Note: This image is a part of the Estus H. Magoon Collection, Item No. 1398. It was used to share this story and is not an actual image of the Kite.. The British sloop, Kite was a popular vessel sailing between the islands of Tortola and St. Thomas during the 1890s. Like so many island boats, it […]
Disasters
Rebuilding a Sunken Sailboat ~ 1916
The Schooner, Eagle Last year, I shared a fascinating story about the inter-island sloop, Eagle. Included were rare photographs of her crew and some of her passengers. The Owner In late 1916, the owner of the Eagle was Captain Oswald Waldemar George of St. John. His route spanned the seas between the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. The Eagle, like the Zuhrah, Fancy Me, […]
How One Family Shared the Sad Story of the 1733 Slave Revolt
A group of captive men from the African Akwamu tribe planned an attack against their masters at Estate Fortsberg in Coral Bay. ~ November 23, 1733 The slave revolt was an attempt to gain their freedom at all costs, even if it meant death. During the 1930s, our great-grandfather owned the estates of Mary’s Point and Annaberg. Whenever he motored […]
Lost at Sea! A Jost Van Dyke Sloop Vanishes Without a Trace ~ 1916
Imagine saying farewell to your loved one at the dock as they boarded a boat, then discovering later that they never made it to their destination. On a dark and rainy evening in January of 1916, Mr. C.H. Berrian hugged his wife goodbye as she boarded a boat destined for West End, Tortola. She had been […]
ON THIS DAY, The Devastating Hurricane of 1867 hit the British Virgin Islands and Danish West Indies
ON THIS DAY, the costliest and deadliest hurricane of 1867, hit the British Virgin Islands and the Danish West Indies! My 2x great-grandfather was just 9 years old. He spent that fateful day huddled in a two room home in the Anegada settlement with his parents and six siblings. Had the hurricane’s path veered further north, […]
The Disappearance of the Sloop, SPIDER ~ 1916
St. Thomas was struck by one of the most destructive hurricanes in the history of the Danish West Indies! ⚡ The unforgettable date was October 9, 1916. The Spider Captain William Creque, the brother of our direct ancestor, sailed right into its fury. On that fateful day, he was the captain on board the Spider. The 45-ft sloop […]
The Sinking of the Schooner, FANCY ME ~ 1926
Launching The Fancy Me The Fancy Me was a locally-built schooner that became infamous when she was lost in a hurricane with most of her passengers who were returning home to their families. It was one of the most tragic events that occurred in the maritime history of the British Virgin Islands. The schooner was built on Hassel […]
Fire Destroys the St. Thomas Telegraph Office ~ 1909
On this day in 1909, a horrific fire destroyed the iconic building which housed the Telegraph Office in St. Thomas! The fire alarm went off shortly after 5 o’clock in the morning and within an hour the building was totally consumed! The only remnants were the upper northwestern wall which had to be pulled down […]