That bleak, God-forsaken bay: Robert Louis Stevenson in Wick
Recorded 8 years ago
About this recording
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) is celebrated around the world as the author of classic stories such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. At the age of 17, in 1868, Stevenson spent an eventful six weeks in Wick as a trainee engineer working on the ill-fated breakwater being constructed by the family firm, the Lighthouse Stevensons. His experiences during that wild and stormy autumn left RLS more convinced than ever that he wanted to pursue a career as a writer. Alan Hendry tells the story, with extracts from some of Stevensons letters and essays read by Simon Lamb.
With thanks to Anna Rogalski for additional research.
The photograph of Pulteneytown harbour circa 1863 is from the Johnston Collection: www.johnstoncollection.net
Alan was born in 1962 and Simon was born in 1991.
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