Alan Stevenson (1807--65)

The eldest son of Robert Stevenson, Alan embarked on a career in lighthouse engineering despite his own preference for classical and literary studies (later in life he was to become the friend of both Wordsworth and Coleridge) and reservations about his suitability for this profession. Nonetheless, apprenticed to his father, he set to and learned the business, studying under Thomas Telford and, most importantly, working on lenses with Augustin and Leonor Fresnel. Appointed Clerk of Works to the NLB in 1830, during the period 1838--43 he was resident engineer for the lighthouse at Skerryvore which presented, thanks to the massive pressure exerted on the reef by the waves, at least as great an engineering challenge as had the construction of the Bell Rock. His exquisitely-designed light at Skerryvore, considered by many to be the world’s most beautiful lighthouse, relied entirely on the weight of its stone component parts to keep it in place. Alan’s work with the Fresnel brothers had convinced him of the benefits of dioptric lenses and he set about installing them in the Scottish lights; this was a huge advance, the lenses increasing threefold the power of the lights. He succeeded his father as NLB Chief Engineer but ill-health, which he battled all his life, caused him to retire prematurely from the position in 1853.