The History of St. Mary's Island and Lighthouse
The Dispute:
In 1894, Joseph Patterson, of Hartley East Farm, let a field on the mainland to the army for use as a rifle range. A dispute arose between him and Ewen about the right of way used by visitors to the inn and the danger of bullets flying over the island. Patterson accused Ewen and his friends of damaging his property and of opening the inn on a Sunday.
On 13th & 14th of November 1895 the Ewen family were evicted. The bailiffs took all the family's possessions and furniture over the rocks and headland and left them there. The last of Ewen's possession was a pig which for six hours evaded capture but was eventually bundled into a cart and taken to the mainland. The family were left to spend several nights under the comforless shelter of a tarpaulin which they had rigged up, before logings were found in Whitley Bay. There was a great deal of sympathy in Whitley Bay for John Ewen, his father, his two sons and three daughters. During their occupation over some fifty years they had in no small meaure prevented the island from being washed away and they had made St. Mary's a popular venue for visitors. Later Mr. Ewen opened a butchers shop although history does not record if use was made of the pig.
On 16th November Lord Hastings made a staement explaining the eviction, his reason being, he said, that Ewan was disputing the ownership of the house. On 10th December John Harris Crisp a surveyor for Trintity House took up lodgings with him and stayed for a week, paying hime £3.2.6d for his board and £1.7.6d for his assistance in surveying the island. In the autumn of the following year work was started on the building of the lighthouse.