Culture and Early History - Lifestyle

Introduction

From 1833 to current day the population of the Falkland Islands has always been culturally diverse.  From intermarriage and interaction between the different nationalities the unique culture of the Islands gradually evolved and is reflected today in activities, traditions, place names and building styles.

 One of the scenes from Zachariah Fee

NB: Work on scanning records for the various sections on this page is ongoing.

Drama

Theatrical productions have long been enjoyed in the Falkland Islands and played a large part in bringing the community together. On 18 September 1867 Governor Robinson wrote to Frederick Cobb, manager of the Falkland Islands Company Ltd ‘…I shall have great pleasure in informing the Theatrical Committee of Management that the Directors of the Falkland Islands Company kindly wish the freight of the Scenery to be considered as an additional subscription towards the Funds of the Theatrical Society.’ [D13]

Government Files

 CUL-GEN-1-1. S Browell. Stanley stage property fund. Enquiry respecting storage room in town hall by secretary of.pdf1.86 MB

CUL-GEN-1-2. Childrens Christmas Party 1927.pdf7.36 MB

CUL-GEN-1-3. Further performance of His Excellencys play entitled The Troubles of Santa Claus.pdf710.31 KB

CUL-GEN-1-4. The Downfall of Zachariah Fee.pdf663.38 KB

CUL-GEN-1-5. Zachariah Fee Revue to be held in honour of the visit of HMS Dragon.pdf2.34 MB

Reports

R-CUL-DRA-1-1. Governors Christmas Tree Party Held in the Town Hall Stanley for the children of the Colony of the FI and its Dependencies on the 24th December 1927. The Troubles of Santa Claus.pdf1.87 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-2. Governors Christmas Tree Party Held in the Town Hall Stanley for the children of the Colony of the FI and its Dependencies on the 31st July 1929. The Downfall of Zachariah Fee.pdf2.51 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-3. The Stanley Palace of Varieties presents No Not Another Show - 1980s.pdf300.17 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-4. Theatre Royal Stanley the Amateurs of the Ship Argyll and Ship Sussex will give a performance on Saturday the 6th of May 1882.pdf76.8 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-5. Assembly Rooms Stanley. A Pantomine Cinderella On Friday and Saturday March 21st and 22nd 1902.pdf243.84 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-6. Dick Whittington a pantomime presented by the Stanley Dramatic society in the town Hall 27th and 28th February and 1st March 1963.pdf294.13 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-7. The Stanley Dramatic Society present See How They Run Town Hall Stanley 3rd 4th and 5th October 1963.pdf126.12 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-8. The Stanley Dramatic Society presents Aladdin in the Town Hall Stanley - 1960s.pdf151.2 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-9. The Stanley Dramatic Society present The Secret Tent by Elizabeth Addyman Town Hall Stanley Thursday 28th Friday 29th and Saturday 30th July 1966.pdf68.69 KB 

R-CUL-DRA-1-10. The Stanley Players present Keeping Afloat in the Town Hall Stanley 24th 25th and 26th September 1970.pdf147.28 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-11. Stanley 150 presenting for public pleasure prolific performance of preposterous proportion A Music Hall Evening - 1980s.pdf453.4 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-12. Canache Amateur Dramatic Society CADS presents Animal Farm at Government House by gracious permission of Lady Hunt at 8.00 pm 8th 9th and 10th June 1985.pdf97.99 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-13. Dick Whittington and His Cat 11 12 and 13 April 1991.pdf1.83 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-14. An Entertainment from the Senior School August 22 and 23 at 7pm in the Town Hall - 1991.pdf309.5 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-15. FIODA presents Boeing Boeing Stanley Town Hall 17-19 October 1991.pdf951.73 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-16. FIODA present No Sex Please - We're British Stanley Town Hall 27 28 29th October - 1990s.pdf3.35 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-17. A Joint Production FIODA and FIDF present A December Revue Stanley Town Hall 6-7 Dec 1991.pdf253.53 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-18. FICS presents Androcles and the Lion by George Bernard Shaw Town Hall November 16 and 17 1995.pdf185.77 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-19. FIODA presents Agatha Christies And Then There Were None performances 11 12 13 April 1996.pdf1.64 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-20. FIODA presents Paint Your Wagon Stanley Town Hall November 14 15 16 1996.pdf372.76 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-21. FIODA presents Agatha Christies A Murder is Announced Stanley Town Hall 18th 19th and 20th February 1999.pdf627.64 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-22. FIODA presents Wind in the Willows Stanley Town Hall 11th 12th 13th May 2000.pdf1.41 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-23. FIODA presents The Pirates of Penzance Stanley Town Hall Saturday 16th April - ticket only.pdf44.46 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-24. FIODA presents The Mikado in Stanley Town Hall on Thursday 23 Friday 24 and Saturday 25 November.pdf3.23 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-25. FIODA presents Cinderella May 4 5 and 6.pdf671.78 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-26. FIODA presents Cinderella May 4 5 and 6.pdf523.08 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-27. FIODA proudly presents The Annual Farmers Week Variety Show. July 2002.pdf105.82 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-28. FIODA is proud to present.Dads Army Thursday 9th Friday 10th and Saturday 11th March 2006.pdf1.2 MB

