While a full account of Trinity House’s history is perforated by a number of devastating losses to the Corporation’s records caused by wars and fires, the archive still holds a number of fascinating stories, essays and autobiographies written by Trinity House people over the centuries.

Here we have chosen a number of stories written by the wives and daughters of the lighthouse keepers, the keepers themselves, lightvessel crews, stranded radio presenters. They offer a wide range of perspectives over a long period of time, and touch on a number of themes such as dealing with isolation, changing times and technologies, finding creative solutions to living offshore and offering insights into a rare walk of life.