DARWIN
The settlement of Darwin lies on Choiseul Sound on the east side of the central isthmus which joins Lafonia to the north of East Falkland. It is 2.5 miles north of Goose Green.
Darwin is named after Charles Darwin who is said to have spent the night there as he carried out a zoological survey of the islands in 1833/34.
In 1851 the Falkland Islands Company Ltd was formed and purchased the rights the Lafones’ interests on East Falkland. A settlement at Darwin was started in 1859 when the FIC moved their headquarters for their Lafonia farms from Hope Place to Darwin where there was a good harbour, water and peat. By 1883 the last of the wild cattle had been killed and sheep farming took over in Lafonia. Scottish shepherds were brought in to work the sheep.
Darwin was intended to be the centre for sheep farming in Lafonia which it was until 1922 when the farm was transferred to Goose Green which was south of Darwin.The sheep population at its height rose to 214,000 in Lafonia but stocking levels were reduced to 170,000.
From the 1880's to 1972, Darwin had its own doctor, but with better communications medical care was centralised in Stanley. A telephone line linked Stanley and Darwin in 1906.
Darwin is linked to Stanley by a road. There are two listed buildings at Darwin, the Galpon and the Stone Corral.
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The old Darwin House, the Manager's House, was demolished around 1979 and replaced with the present building. Today Darwin House is a ran as a lodge offering food and accommodation. |
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The stone corral was built in 1874 as the settlement became the new headquarters of the FIC. The galpon (shed) was added in 1894, storage for horse gear and fodder and for stabling. It was damaged in the 1982 conflict but has been extensively repaired by the Historic Buildings Committee. It is designated as being of architectural or historic interest and is a listed building. (Joan Spruce). |
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Can anyone lend a photo/photos of Darwin School please?
falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com |
Many of the shepherds hired from Scotland belonged to the Free Kirk of Scotland. Those at Darwin, the Falkland Islands Company’s main farm, felt the need for a minister, probably not only for church activities but to educate their children. In 1871 the Company assisted them to employ a minister for Darwin, the Reverend Yeoman taking up the post of minister and schoolmaster in 1872. The FIC built and presented Darwin Boarding School to the Government in 1956. It could accommodate forty boarders and also take Darwin and Goosegreen's children as day pupils. In the late 1970's it closed, deemed too expensive to run. It burned down during the 1982 conflict. |
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Sources include: Falkland Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce with Natalie Smith, nationalarchives.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives The Early Falkland Islands Company Settlments- An Archaeological Survey- by Robert A. Philpott, The Company The story of the Falkland Islands Company- by Michael Wright.
Can you add/ correct any information or supply photographs/text for this page, past or present, people, life? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com
Photographic credits: Ailsa Heathman
Photographs and Images Copyright: The images on this site have been bought under licence or have been used with the permission of their owners. They may not be copied or downloaded in any form without their owner's consent. |
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Darwin- Unknown, hope you don't mind
