New exhibitions are lighting up Luing
A small but beautiful exhibition celebrating the life and times of Robert Louis Stevenson and his connection to the romantic Isle of Erraid opened on Luing this week.
Luing History Society and the trust which runs the Atlantic Islands Centre are funding the exhibition’s month-long visit, straight from a showing at Scottish Parliament.
They hope people will take a day trip across the Cuan Sound just to see it, bringing family and friends with them.
The exhibition features four prints based on unique postage stamps created by an artists’ collective called 6° West which was funded to come up with the designs while they lived on Erraid.
Artists Anne Devine, David Faithfull, Alicia Hendrick and Mhairi Killin all lived in the lighthouse-keepers’ cottages during their time on the tiny isle off the south-west of Mull.
They each followed their own perspective on the history and topography of the island landscape, incorporating Stevenson’s relationship with the island, where in his youth he contemplated his future as a traveller and a writer, going on to feature the island in his famous novel Kidnapped.
Zoe Fleming from Luing History Group spotted an article in The Oban Times last February about the Erraid residency and its plans to go on a short tour so decided to get in touch to invite them over.
As from Monday, four prints and a desk from the Erraid exhibition finally reached Luing shores and set up home in the foyer of the Atlantic Islands Centre next to the original lens from nearby Fladda lighthouse, which, as a Stevenson creation, ties in nicely, says Zoe.
Erraid was a shore station for two other Stevenson lighthouses, Skerryvore and Dubh Artach which carries the connection to Luing and inspired members of the history group to set up a complementary lighthouse themed exhibition of their own upstairs all about Fladda and its keepers, Erraid and the Stevensons.
The last of the Fladda lighthouse keepers left in 1956 after it became automated but some of its history has been revealed in Census documents studied by local enthusiasts.
The largest recorded population of the island of Fladda, living in its two cottages, was taken at the 1861 census.
In the four-roomed cottage lived the principal lightkeeper, his wife and 10 children, apparently including two pairs of twins.
In the three-roomed cottage lived the assistant lightkeeper, his wife and two children.
One of the keepers stationed there in 1861 also came back for another stint in 1891, he must have liked it that much, says Zoe.
In 1956 the light was automated by turning it into a gas-powered light, which could be controlled by Northern Lighthouse Board from Edinburgh.
Lachlan MacLachlan of Cullipool became the Northern Lighthouse attendant keeper in addition to his previous job as Northern Lighthouse attendant boatman, as his father and grandfather before him.
In 1989 the gas-powered light was changed to a solar-powered light and at this time the original lens was removed and stored at Cullipool until it took its place in the Atlantic Islands Centre in 2015. It was unveiled at the official opening by Brendan O’Hara MP on his first official duty, together with the help of Luing Primary School pupils.
Before the exhibition opened this week, Jane MacLachlan was helping centre volunteers give the
Fladda lens a special polish. The MacLachlan family are still keeping up the boat tradition as two of Lachlan and Jane’s five children run the Cuan ferry.
Zoe said: ‘The MacLachlan family have looked after Fladda lighthouse for at least three generations. Polishing the lens has been a family job for many years!’
She added: ‘The Erraid exhibition is small and beautiful. Combined with our exhibition upstairs, it should make for an interesting experience.
‘We hope the community and visitors will come to see it at our lovely centre.
‘Luing has so many reasons why it makes a good day out and these exhibitions are definitely among them.’
The Atlantic Islands Centre in Cullipool is now open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday from 10am to late and Sunday from 11am to 4pm.