News: Government protection for 'Nessie'

A government file held at the National Archives of Scotland (NAS), dating from the 1930s, which remained closed for up to 50 years, reflects how ministers handled the issue of 'Nessie'. Some of the papers (NAS ref. HH1/588) can be seen in the NAS exhibition 'An Open Secret'.

In 1933, following a number of alleged sightings and the publication of articles and grainy photographs by newspapers, the Scottish Office were asked to confirm the existence of a 'monster' or 'sea serpent' in Loch Ness. A parliamentary question was tabled in the House of Commons asking whether, in the interests of science, an investigation would be made into the existence of the monster. The question was ridiculed by the press at the time.

Download cartoon image and transcript - Acrobat PDF 170KB, new

Ministers and civil servants were sceptical to say the least, but they had to take it seriously. They concluded that while scientific circles and the general public viewed the existence of a monster with some scepticism, in order to determine whether it existed, it was proposed that reliable observers could be stationed around the loch equipped to take photographs. They also suggested that arrangements could be made for aerial observation. If the monster's existence was then proved, the next step would be to trap it without injury, but given the size and depth of Loch Ness this could prove a difficult task. In the end it was felt that as the monster provided public interest and amusement, it would be better to let it continue to do so than to kill it, or the tales told about it.

However, this did not stop monster hunters from frequenting the shores of Loch Ness in the hope of seeing the monster, capturing or killing it. This caused some alarm locally and concerns were expressed that the government should take measures to protect 'Nessie' from hunting expeditions. The police could only warn people of the desirability of leaving the creature alone but were powerless to provide protection. A letter from the Chief Constable of Inverness-shire reflects the arrival of a hunting expedition in Fort Augustus in 1938, which claimed to have made "a special harpoon gun" designed with the specific purpose of "hunting the monster down". The letter concludes that "there is some strange creature in Loch Ness seems now beyond doubt".

Download letter image and transcript - Acrobat PDF 108KB, new window

Fortunately the 1930's hunting expedition was unsuccessful as 'Nessie' continues to appear in Loch Ness from time to time, particularly during the summer months.