Isle of Man

Place of the lighthouse

The island Calf of Man, is a 250-ha island, off the southwest coast of the Isle of Man. It is separated from the Isle of Man by a narrow stretch of water called the Calf Sound. Like the nearby rocky islets of Chicken Rock and Kitterland, it is part of the parish of Rushen. On the island Calf of Man, are three lighthouses: two from the period 1818-1875 and a recent one from 1986. The island Calf of Man has only two seasonal inhabitants.

The word 'calf' derives from the Old Norse word 'kalfr' which means a small island lying near a larger island. It is possible to reach the Calf of Man by boat from both Port Erin or Port St Mary on the isle of Man. Cow Harbour and South Harbour are the main landing places. The highest part of the island is in the west where peak reaches 128 meters above sea level.

Building of the Lighthouses

A proposal for the construction of Lighthouse(s) on the Calf of Man was first put forward by the Merchants of Liverpool in the early nineteenth century. Both Trinity House and the Northern Lighthouse Board were asked to investigate the cost for placing lighthouse(s). After reviewing the figures, the Liverpool Shipowners' Association requested the Northern Lighthouse Board to erect lighthouse(s) on the Calf of Man. In 1818, the lighthouse(s) were commissioned on the island by Robert Stevenson.

There are two lighthouses on the Calf of Man, a low and a high lighthouse, so placed that the line of their lights points towards the submerged Chicken Rock which is off the southern extremity of the island. (see also the video in the right column.)

The two leading lights were designed by Robert Stevenson in 1816 and the station was established in 1818. It comprised two towers, 170 meters apart, aligned to indicate a safe course past the dangerous Chicken Rock. The two lanterns were 114 and 85 meter above sea level and held double revolving lenses and leading lights without color. The keepers had to synchronise the two lights. The station consisted of two circular stone towers with lightkeepers accommodation and was built within 10 months.

The two lights would appear as one from the rocks. The problem, however, was that the higher light on the Calf of Man was often (about 30% of the time) within the fog belt which made its visibility not reliable. These dangerous waters, aside from this problem, were marked by these lighthouses for a period of nearly 60 years (between 1818- 1875).

In 1869, the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners approved a recommendation to build a lighthouse on the Chicken Rock. The lighthouse was completed and brought into operation in 1875. As a result the two lighthouses on the Calf of Man fell into disuse. The original lighthouse accommodation on the Calf of Man was now used as a shore station for the Chicken Rock lighthouse. (see also the video in the right column.)

During refurbishment/automation of Chicken Rock Lighthouse after 1960 fire, a temporary light was put into use in the old low lighthouse between 1960 and 1962. This light consisted of AGA 200 mm Lantern and Acetylene light 4-A50 cylinders.

The 3th Lighthouse (new) of the Calf of Man

In the mid-1960s, the Northern Lighthouse Board decided to construct a new and very much more powerful lighthouse and fog signal on the Calf of Man, close to the position of the old remains of the towers. This new lighthouse is 11 meters, white octagonal tower designed by R.J. Mackay and built by R.J. Mackay & Peter. H. Hyslop. The Calf of Man lighthouse was first exhibited in 1968 and his Excellency, Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, Sir Peter Stallard, performed the official opening ceremony on 24 July 1968. The Calf of Man (new) is automated in 1995.

Warning systems (Light, Fog horn, Radar Beacon)

The light is original a sealed beam unit mounted on a gearless pedestal, which is driven by a low voltage slow speed motor. The Calf of Man used twelve headlamps which have an effective range of 28 nautical miles. During the automation in 1995, this lighting was replaced by a 4th order catoptric Fresnel lens with a 250 watt Metal Halide lamp.

The fog horn is an air operated signal of the "typhon" type where compressed air produces a sound by means of vibrating diaphgrams. The air is also compressed using vane-type compressors. The fog horn has an individual characteristic. The turning of the opening of the valves for this to give the correct characters and the opening of the valves themselves is done electrically. During the automation in 1995, the fog horn was replaced by an electric horn, Emmiter type 2 - ELG 300 with an output of 142 decibels.

