Update: 01-03-2025
Charles Alexander Stevenson was born on 23 December 1855 as 7th child of David Lillie Stevenson and his wife, Elizabeth Mackay. His early years were spent at 8 Forth Street in the eastern section of the New Town in Edinburgh. The family later moved to 45 Melville Street.
Charles Alexander was educated at Edinburgh Academy (1866 - 1872) and then studied Mathematics and Engineering at Edinburgh University where he graduated as Bachelor of Science. Later postgraduate studies: Master in Civil Engineering and Electric Engineering.
On 03 May 1886 Charles Alexander Stevenson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir John Murray, Peter Guthrie Tait, George Chrystal, Alexander Buchan.
Charles joined the family business of lighthouse engineering 1875. Being, however, the younger son, and still living at home, he had to be content to work for nothing, even though his brother (David Alan) was already drawing a salary of £100. It was not until his father died that he was allowed any salary, and became partner in the firm Stevenson when his uncle Thomas Stevenson died in 1887.
Between 1887 and 1937 he built twenty-three lighthouses with his brother, David Alan. Charles never did officially hold the post of Engineer to the NLB, although he was frequently in sole charge during his brother's illnesses.
In 1888-89 his brother David became seriously ill which resulted in having to cope with, not only David's lighthouse work, but also his own private consultancies.
Charles Alexander Stevenson was probably the best inventor of the family. He improved foghorns and created his own wireless communication system prior to Marconi's wireless system and is noted for his experiments with optics.
In 1889 he published an account of recent earthquakes in Scotland, with tabulations and a map, based largely on the data of lighthouse keepers. Stevenson, Charles A. (1889). "Notice of the Recent Earthquake in Scotland, with Observations on those since 1882". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 15: 259–266.
In later years, Charles was frequently in London attending parliamentary enquiries on harbours and rivers.Charles was grandson of Robert Stevenson FRSE 1772-1850 and nephew of Alan Stevenson FRSE1807-65 and Thomas Stevenson FRSE1818-87.
Charles married Margaret Sherriff (1863–1945). With her he had two daughters Francis and Evelyn and a son, David Alan FRSE (1891–1971), who was the last of the family to enter the profession of lighthouse design. They lived at 9 Manor Place in Edinburgh.
Although officially retiring in 1940, he lived on for a further 10 years, dying at the age of 96. Charles died on 9 May 1950 and is buried in the first northern extension to Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh. The grave lies on the north path towards the north-east corner. His son David Alan Stevenson lies alongside.