DUNNOSE HEAD
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Dunnose Head is a West Falkland settlement on Queen Charlotte Bay, narrowly separated from Spring Point by Philomel Pass. Once part of Packe Brothers Ltd holdings, it was bought by the Falkland Islands Government in 1983 and sub-divided into four sections in 1984.
Shallow Harbour, one of the sections is now owned by Marlane and Ali Marsh lies west of the old settlement, originally the old Packes ewe camps Raus Creek and South and North Camps.
History
Dunnose Head was first recorded as ‘Dunoze Point’ in Lieutenant Thomas Edgar’s 1797 chart. In 1867 Edward Packe was first granted an occupation licence. Edward Packe, brother of Captain Robert Christopher Packe arrived in the islands 1866 and together expanded their holdings to 105,000 acres, taking out leases on West Falklands at Fox Bay East, Port Howard and Dunnose Head. At first Captain Packe ran cattle at Dunnose Head as he was involved in hunting wild cattle which provided a ready income for their hides and meat. |
Sheep were being introduced and in 1880 the wool clip was 85 bales. It was decided to get rid of the wild cattle on the farm. Many were shot at the Neck as they were driven into Dunnose Head. I believe the cattle, some 4000 head, were penned into Dunnose Head until starving and shot down by Blackley and gauchos on horseback. (wrote W M Dean, Falklands Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce).
Russell Buckworth, a nephew of Edward Packe arrived in the Falklands to learn about sheep farming. After living at Little Chartres for a while with a John Smith he moved into a house built at Dunnose Head. Edward Packe sold his shares to John Stella Goodhart in1890 for £5000 and on 14 March 1890 Robert Packe, Russell Henry Buckworth and John Stella Goodhart formed a partnership from then on known as Packe Brothers & Co.
In 1899 John Cheek a local mason and carpenter was building a house, porch and store at Dunnose Head. (£66-10s).
Dunnose Head was an important ewe camp section for Packe Brothers and while it was overseen by the Manager at Packes’ headquarters Fox Bay East it always had a manager itself and a couple of men working there. Managers of the 1900s included Bill Paice (who died there) and Pat Johnson. There was a manager’s house, cookhouse and shearing shed, with men from Fox Bay East travelling there to help at shearing and busy times. Like with Packes Port Howard, long sheep drives were necessary as stock was moved from one section to others. Gun Hill Shanty, and Hawk’s Nest Shanty were used on drives from Dunnose Head to Fox Bay East.
Along with Fox Bay East and Packes Port Howard, Dunnose Head was purchased by the Falkland Islands Government in 1983 who ran as a unit until April 1984 when Dunnose Head was divided into four sections, one being Little Chartres. |
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Sources include: Sources include: Falkland Rural Heritage- Joan Spruce with Natalie Smith, The Falkland Islands- Ian J Strange, nationalarchives.gov.fk/Jane Cameron National Archives /Buildings/ Land/General/Early leases of land post 1842
Can you add/ correct any information or supply photographs for this page, past or present? Contact: falklands.southatlantic@gmail.com
Photographic credits: Header: Dunnose Head settlement and wool shed and jetty- Derek Lee, Ali Marsh
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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Find out more about Dunnose Head's past |
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