The electric power for both domestic and services is supplied by three 18 kw generator sets any one of which is capable of supplying the full station load. One set runs continuously so there is always a supply of electricity at the standard 240 V. Should there be a complete breakdown of the electrical supply, the light can be operated at a reduced power (of about 176,000 candela's) from batteries for a period of up to 30 hours.

Decommissioning the (new) Lighthouse

Lighthouse keepers of the Calf of Man
Year	From Station	Keeper Name	To Station	Year
	Tiumpan Head	B. Bagg	HQ House Officer	1970
1974	Douglas Head	L. Anderson	Retired	1982
		D. MacDonald	St Abbs Head	1974
1974	Langness	R. Shand
1975	Muckle Flugga	T. Georgeson	Resigned	1978
		G.C. Birse	Isle of May	1975
		W.B. Crockett	Noss Head	1977
1977	Douglas Head	G.F. Adamson	Rubha Reidh	1983
1979	SLK	N. Douglas	Sanda Island	1983
1979	SLA	A.M. Marshall	Killantringan	1985
		W.S. Smith	Covesea Skerries	1979
1979	Langness	N.S.Cargill	Strathy Point	1984
1982	Davaar	R.Gatt	Point of Ayre	1987
1983	Butt of Lewis	R. Grassom	Langness	1986
1983	Maugold Head	G. Dugdale	Sumburgh Head	1986
1984	Hyskier	A. MacKay	Retired	1986
1985	Maugold Head	W.J. Norris	Ailsa Craig	1986
1986	Sanda Island	M.R. Williams	Langness	1991
1986	Kinnaird Head	J. Drumond	Butt of Lewis	1990
1986	Cape Wrath	A. Dorricot	Muckle Flugga	1991
1987	Point of Ayre	A. Hutchison	Fair Isle	1989
1989	Mauglod Head	N.S. Cargill	Redundant	1994
1990	Butt of Lewis	D. MacIver	R/ALK	1993
1991	Sumburgh Head	M.A. Young	R/ALK	1994
		J. Burns	Retired	1992
1992	Hyskier	D. Leslie	Rinns of Islay	1993
1992	Maugold Head	R.J. Daggert	Redundant	1995
1993	St Abbs Head	N. Muir	Retired	1995
1993	Point of Ayre	G. Adamson	Redundant	1995
1994	Strathy Point	M.N. Forge		1995
1994	Fair Isle South	D. Wise	Hyskier	1995
Local ALK
1974		D.B. Hemsley	Retired	1990
1986		T. Georgeson	Redundant	1995
Attendant
1995		G.Adamson	Redundant	2004
Retained lighthouse Keeper
2004		D. Fox

In January 2005, the three General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) of the UK and Ireland issued a consultation document following a joint review of Aids to Navigation of the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The review addressed the current and future requirements of national and international vesselping and those of Mariners. Each Aid to Navigation - light, buoy or beacon - was studied in isolation, as well as in relation to the other Aids to Navigation in its surrounding.

In the case of the Isle of Man the consultation took place with the Isle of Man Department of Transport (Harbours) and the Isle of Man users. As a result of this review, it was agreed to extend the range of the lighthouse at Chicken Rock to 20 nautical miles and to discontinue the Calf of Man lighthouse. Other decisions affecting Isle of Man aids to navigation were to discontinue the fog signals at Chicken Rock, Calf of Man and Point of Ayre.

Project work to upgrade the Chicken Rock light has been ongoing since September 2006, and during this time a temporary light has operated. Work at the Chickens Rock was finally complete and the light showed its new range of 21 nautical miles with effect from 13 June 2007. As a result of this upgrade, and to avoid any confusion between two long range lights in close proximity, the lighthouse at the Calf of Man was permanently discontinued with effect from 21 June 2007

Additional information

Until 1939 the island was privately owned by the Keig family but was sold to Mr FJ Dickens of Silverdale, Lancashire, who then donated it to the National Trust to establish a bird sanctuary. The island has been a bird observatory since 1959 and welcomes visits from volunteers and ornithologists. The observatory is able to accommodate up to eight visitors in basic self-catering accommodation which can be booked through Manx National Heritage.

Calf of Man is home to a breeding population of Manx shearwaters, a seabird which derives its name from its presence in Manx waters. The Calf of Man also has a large colony of seals which live and breed on the rocky coastline.