R-CUL-DRA-1-29. FIODA Presents Robin of Stanley. April 2008.pdf303.68 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-30. FIODA Presents Farmers Week 2008 Variety Show.pdf245.57 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-31. IJS Presents Robin Hood 2008.pdf380.74 KB

R-CUL-DRA-1-32. FIODA presents panic stations a farce by Derek Benfield. March 2009.pdf250.78 KB

Dancing

CUL-GEN-1-6. Installation of loudspeakers for the broadcasting of dance music in the town hall.pdf331.26 KB

CUL-GEN-1-7. Charges for music in town hall broadcast from central room.pdf210.15 KB

CUL-GEN-1-8. Public dances in Stanley.pdf2.6 MB

CUL-GEN-1-24. Formation of a society to be known as The Stanley Folk Dancing Society.pdf317.45 KB

CUL-GEN-1-25. Falkland Islands Folk Dancing Society Minutes.pdf3.75 MB

CUL-GEN-1-26. Falkland Islands Folk Dancing Society - Correspondence etc.pdf4.2 MB

CUL-GEN-1-27. Falkland Islands Folk Dancing Society 1954.pdf2.41 MB

CUL-GEN-1-28. Falkland Islands Folk Dancing Society Receipt Book.pdf172.87 KB

Horticulture

In January 1765 Captain John Byron took possession of the Islands in the name of King George III.  He fixed on Port Egmont as the most suitable site for a settlement and recorded in his journal ‘…The Surgeon of the Tamar mad [sic] a pretty little Garden near the Watering Place which we surrounded with a Fence of Turf, for the Benefit of those that may come next’.  A year later Captain John Macbride arrived with the Jason, Carcass and Experiment and ordered that the men from each ship should lay out gardens.

The outlines of these gardens are still identifiable today.

Government Files

CUL-GEN-1-9. M Craigie-Halkett. Suggests that flower shows and industrial exhibitions be again held in the Colony.pdf1.4 MB

CUL-GEN-1-10. Stanley Flower Show and Industrial Exhibition 1923.pdf1.18 MB

CUL-GEN-1-11. C C Morley. Sends sample seeds for planting.pdf585.62 KB

CUL-GEN-1-12. Stanley Flower Show and Industrial Exhbition 1924.pdf287.48 KB

CUL-GEN-1-13. Possibility of market for Falkland Islands garden produce in Montevideo.pdf451.18 KB

CUL-GEN-1-14. Establishment of school gardens in Stanley and encouragement of vegetable growing in the Camps.pdf2.68 MB

CUL-GEN-1-15. Agricultural Adviser. Proposed construction of decorative gardens etc.pdf1.4 MB

CUL-GEN-1-16. Possibility of exporting vegetables etc to the Uruguay.pdf327.69 KB

CUL-GEN-1-17. Gardens. Allotment gardens for vegetables.pdf756.09 KB

Reports

R-CUL-GAR-1-2. Falkland Islands Horticultural Society Flower Show and Industrial Exhibition to be held in Stanley on or about 6th and 7th March 1932.pdf260.3 KB

R-CUL-GAR-1-3. Plants which have flowered successfully in gardens in the Falkland Islands 1944 - H R Evans Gardener Government House.pdf851.02 KB

R-CUL-GAR-1-4. Get Ready Horticultural Show.pdf243.26 KB

R-CUL-GAR-1-5. Horticulture in the Falkland Islands A Feasibility Study. 1979 - Margaret Davidson.pdf1.19 MB

R-CUL-GAR-1-6 to 1-21. Falkland Islands Horticultural Society Flower Vegetable Home Produce and Garden Show - 1979 to 2009.pdf4.77 MB

Public Holidays

As well as the usual holidays observed such as Good Friday and Christmas Day the Falkland Islands observes its own unique holidays:

• Liberation Day – 14^th June to commemorate the liberation of the Falkland Islands by British Forces.
• Peat Cutting Monday – the first Monday in October as traditionally families would go and cut their peat fuel for the year.
• Battle Day –14^th December in commemoration of the defeat of the German fleet off Stanley.
• Sports Day –27^th The Christmas Sports have been held over two days, on Boxing day and the following day, since 1910.

