

During the daytime all Keepers were engaged in cleaning, painting and generally keeping the premises clean and tidy. At Rock Stations such as the Bell Rock or Skerryvore, there were six Lightkeepers (three on the Rock and three having a spell ashore) and four at Mainland Fog Signal Stations.
Lighthouse Keeping
In addition to officers at the NLB's headquarters in Edinburgh, the NLB had specific executive functions at the lighthouses themselves, the so-called Lighthouse Keepers.

Before automation in the 1990s, these lighthouse keepers ensured the correct functioning of the lighthouse. Depending on the type of lighthouse, it had different functions.
PLK - Principal Light Keeper
Head keeper responsible for the overall running of the station.Usually transferred between stations every three to five years
ALK - Assistant Light Keeper
Once appointed ALK's start at the bottom of the seniority list,gradually work their way up as keepers get promoted to PLK,die or resign. Promotion to PLK strictly by seniority. Seniority also counts as to who is in charge any time PLK is absent.(receives In-charge allowance). Usually transferred between stations every three to five years.
LALK - Local Assistant Lightkeeper
Normally appointed to one station,resides locally and commutes to work. Not on seniority list
SLK - Supernumerary Lightkeeper
Trainee Keeper.
OK - Occasional Lightkeeper
Part Time Keeper, normally appointed to one station, allows coverage of keepers days off, holidays and sickness,etc.
Attendant
Part Time Keeper, usually visits an unmanned station fortnightly or monthly to check and clean. Primary role to be ON call. First one called out if anything reported amiss with the light.
On 31 March 1998, over 211 years of Lightkeeping tradition came to an end in Scotland, when Fair Isle South became Scotland’s last manned lighthouse. Now automation has been completed, all that remaining functions are Attendants.
From around 2003, after the small lighthouses were converted to solar energy and controlled from Edinburgh, the Attandants became redundant.
RLK - Retained Lighthouse Keeper
A new function/appointment started in 2003. A part-time employee to be responsible for a group of primarily major lighthouses. This function supercedes Attendant Keeper. Primary duties-On call plus Keyholder and Caretaker for there Lighthouses.
Life of a Keeper
If the lighthouse was not situated near a town of village, the life of a Lightkeeper was lonely. Especially at Rock- and Relieving stations, the Keepers were very isolated. At these stations they were on duty for a period of four weeks on followed by four weeks of. The families lived in shore station houses which were provided for them by the NLB.
At Shore Lighthouses, the wives and there families of career Lightkeepers lived with them, in close proximity of the lighthouse.
Not everyone was suitable to be a Lightkeeper. The good Lightkeeper had the temperament that was so necessary for this job, which consisted of living by the sea, a lot of loneliness and an isolated existence. A Lightkeeper did not make a fortune but the odds was he would be at peace with himself and with the world.
To find out more about the life of a Lighthouse Keeper, I would like to refer to the website Lightkeepers Journey of Fred Fox, former Lighthousekeeper at the NLB.
On the page Keepers application you will find the application/procedure as it was applied in 1972. Page Keepers working day you will provides insight into what an average working day for a lighthouse keeper looked like.