<P> The first hint of anything untoward on the Flannan Isles came on 15 December 1900 . The steamer Archtor on passage from Philadelphia to Leith passed the islands in poor weather and noted that the light was not operational . The ship suffered the misfortune to run aground on Carpie Rock in the Firth of Forth some time after passing the lighthouse and after the struggle to save the ship , the fact of the lighthouse light being unlit was not reported on arrival at Oban for some time , the ship 's master , Captain Holman , being distracted by the damage to his ship , and the procedures for dealing with her on arrival in port . The island lighthouse was manned by a three - man team ( Thomas Marshall , James Ducat , and Donald MacArthur ) , with a rotating fourth man spending time on shore . The relief vessel , the lighthouse tender Hesperus , was unable to set out on a routine visit from Lewis planned for 20 December due to adverse weather and did not arrive until noon on Boxing Day ( 26 December ) . On arrival , the crew and relief keeper found that the flagstaff was bare of its flag , none of the usual provision boxes had been left on the landing stage for re-stocking , and more ominously , none of the lighthouse keepers were there to welcome them ashore . Jim Harvie , captain of Hesperus , gave a strident blast on his whistle and set off a distress flare , but no reply was forthcoming . </P>
<P> The first hint of anything untoward on the Flannan Isles came on 15 December 1900 . The steamer Archtor on passage from Philadelphia to Leith passed the islands in poor weather and noted that the light was not operational . The ship suffered the misfortune to run aground on Carpie Rock in the Firth of Forth some time after passing the lighthouse and after the struggle to save the ship , the fact of the lighthouse light being unlit was not reported on arrival at Oban for some time , the ship 's master , Captain Holman , being distracted by the damage to his ship , and the procedures for dealing with her on arrival in port . The island lighthouse was manned by a three - man team ( Thomas Marshall , James Ducat , and Donald MacArthur ) , with a rotating fourth man spending time on shore . The relief vessel , the lighthouse tender Hesperus , was unable to set out on a routine visit from Lewis planned for 20 December due to adverse weather and did not arrive until noon on Boxing Day ( 26 December ) . On arrival , the crew and relief keeper found that the flagstaff was bare of its flag , none of the usual provision boxes had been left on the landing stage for re-stocking , and more ominously , none of the lighthouse keepers were there to welcome them ashore . Jim Harvie , captain of Hesperus , gave a strident blast on his whistle and set off a distress flare , but no reply was forthcoming . </P>
when did the events at flannan isle occur
when did the events at flannan isle occur
1900
1900