CUL-PUB-1-1. Public holidays 1919.pdf483.27 KB

CUL-PUB-1-2. Royal proclamation appointing Sunday 6th July 1919 as day for services of thanksgiving throughout the Empire.pdf290.6 KB

CUL-PUB-1-3. Public holidays 1920.pdf686.99 KB

CUL-PUB-1-4. Observance of anniversary of signing of Armistice 11 November 1920.pdf154.45 KB

CUL-PUB-1-5. Public holidays 1921.pdf392.66 KB

CUL-PUB-1-6. Empire Day. Procedure in future with reference to celebrations in HM Navy.pdf108.23 KB

CUL-PUB-1-7. Armistice. Observance of anniversary of 11 November 1921.pdf911.85 KB

CUL-PUB-1-8. Public holidays 1922.pdf432.25 KB 

CUL-PUB-1-9. Armistice Day. Observance of anniversary of 11 November 1922.pdf547.68 KB 

CUL-PUB-1-10. Public holidays 1923.pdf590.53 KB

CUL-PUB-1-11. Empire Day messages to children in elementary schools of the Empire.pdf517.85 KB

CUL-PUB-1-12. Armistice Day. Observance of anniversary of 11 November 1923.pdf532.71 KB

CUL-PUB-1-13. Armistice Day. Observance of anniversary of 11 November 1924.pdf671.69 KB

CUL-PUB-1-14. Public office holidays 1925.pdf592.58 KB

CUL-PUB-1-15. Armistice Day. Observance of anniversary of 11 November 1925.pdf401.16 KB

CUL-PUB-1-16. Armistice Day. Observance of anniversary of 11 November 1926.pdf464.01 KB

CUL-PUB-1-18. Public office holidays.pdf1.21 MB

CUL-PUB-1-19. Observance of Battle of Falkland Islands day 8 December 1927.pdf246.26 KB

CUL-PUB-1-20. Empire Day messages.pdf4.52 MB

CUL-PUB-1-21. Public holidays.pdf7.68 MB

CUL-PUB-1-22. Arrangements for the celebration of the anniversary of the Falkland Islands Battle.pdf2.76 MB

CUL-PUB-1-23. Remembrance Day.pdf4.55 MB

CUL-PUB-2-1. Commonwealth Day 24 May was Empire day.pdf10.96 MB

CUL-PUB-2-2. H.M.S Kent s Reunion Party To Commemorate Battle of Falklands.pdf1.01 MB

CUL-PUB-2-3. Trafalgar Day.pdf2.62 MB

Time

‘…considerable time has been lost to the Company owing to our employees “turning to” by the Government bell and “knocking off” by the Cathedral Clock or vice versa.’

CUL-GEN-1-18. Captain Goddard. Revival of custom of firing time-gun at noon on each Monday.pdf192.12 KB

CUL-GEN-1-19. Standard time in Stanley.pdf529.4 KB

CUL-GEN-1-20. Question of checking the accuracy of local time by means of wireless time signal from Cerrito.pdf345.55 KB

CUL-GEN-1-21. Proposed arrangements for broadcasting correct time by means of a gun fired at noon every Saturday.pdf696.22 KB

CUL-GEN-1-22. Time received by Supt of Tels and Tels to be adopted throughout Colony.pdf1.08 MB

CUL-GEN-1-23. Admiralty enquire if any standard time is kept in FIs and Dependencies.pdf175.54 KB

Disclaimer

While every effort has been taken to ensure accuracy the Jane Cameron National Archives does not accept responsibility for any errors or omissions in these records.

Copyright guide

Copies of government records may be used freely for private research and educational purposes.  If material is to be used for commercial publication, exhibition or broadcast the written permission of the Jane Cameron National Archives must first be obtained. Whenever material from the Jane Cameron National Archives is reproduced in any form or in any medium, the user must acknowledge the Jane Cameron National Archives as the source and give all document references.  For non-government records it is your responsibility as the user to ensure that copyright is not infringed and any infringement that does occur is your responsibility.