The Stevenson family

An engraving showing work on the Bell Rock Lighthouse from a book published in 1824

Robert Louis Stevenson's family were well known as designers and builders of lighthouses, including his father Thomas and his uncles Alan and David.

Thomas Stevenson designed more than 30 lighthouses, some in collaboration with David. David Stevenson also worked with with fellow-Scot Richard Henry Brunton who was employed to design and build lighthouses in Japan.

Robert Louis Stevenson's grandfather, Robert Stevenson, was also an engineer, and became famous for his design and construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse in the North Sea, 12 miles of the coast of Angus. The construction was extremely difficult, in hazardous conditions and took three years to complete.

Thomas was disappointed that his son became a writer instead of an engineer however Robert Louis Stevenson did write about his forebears and their achievements in an 1896 essay called 'Records of a Family of Engineers'.

Related links

  • Museum of Scottish Lighthouses

    Website of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, located next to the the first lighthouse built on mainland Scotland at Kinnaird Head on the Moray Firth. As well as visiting the lighthouse the museum has exhibitions revealing the technology and social history of lighthouses and lighthouse keepers.