History

Port Egmont, the first British settlement in the Falklands is on Saunders Island. A party of British explorers, with two vessels, the sloop Tamar and frigate Dolphin under Captain John Byron's, command set sail from England arriving the Falklands in January 1765 and settling in a harbour on Saunders Island.

After Britain withdrew from Port Egmont in 1774 the settlement remained a popular haunt for sealers and whalers and occasionally adventurers and pirates probably visited. In 1780 the Spanish burned down and destroyed the settlement. Wild pigs reportedly left by Captain Fanning in 1820, (sealer?) thrived there. We know this as in September 1859 the schooner Victoria under Captain McLaughton, with 8 crew left Stanley to go to Saunders pig hunting. She returned on the 27th September 1859 with 58 pigs. (On 28th July 1859 James Lane reported numerous pigs on Saunders).

Occupation licences to occupy a station on Saunders were granted to several people through the 1850’s. On 24th February 1863 one was made to James Lane to occupy the south most section. In October 1868 an Occupation Licence was granted to Messrs Bertrand and Switzerland for Saunders and Burnt Island, the whole 21,000 acres with a clause that the Governor could resume at 6 months notice, their interest in the neighbourhood of Port Edmont should it be needed for any public purpose. On 27th April 1870 the Occupation Licence of Saunders was passed to William Davis Benney for Saunders and Burnt Island and all 21,000 acres, again with the Port Edmont clause.
Between 1870 and 1872 William Benney built houses on Saunders Island Station and in July 1872 was granted a lease for the island for a rent of £21 per annum for 10 years and £35 per annum for the remainder of the term. In 1882 a new wool shed, house and a house at the Neck were being worked on. Men working on the projects that year were W Benny, Clapton, McDonal, Nelson, and Dorian. In 1880 Benney was granted 560 acres, the compulsory purchase of land in Saunders Island Station for £56.
In 1889 Benney advised the Colonial Secretary that living in the house he himself occupied he shared a bedroom with A Mercer, also in the house was E Summers, his wife and 3 children. The second house was occupied by J Percich and his wife and child and two single men, James Winters and Juan Echardi, had one of their bedrooms. William’s intention was to build a house for the Summers family and another for the single men as soon as he could afford it.

In the mid 1930’s John Hamilton who already owned Weddell, Beaver, and Passage islands, bought Saunders.

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. Falkland Islands Government Farm Statistics 2021- 2025

Photographic credits: Suzan Pole-Evans, Biffo Tuson