1888 Report on the Blue Book by JA Going Assistant Colonial Surgeon: Port Howard; Has seven houses at the Settlement, and five detached houses (detached referrs to outside shepherds' houses). Population 42, two births, one death, no infectious disease, diarrhoea prevelent.
Port Howard was 7 hours ride for the Doctor from his base at Fox Bay East, a man would have to ride to Fox Bay East to get the doctor sometimes only to find he was away on another call.
Port Howard
The bachelors on the Port Howard Estate gave a dinner and a dance at the Second Creek Cookhouse, on Thursday July 28 and the 2 following nights. Upwards of 50 sat down to dinner, MrDixon in the chair and Mr J Brixton vice-chairman. After Dinner the usual loyal toasts were duly honoured, also the ladies and visiting friends, and thanks were given to the caterers- the Misses E A and F Paice- for providing the dinner, which was a great success. Dancing, interspersed with songs, was carried on until morning. The dance concluded on Saturday night soon after 11 o’clock, everyone having spent a very pleasant time.
Mr Mathews kindly gave a week’s holiday in honour of the event. We should much have liked the person who inserted the paragraph in the Magazine about Falkland Island cookery to have been there and have seen the spread. JSC
Falkland Islands Magazine September 1892
In 1893 John Crook Smith constructed a bridge over the Warrah River, near Green Hill and a little to the west of the quick sands in the river. It measured 168 ft from bank to bank, was 5 ft wide and stood 12 ft above the river bed resting on 6 piers. When the river flooded 3 ft above the bridge on Good Friday 1893 no damage occured.
In 1894 John Crook Smith constructed the first 'Long Dip' in the Falklands Islands at Port Howard. It was 80 ft long at the top and 63 ft long at it's bottom, 21 inches wide at the top and 14 inches at the bottom, and 5 ft high with a slope out of 18ft.
1896 At the Magistrates court at Fox Bay before the Stipendiary Magistrate Archibald Waldron V William Saunders
William Saunders; Charge:- on the 25th January 1896 at Port Howard did make use of abusive and threatening language towards Archibald Waldron.
DEFENDANT PLEADS GUILTY.
Archibald Waldron –sworn ‘I am 2nd manager at Port Howard. I was in the wool shed. I told Saunders to shear more sheep and not to talk so much. He then called me a ‘God Damned Bastard’ and if he was not in the wool shed he would break my bloody jaw. This was on the 25th January last. He called me other names. Defendant is employed on the station’.
Defendant admits saying the words but said he had had a drop of drink.
Fined 20/- and 5/- costs. Paid
MEN AT PORT HOWARD 1899/1900
F. ASHLEY, J. SKILLING JNR, C. DIXON. A. MCLEOD, W. BROWNING, S. LEE, J. LEE, F. SIMPSON, COX, H. HALL, S. PAICE, M. PAICE, S. BRAXTON, C. COXHEAD, C. LEE, J. LEE, S. SIMPSON, J. PERRY
Travelling Teachers.
Port Howard would be on the 'North Camp beat'. Shepherd families in the outside houses appear to have been reluctant to have him. The teacher had to keep a diary recording a concise summary of work done during each visit and of the work prepared by the children during the intervals of the visits, along with the ages of the children. Every quarter it was supposed to be duly presented to the Magistrate at Fox Bay. The Colonial Secretary complained in July 1902 that Mr Meldrum’s diary for the quarter ended 30th March 1902 seemed to have taken six weeks to reach Magistrate Hurst at Fox Bay before it had been forwarded on to Stanley. Also school on Saturdays did not seem to be happening and it should be remedied.
The new Schoolmaster for the West, J. Slater, seems to have got the ‘North Camp’ including Port Howard as he found his services were ‘not required until after 4th May as their governess’ time did not expire till then (she married). Jas Slater seemed more enthusiastic accepting good excuses for not having the teacher. Mr Hall (ill, couldn’t fetch teacher), Mr Chas E Lee, New House, Plain (wouldn’t need teacher until summer, children at school in Port Howard), Mr ? of Purvis (children staying with Mr McLeod, The Ponds, so house shut up) Mr McLeod of The Ponds (no room for the teacher), Mr McAskill, the Saddle (did not arrive to pick me up, no reason sent).
Jas Slater found more difficulties for taking over the teaching at Port Howard when the Governess married. There were three families in Port Howard with ‘three or four Paices, three Skillings and one Braxton’. The cookhouse formerly a used as school was in other use. None of the houses would allow him to take them together (although the boy of Braxton could go to the Paices). Both houses wanted four weeks teaching but he could only give each of the two houses of Paice and Skilling a fortnight. Mr Simpson of Shag Cove wanted him in the winter when all his family was at home.
The telephone line between Port Howard and Little Chartres (the exchange at Goring House) was erected at the end of World War 1.
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Port Howard shearing gang 1881
