SPEEDWELL ISLAND 52°13'S, 59°44'W
Formerly called 'Eagle Island', Speedwell is the largest of the Speedwell Island Group which includes George and Barren islands, the Elephant Cays and Annie Island. Speedwell is separated from Lafonia, south East Falklands by Eagle passage. It is low lying, about 17.5 km (10.87 miles) long and 5km (3.1 miles) wide at its central part. The island is rodent free like the rest of the Speedwell Group and thus a good place for birds, and has 'Important Bird Area' status. Species include 600 breeding pairs of Logger ducks, ruddy-headed geese, dolphin gulls, blackish cinclodes, Cobb's wrens, giant Petrels and Magellanic penguins. Speedwell is a working sheep farm, part of the George Island Group which runs over 5000 sheep and is owned by C & L May.
In 1813 the Isabella, a British grounded on Speedwell, then known as 'Eagle' island.
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In 1813 the Isabella, a British grounded on Speedwell, then known as 'Eagle' island. The crew raised a flagpole on Peat Bog Ridge, alerting Captain Barnard of their plight with disastrous consequences for him. |
The Colonsay wrecked on Speedwell in 1860. She had a cargo of guano, 18 crew and one passenger. She was travelling from Callao to Cork. The crew were transported to Stanley by a local steamer Malvina.
In 1837 a survey recorded plentiful wild pigs on the island, (at Pig Point) they would have been put there as a ready source of food by whalers in earlier days.
Before the days of radio a semaphore at Danson Harbour, North Arm could be seen from Speedwell settlement and it let folk on the island know when there was mail or stores to be collected by a boat.
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
Photographic credits: Ian Barnes |
    
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