History
Robert Greenshields, born in 1829 at Howgate, Carmichael, Lanarkshire, arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1865, engaged as Flockmaster for the Falkland Islands Company. His son James travelled to the islands with him on the ‘Julie Tatham’ and his wife Elizabeth followed the next year with their other children, sailing on the ‘Matilda’ and arriving on the 27th April. In 1867 a seventh child, William, was born. At the time sheep farming was transitioning from wild cattle hunting to sheep farming and it was a difficult period with sheep scab rife and too few shepherds resulting in big losses. Greenshields was expected to quickly resolve this but it was a daunting task. In 1867 F E Cobb, a new manager for the FIC arrived and found Greenshield’s managerial skills lacking; he was too lenient with the men, ‘softness’ letting him be disregarded by the camp’s ‘rougher classes’. Cobb replaced him with William Wickham Blake who was experienced with scab and who was a ‘sharper character’, able to handle the shepherds. As compensation Cobb allowed Greenshields to take on 2nd Corral (Salvador) on shares. This agreement expired by 1872. However on leaving the FIC, Robert Greenshields immediately took up a section of land north of San Carlos river, signing a licence to occupy. A fifth son was born in 1869. Robert managed to take out licenses on further sections in his sons James and Thomas’ names although they were minors. By 1871 he had taken out leases on seven adjoining sections, originally naming it Howgate Station (after his birth-place) but later renaming it Douglas Station after another village near Carmichael. By 1875 he had 7000- 8000 sheep. A further three children were born, Alexander, the last in 1877. Robert Greenshields died of liver disease in 1878, aged 48. Although he left his estate equally to his wife Elizabeth and their children, it was his wish that the sheep farm carry on and his son James took on the farm. James lost an arm 1896 while lassoing a bullock but carried on working only to drown in 1898 with 9 others when a cutter they were travelling from Horseshoe Bay to Douglas Station disappeared in Salvador Waters. On his death George, the next son took over Douglas Station. Robert and Elizabeth Greenshield’s family was becoming depleted, four of the siblings died; William died in 1883 (16 years), Elizabeth in 1885 (22 years), Robert 1888 (14 Years) and Margaret in 1889 (24 years). A further two, Thomas and Jane died in 1899 (in Patagonia). Having survived most of her children and husband, Elizabeth, widow of Robert died in London aged 80 years in 1917.
Meanwhile James’s son Robert returned from his education in Britain to manage the farm. He married Malvina Thomas in 1921 and they had two sons. Eventually after Robert died in 1947 his son Harland (great-grandson of the original Robert Greenshields) took over the farm. Horseshoe Bay was sold to the Falkland Islands Company in 1959. Douglas Station remained in the Greenshield family until the 1982 when Harland Greenshield sold it to a Mr Camm. When it was subdivided, Douglas Station was split into four sections: King’s Ridge, Home Farm (both in the settlement), Bombilla and New House.
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