last principal lighthouse keeper. When he moved out of the South lighthouse on Fair Isle, a remote island about halfway between Orkney and Shetland, in 1998, a 200-year tradition was brought to an end. |
| The automation of Fair Isle South was a poignant and momentous occasion for Angus. When he talked about his 36-year period in the service, he always said he had been immensely thankful to be a member of such an elite "band of brothers", and that he regarded it as a life well spent. But, as he told the BBC in an interview after his departure: "When the Americans and Russians put satellites up into space, that was the beginning of the end. It was inevitable that technology would do away with people such as myself." | The automation of Fair Isle South was a poignant and momentous occasion for Angus. When he talked about his 36-year period in the service, he always said he had been immensely thankful to be a member of such an elite "band of brothers", and that he regarded it as a life well spent. But, as he told the BBC in an interview after his departure: "When the Americans and Russians put satellites up into space, that was the beginning of the end. It was inevitable that technology would do away with people such as myself." |
| Son of Tommy and Jessie, he was born in the Sule Skerry lighthouse building in Stromness, Orkney, into the fourth generation of a lighthouse dynasty, and went to school in Stromness and in Unst, Shetland. He joined the merchant navy as a 15-year-old, travelling the globe and gaining experiences that helped to make him a likable and entertaining man. At the age of 24 he decided it was time to get a "proper" job, following in the family tradition. | Son of Tommy and Jessie, he was born in the Sule Skerry lighthouse building in Stromness, Orkney, into the fourth generation of a lighthouse dynasty, and went to school in Stromness and in Unst, Shetland. He joined the merchant navy as a 15-year-old, travelling the globe and gaining experiences that helped to make him a likable and entertaining man. At the age of 24 he decided it was time to get a "proper" job, following in the family tradition. |
| His first assignment was at the Rua Reidh lighthouse at the entrance to Loch Ewe, a dramatic location on the north-west coast of Scotland. While he was there, he met my mother, Yvonne, in 1963, and they married the following year. At Rua Reidh they had me and my little brother, Tommy. Growing up on a lighthouse station was great fun for all of us. There would be highly enjoyable games of rounders between all members of the lighthouse families. If you ever got on the opposite team to dad, then it was no fun, as he was so competitive he always made sure you were on the losing side. Every winter, after a couple of nightshifts in the workshop, he would come out with a new sledge for us – and he even once made us a go-cart (or "cartie") just like the one owned by the Scottish cartoon strip character Oor Wullie in the Sunday Post. | His first assignment was at the Rua Reidh lighthouse at the entrance to Loch Ewe, a dramatic location on the north-west coast of Scotland. While he was there, he met my mother, Yvonne, in 1963, and they married the following year. At Rua Reidh they had me and my little brother, Tommy. Growing up on a lighthouse station was great fun for all of us. There would be highly enjoyable games of rounders between all members of the lighthouse families. If you ever got on the opposite team to dad, then it was no fun, as he was so competitive he always made sure you were on the losing side. Every winter, after a couple of nightshifts in the workshop, he would come out with a new sledge for us – and he even once made us a go-cart (or "cartie") just like the one owned by the Scottish cartoon strip character Oor Wullie in the Sunday Post. |
| After Rua Reidh, my father was stationed at lighthouses at Sule Skerry, Noss Head in Caithness, and on the island of Stroma, before finding his way to Fair Isle South. He moved away from there for a time to work at the Calf of Man and Point of Ayre lighthouses on the Isle of Man, before returning to Fair Isle as principal keeper. | After Rua Reidh, my father was stationed at lighthouses at Sule Skerry, Noss Head in Caithness, and on the island of Stroma, before finding his way to Fair Isle South. He moved away from there for a time to work at the Calf of Man and Point of Ayre lighthouses on the Isle of Man, before returning to Fair Isle as principal keeper. |
| Once his lighthouse career came to an end he turned his hand to various jobs on Orkney, including lollipop man for the local primary school, driver of a community care bus and local councillor. In 1999 he was appointed MBE, for services to safety at sea. | Once his lighthouse career came to an end he turned his hand to various jobs on Orkney, including lollipop man for the local primary school, driver of a community care bus and local councillor. In 1999 he was appointed MBE, for services to safety at sea. |
| Dad once said that he would like to be remembered as a reasonable human being, one who had his virtues and vices, but who had fought his corner in defence of the things and people he loved. He was a kind and generous man who would have given you the shirt off his back if you had asked him for it. | Dad once said that he would like to be remembered as a reasonable human being, one who had his virtues and vices, but who had fought his corner in defence of the things and people he loved. He was a kind and generous man who would have given you the shirt off his back if you had asked him for it. |
| He is survived by myself and Tommy, my mother, Yvonne, and four grandchildren. | He is survived by myself and Tommy, my mother, Yvonne, and four grandchildren. |
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