St. Helena History Btinternet - St. Helena History

Discovery

The island was discovered on May 21st, 1502, which, in the Eastern church, is the feast day of St. Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine. Its discoverer was a Spanish navigator in the service of Portugal, JoÑo da Nova Castella. He kept its existence secret until 1588, when the English navigator Captain Thomas Cavendish of HMS Desire visited St. Helena on his return from a voyage around the world. The island soon became a port of call for ships en route between Europe and the East Indies. In 1633 the Dutch formally annexed the island, although they never occupied it.
Arms of the East India Company
Arms of the East India Company

By the late 17th century, the Island of St. Helena was known to be a welcome landfall on the long journey home from the East Indies, a respite from the ocean, where fresh water and provisions could be purchased. There was the chance that other sailors might be there, with news and gossip of ships and shipping, a chance for crews to recover from the rigours of the voyage and to pray that they might reach home safely.

The proprietors of the Cape, the Dutch East India Company, cast envious eyes towards St. Helena, and plans were laid to take the Island, and so give the Company complete control of the trade route through the eastern South Atlantic.

However, in 1659 the English East India Company took possession of the island under charter from Charles II. The first Governor to be appointed was Captain John Dutton. When King Charles II declared war on Holland in 1672, the Dutch decided to act.

icon_pagetop.gif (477 bytes)
The Dutch Occupation, 1672

A squadron of ships, led by Jacob de Gens, set sail from the Cape and arrived off the Island about 20th December. Soldiers began to make several unsuccessful attempts to secure a landing on the rocky coast. Despite a lack of troops and poor fortifications, the English were initially able to use the natural fortress to their advantage, and resist the Dutch. On New Year's Eve, a party of soldiers had been observed landing at Lemon Valley, but were repulsed by the islanders, who rolled rocks and boulders down the steep cliffs. The Dutch retired to their ships to think again.

Returning after dark, a light was seen near another landing place, Bennetts Point, close to Swanley Valley. The story then tells that a traitor named W. Coxe, accompanied by his slave, had lit a fire and was waiting to guide the Dutch invasion force.

Five hundred men came ashore and were led up the precipitous cliffs by Coxe and his slave, who was then murdered to keep the treacherous story secret. The troops moved across the Island, routed a small English force at High Peak, and appeared high above the defenders of James Fort at Ladder Hill.

The small group in the fort were trapped, with the Dutch above them and also attacking them from the sea. Governor Beale, realizing that great loss of life would accompany any further opposition, retired with his people and their valuables to the ship, Humphrey and Elizabeth anchored in the bay.

The Dutch found that Beale had spiked the guns and spoiled the gunpowder before leaving, and the only prize was a ship with slaves and some ivory. Thinking that the English had been routed, they repaired the fort, and with a reduced garrison, sat back to enjoy and make use of their new possession.

Governor Beale reached Brazil and at once set out in a sloop to warn English shipping away from the Island, and had the good fortune to meet up with a fleet from England, under Captain Richard Munden. This expeditionary force had set sail before news of the capture of St. Helena had reached England, but Munden determined to recapture the Island immediately, without waiting for specific orders.

icon_pagetop.gif (477 bytes)
The Recapture of St Helena, 1672

`Black' Oliver, a slave who had escaped with Governor Beale, volunteered to guide the invading force. Troops landed in the Prosperous Bay area, where a gallant and skilful sailor named Tom scrambled up the cliff carrying a ball of twine. When he had found a secure footing, he hauled up a strong rope, and the soldiers climbed up one by one. This place is still known as `Holdfast Tom'.

By the time the force arrived at Rupert's Hill, overlooking James Fort, the Dutch had surrendered to Munden's ships after a naval bombardment. At sunset on 15th May 1673, the English took possession of James Fort, and once more the English flag flew on the Island of St. Helena.

The first inhabitants were company employees and English settlers, accompanied by slaves from South Asia (Goa), the East Indies (Malaya), and Madagascar. An influx of new settlers followed the Great Fire of London. St. Helena is often referred to as the lost county of England: not a shire county, such as Somerset or Yorkshire, but the older designation of certain cities and their districts, very similar to what are now known as borough counties.

King Henry did make this city {Exeter} with its suburbs, a County by means whereof they have justices of the peace, a Sheriff, constables, and all other officers that pertained to a county.

