In 1813 Captain Barnard, 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. They made off with his ship the brig Nanina while he was waiting at New Island for favourable weather to take them to South America. Barnard at the time 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. They had a small boat and were also able to go to Weddell, Beaver and other small islands.
Desperately in search of something to eat he procured some seal’s flesh, three geese and two foxes. He recorded: ‘I ate some of their (warrah) flesh, but it is so very strong that nothing but the sauce of extreme hunger could force it down’.
Charles Poole sealer, etc was based on New Island in 1896
Fox Bay 30th June 1896
PLEA: “The Captain of the ‘Glenowin’ gave them to me”.
Thomas Lynch sworn
From information received I applied for a warrant on the 18th of June to search the house of Charles Poole at New Island. I proceeded to New Island in the ‘Result’. I landed there at 8.10 am not the 23rd of June. I saw the accused on the beach. I called to him, informed I had a warrant to search his premises. I sent the warrant to him and in searching his house I found the goods namely one looking glass with brackets and one cabin chair which I produce. I found the looking glass over the mantle in the sitting room, also the chair in the same room. I have incurred the cost of £9 in executing this warrant.
FINE £5
COSTS £9 5s 0d or 2 months
Goods ordered to be delivered to the receiver of wrecks.
From FOX BAY PO old court documents
In 1899 New Island had 2 house, 2 male adults, one female adult and 3 male children. One male child had been born that year. (Colonial Report 1889 by Dr Going)
Taken from the old records at Fox Bay East Post Office. Men on Beaver Island 1897-1900:
R CULL (drowned 1901) R DIXON
The whaling station employed Norwegians, and some never lived to see their native homeland again. There is a graveyard above the old whaling station.
John Olsen died 21st June 1915 aged 47 years. The death registered at Fox Bay says: Died 21st June 1915 Johan Olsen, laboureer, Whaling Station from Norway, drowning (whether by accident or suicide unknown).
|
Can you add/ correct any information or supply photographs or information , past or present/ life/ people/ buildings? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com
Sources include: Falkland Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce with Natalie Smith, nationalarchives.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives/ Land/ buildings, Old documents at Fox Bay Post Office, Marooned- Captain Charles H Barnard, Edited with an Introduction by Bertha S Dodge
Photographic credits: Jeremy Richards/Shutterstock.com, Gillian Santink/Shutterstock.com. Teresa Otto/Shutterstock.com |
New Island quawk- Tobias Brehm/Shutterstock.com
