:: History
For a relatively small and isolated island, New Island has a rich and fascinating history...

:: Whaling and Sealing The natural wealth of the area, its sheltered harbours and its remoteness attracted the somewhat secretive early sealing and whaling operations. The first American whaling vessels probably anchored at New Island around 1774, over 230 years ago. The majority commenced their voyages from New Bedford, New York, Nantucket and other whaling ports of New England. The island became a self styled home of these Americans hence its name "New". New Island has a "Coffin's Harbour" and nearby lies Coffin Island, both named after the well known family of Coffin who captained many of the whale ships from Nantucket. The Coffins were some of the earliest pioneers of these waters and may even have named New Island. The islands of Quaker, Penn, Fox and Barclay lying close to New Island are all synonymous with the Quaker families who operated whale oil businesses, sending whaling ships to the southern oceans from ports such as Nantucket. The neighbouring Beaver Island was named after the whaling vessel "Beaver" which was recorded as being the first whale ship to double Cape Horn.

New Island, like many others was to suffer from the depredations of these early exploiters. The colonies of penguins and albatross on the island presented a large source of food in the form of eggs. Wildfowl, especially geese, were in abundance and records left by these whalers confirm that large numbers were taken for food. Captain James Weddell anchored at New Island in 1823 and recorded the excellence of its harbours and its value for supplies of wildfowl and fresh water. Depredations continued with the introduction of pigs and American cottontail rabbits. The island's fur seal colonies were exploited, although probably only in small numbers. The island suffered deliberate burning by the whalers who only saw the thick growth of vegetation like tussock grass a hindrance to their shore operations.

:: Marooned on New Island... Captain Charles H. Barnard was an American from Nantucket who, whilst engaged in a sealing venture around the Falklands in 1813, was marooned along with four of his men on New Island. These events occurred in the context of the war between America and England in 1812. After rescuing survivors of the wreck of the British ship Isabella, which had gone aground on Speedwell Island, Barnard and his men were left on New Island by the very men they had saved. With his own vessel Nanina stolen, Barnard and his companions were left with only a few personal items, his dog and an open boat. For two years they survived on or about the Island until they were eventually rescued. Barnard describes his exploits in a book he published in 1829.

During their time on the Island, Barnard and his men constructed a rough stone building. Its exact position on the Island was however unclear, and for some years there was speculation on where his original campsite might have been. Through a lot of research and patience, a copy of Barnard’s original narrative and map, and our knowledge of the Island, we have been able to establish that the position of his stone shelter was at the head of what is now called Settlement Harbour, where the current Captain Barnard Museum now stands.

:: Guano Industry and Penguin Oiling During the 1850's when a large nitrate industry developed off the Peruvian coast, interest was shown in the guano deposits on the New Island seabird colonies. The industry, the only one attempted in the Falklands, was however short lived the deposits being difficult to access and of low value. For a short period, some time between 1851 and 1860 New Island was the site of yet another industry exploiting its natural resources. Penguin oiling was started with Rockhopper penguins being caught and rendered down for their oil. The remains of stone corrals are still evident on one of the New Island South colonies where birds were caught and killed.

:: Farming In 1860 the first Crown lease was issued for New Island. It was around this time that the island experienced the first of a succession of settlers engaged in sheep and cattle farming, a industry which was to continue unabated for the following one hundred years. From records it appears that New Island was the first area of land to be settled and stocked on West Falkland, some time between 1851 and 1860. The island saw a succession of owners from this time onwards, most of whom were engaged in sheep farming. In September 1949 the property was passed on to John J. "Cracker Jack" Davis, whose family was then to eventually sell to Roddy Napier & Ian Strange in 1972. It was at this stage that the island was finally given some relief from its long history of over-grazing.

:: The New Island Whaling Station In 1908 a new era of whaling commenced around the Falklands. As with the earlier whalers the location of New Island and its excellent harbours attracted the industry. A lease was granted to Salvesen & Co. of Leith, Scotland for the operation of the first and only land based whaling station in the Falkland Islands. Erected in South Harbour, the New Island whaling station was a fairly large set up, with a factory employing some eighty men. The facilities included Government buildings for a resident customs officer and a post office. Catches of whales however, were comparatively small and in 1916 the station closed and moved to South Georgia from where more lucrative whaling grounds could be fished. Much of the machinery and evidence of the station's infrastructure remains at the site today.