Tristam Risden 1630
Postal Stone & Cannon
Postal Stone in Jamestown: sailors outbound for the Cape or East Indies would leave their mail to be forwarded by ships returning to England

This shows how St. Helena was considered in the 18th century by the Honourable East India Company's Laws and Constitution of 1682, where they make provision for a Sheriff, as one who administers justice in a county. St. Helena still has a Sheriff; it is, if not administratively, still a county; but it has been forgotten.

icon_pagetop.gif (477 bytes)
The East India Company on St Helena, 1673 - 1834

In the history of the East India Company, there is a constant thread of conflict between the Directors in London, with their worries of profit, loss and investment and the man at the sharp end, weeks from home, advice or help. The Governor had to make his decisions based on his experience and what he thought the Directors would approve.
postal_stone_dolphin.gif (14580 bytes)
The Postal Stone inscription

A famous visitor arrived on St Helena in 1676: Edmund Halley arrived to observe the Transit of Mercury and Venus from a stone built observatory on one of the island's central ridges, now called Halley's Mount.

In 1795, Governor Brooke was faced with the opportunity to make his name with the Company and to demonstrate the usefulness of St. Helena. News from England was that the French had overrun Holland, and it was supposed that the Dutch would become allies of the French and so declare war on England. The Dutch at the Cape who were unaware of this news, and Brooke thought that he could assemble a force to wrest the Cape from them. A council of war backed him, and an invasion force of some six hundred men was embarked on the Company ships.

Hardly had the ships been loaded, when news was received that an English force, commanded by Admiral Sir George Elphinstone and General Craig was on the way to the Cape. Intelligence also disclosed that sailing northwards was a fleet of laden Dutch merchantmen which had now become potential enemy prizes. The expeditionary force was unloaded and the ships set sail to capture the Dutch fleet. Eight large ships were captured, and sent back to England.

Despite this happy event, the war at the Cape was not going well for the English, and Sir George Elphinstone requested assistance.

Governor Brooke once again assembled his forces and despatched them to the Cape. Over four hundred men of the St. Helena Corps took part in the Battle of Muizenburg on 7th August and the rest of the campaign that ended in the surrender of the Dutch on 16th October.

Governor Brooke's help in providing money, ships, artillery and men earned him high praise and swords of honour from the Governor-General in India and the Court of Director in London.

The Malay slaves of the Dutch were given their freedom by the victorious English; volunteering for service with the Company, they were formed into two companies of artillery to serve on St. Helena.

Eleven years later, in 1806, another Governor, Robert Patton was faced with a similar request for help. Fortunately (so he thought) he had quite explicit instructions from the Directors in London:

We hereby direct you to afford every aid in your power, consistently with due protection and security of your own Island, to H.M. Land and Naval forces under the command Major-General Sir David Baird and Sir Home Popham in every operation in which you may be required by them to assist.

When they arrived at St. Helena, and asked for his support, the Governor at once assembled two hundred and eighty men from the Garrison Light Infantry and Artillery, and placed them under Popham's command for the expedition to take Buenos Aires.
map_1812.jpg (24650 bytes)
Map of St Helena in 1812

Though the St. Helena detachment fought bravely, the whole enterprise met with ignominious failure. This time there were no jewelled swords or letters of warm commendation, only a severe reprimand for the efforts of Governor Patton. In their long and scathing letter, the Directors went on to question every other aspect of the Governor's administration.

To compound the ignominy, not long afterwards, the newly purchased Company brig Jolly Tar was stolen from James Bay by some of the soldiers of the garrison, who killed the commanding officer, imprisoned others and carried it off to Brazil.

Worse still (and even less the Governor's fault) an epidemic of measles was brought from the Cape and devastated the Island in the following year, killing nearly two hundred people. In July 1807, Governor Patton resigned, and sailed for England in weakened health.
[The Emperor Napoleon]
The Emperor Napoleon

By 1673 nearly half the inhabitants were imported slaves, but between 1826 and 1836 all slaves were freed. The remoteness of St. Helena made it attractive to the powers of Europe as a place of exile for Napoleon, and he was confined at Longwood on the island from October 1815 until his death in May 1821.
The Exile of Napoleon, 1815 - 1821

The fortunes of St. Helena changed drastically with the exile of Napoleon: a large garrison was established on the island and naval ships were on constant patrol in case of a rescue attempt. In addition, Tristan da Cunha was garrisonned to prevent a rescue attempt being mounted from there. The remains of the fortifications, including numerous rusting cannon, are still evident in many places around the island. Upon Napoleon's death in 1821 nearly all of the garrison was withdrawn.

