BEAVER ISLAND- glimpses of the past
In 1813 Captain Barnard of the brig Nanina a sealer, and four of his ship’s crew were left abandoned by passengers and crew of the Isabella, a ship which had wrecked on Speedwell (then known as Eagle Island) and he had kindly rescued. He took them to New Island where he spent much time sealing but they made off with Nanina while he was waiting for favourable weather to take them to South America. Barnard, at the time his ship was stolen, was on Beaver Island hunting wild pigs for their food. The marooned Barnard and his men left on the island had a Robinson Crusoe experience on New Island, living off the land but survived to be rescued in 1814. They had a small boat and were also able to go to Weddell, Beaver and other small islands in search of food and help.
On or about the 28th April 1885 the 1246 ton 3 masted iron British barque Yarra Yarra of Liverpool which had left Portland, Oregon on 12th February 1885 bound for the United Kingdom, wrecked on the Staats Island cliffs after rounding the Horn. There were no survivors or bodies recovered and wreckage washed ashore as far as Carcass Island.
William Duncan, of Beaver Island made a deposition to his manager Henry Waldron: ‘On or about the 28th April 1885 I was out for a walk on Stickout Bluff, Beaver Island; it was blowing a tremendous gale from the south so that I could hardly stand. I thought I saw a vessel without any sails drifting upon the rocks of Staats Island at Staats Bluff, where I saw her strike and did not see her afterwards. From the time I first saw the vessel until she struck would be about 20 minutes. No signals were flying The vessel appeared to be abandoned, but it’s being at least 6 miles off I cannot state positively to that effect. No assistance could possible have been rendered, even if a lifeboat was here.’
Wreckage recovered included a lifebuoy with Yarra Yarra, Liverpool painted on it.
In 1888 Beaver had 3 houses. The population totalled 17. During that year there had been one birth no deaths and no disease.
In 1889 Beaver had 3 houses. The population totalled 14 (all males). During that year there had been and one death.
Weddell was 12 hours journey for the doctor from his base at Fox Bay. In 1889 he made 4 visits to the island. ( He would have had to travel first to Spring Point (4 hours ride )and cross by boat to the islands of Weddell, Beaver or New Island.(Dr J A Going’s annual reports for 1888 and 1889).
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In 1896 George Stuart ‘Monkey’ Duncan, age 30, was injured in a shooting accident on Beaver Island. ‘He was out shooting last December and when three miles away from his home his gun exploded and literally blew away the side of his face-the cheek, a portion of the jaw and tongue, &c. He was alone but able to walk home. The Chance was in the neighbourhood and crossed to Spring Point for the doctor, who was fortunately at home. The latest accounts speak favourably of the progress of the patient’. nationalarchives.gov.fk /Jane Cameron National Archives/ FIM March 1897
Taken from the old records at Fox Bay East Post Office. Men on Beaver Island 1897-1900: J DUNCAN, D DUNCAN, G DUNCAN, J DUNCAN
Photographs - Bill Pole-Evans
Sources include: Wikipedia, bostonteapartyship.com, Falkland Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce with Natalie Smith, nationalarchives.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives /Buildings/ Land/General/Early leases of land post 1842,nationalarchives.gov.fk /Jane Cameron National Archives /People/19century families, The Dictionary of Falklands Biography (including South Georgia) - Edited by David Tatham, nationalarchives.gov.fk /Jane Cameron National Archives /Land/ Islands/ Beaver , Colonial reports 1888 & 1889, Old Post Office records and Fox Bay
Can you add/ correct any information or supply any photographs, past or present? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com
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