In December of 1900, three lighthouse keepers vanished from one of the most remote outposts in Scotland — the Flannan Isles Lighthouse. No bodies. No signs of struggle. Just an abandoned tower, a stopped clock, and a logbook that ends too soon.

In this episode, we break down what is actually documented about the disappearance — including the official records, the storm damage found below the lighthouse, and the haunting quotes later attributed to the keepers’ final days. We also explore how myth, poetry, and retellings blurred the line between fact and legend almost immediately after the men were declared missing.

Was it a rogue wave? A tragic accident? Or something far stranger?

This is the mystery of the Flannan Isles — and why, more than a century later, it still refuses to settle into a simple explanation.

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About the show

Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior.

New episodes every week.

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Sources & Further Reading

- Northern Lighthouse BoardOfficial inspection reports and historical records regarding the Flannan Isles Lighthouse and the disappearance of the keepers in December 1900.

- Joseph Moore (Relief Keeper) – Official Testimony
Firsthand account from the relief keeper who discovered the lighthouse abandoned on December 26, 1900, including details of the condition of the tower, lamps, clocks, and weather damage.

- Graham, Robert. The Flannan Isles MysteryA detailed historical analysis examining documented evidence, weather records, and later embellishments surrounding the case.

- Munro, Roderick. Scottish Lighthouse MysteriesExplores the Flannan Isles disappearance within the broader context of lighthouse history and maritime danger in Scotland.

- Weather Records – December 1900 (Outer Hebrides)Meteorological data confirming severe storm activity in the days leading up to the disappearance, often referenced in official explanations.

-Wilfrid Wilson Gibson (1912). Flannan IsleA narrative poem that helped popularize many of the emotional and psychological elements later attributed to the keepers — often mistaken for logbook excerpts but acknowledged as literary interpretation.

- National Library of Scotland Archives
Preserved documents, newspaper coverage, and maritime records related to the Flannan Isles Lighthouse.

🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift

Licensed by Uppbeat

License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY

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Contact

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