The Decline of St Helena
[Sugar Loaf Hill, 1821, by J Wathen]
Sugar Loaf Hill, 1821 by J Wathen

During Napoleon's exile the island was placed under the jurisdiction of the British crown. Subsequently, the East India Company resumed control until the collapse of the company in 1834 led to their inevitable withdrawal from St. Helena and the island became a British Crown Colony. With this transition the relative prosperity of the island vanished. Charles Darwin, who visited St.Helena in 1836 when homebound on the Beagle, remarked that

so little level or useful land is there, that it seems surprising how so many people, (about 5,000) can subsist. The lower orders, or the emancipated slaves [slavery was abolished in 1832], are, I believe, extremely poor; they complain of want of work; a fact which is also shewn by the cheap labour. From the reduction in number of public servants owing to the island being given up by the East India Company & consequent emigration of many of the richer people, the poverty probably will increase

A salvaged Brazilian Slave ship brought unwelcome visitors to St Helena - termites invaded the island, and have been a pest ever since, even forcing the reconstruction of the Castle in 1860.

St. Helena remained a busy port of call for sailing ships until about 1870 when steam started replacing sail, and the opening of the Suez Canal (1869) changed the pattern of sea routes.
[Dinizulu, Zulu Chieftain exiled to St Helena]
Chief Dinizulu

St. Helena again became a place of exile: in 1890 Dinizulu, the son of Cetewayo, and his entourage were confined on the island, and from 1900 to 1902 6,000 Boer prisoners of war were camped on Deadwood Plain and Broad Bottom.

In the early part of this century the island economy became almost totally dependent upon monoculture - New Zealand flax was planted over a large area of the central part of the island and was cut and processed for the manufacture of rope and string. The demand for flax disappeared in 1966. Although there has been significant flax clearance since, flax still covers some areas of the interior of St. Helena.

In the early 1960s the development of a telecommunications centre on the island dependency of Ascension and employment there of workers from St. Helena somewhat restored prosperity. St. Helena was given some measure of self-rule through an Order in Council and Royal Instructions in 1966 (effective January 1967) that provided for local executive and legislative councils; this order was replaced by the 1988 constitution (effective January 1989).

icon_pagetop.gif (477 bytes)
Present Day St Helena

St. Helena is a British Dependent Territory and one of the last relics of the colonies. The island has a Governor and the upper echelons of the administration mostly are expatriate British. The islanders are represented by an elected Executive Council (EXCO) and Legislative Council (LEGCO) although these bodies have little real influence on the running of the island.

St. Helena is administered by a governor who is also president of the Legislative Council. The speaker, the chief secretary and the treasurer (as ex-officio members), and 12 elected members constitute the LEGCO. EXCO is headed by the governor and includes the aforementioned ex-officio members and five of the elected members of the LEGCO; the latter are chairmen of the council committees and oversee departments of the government. Education is compulsory and free for children between 5 and 15 years old.

The population in 1987 was 5,644. The main centres of population are Jamestown (the capital), Half Tree Hollow, and Longwood. Ascension Island and the Falklands provide employment for a large number of Saints. There is a large Saint population in the UK and a substantial St. Helenian community settled in South Africa. Saints are extremely hospitable and visitors to the island are made to feel very welcome.
[Coffee crops with Sandy Bay in the background]
Coffee crops with Sandy Bay in the Background

St. Helena's main income is from the export of fish. St. Helena coffee is of very high quality but the production is quite small. Tourism operates on only a very limited scale. Imports are high and the island has a large budget deficit; St. Helena receives a substantial annual grant-in-aid from the UK, most of which is budget aid although a significant portion is a shipping subsidy for the operation of the RMS .

Less than one-third of the island is suitable for farming or forestry. Principal crops are corn (maize), potatoes, and green vegetables, and some sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs are raised. There are no minerals and virtually no industry, but some locally grown timber is used for construction purposes. Fish, primarily tuna, are caught in the waters around St. Helena; some is frozen at a cold-storage facility in the vicinity, and the remainder is dried and salted on the island. Virtually the entire output is exported. About two-thirds of the colony's budget is provided by the United Kingdom in the form of a subsidy; the remainder is raised from the sale of postage stamps and from customs duties and wharf fees.

The only port, Jamestown, has a good anchorage for ships, and there is passenger and cargo service.