Edinburgh of the Seven Seas
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is the capital and the only settlement of the island of Tristan da Cunha, in Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Locally it is always called "The Settlement".[1]
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"The Settlement" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates: Coordinates: 37°4′2.2″S 12°18′36″W / 37.067278°S 12.31000°W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Overseas territory | Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha |
| Island | Tristan da Cunha |
| First inhabited | 1816 |
| Named | 1867 |
| Founded by | William Glass (British Army) |
| Named for | Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh |
| Capital of | Tristan da Cunha |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 264 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is regarded as the most remote permanent settlement on Earth, being 2,173 km2 (839 sq mi) from the nearest human settlement, on Saint Helena.[1]
History
The first permanent settler was Jonathan Lambert, from Salem, Massachusetts, United States, who came to the islands in December 1810. He declared the islands his property and named them the Islands of Refreshment. Lambert's rule was short-lived, as he died in 1812.
The settlement was founded on the island of Tristan da Cunha in 1816 by a Corporal William Glass (with his South African wife and two children) after the UK annexed Tristan da Cunha.[2] A military garrison was maintained on the islands as a guard against any French attempts to rescue Napoleon, imprisoned on Saint Helena. The military garrison remained until the end of World War II.
It is named after Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second son of Queen Victoria, in honour of his visit to the island in 1867, after which the Settlement was officially (but never locally!) known as Edinburgh of the Seven Seas.[2]
It was damaged in a volcanic eruption near the Settlement in 1961 which forced the entire population to abandon the settlement and move to the UK.[3] The eruption destroyed the settlement's crayfish factory. The following year a Royal Society expedition went to the islands to assess the damage, and reported that the settlement of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas had been only marginally affected. Most families returned in 1963.
After the return of most of the islanders in 1963, the Settlement was rebuilt. The harbour at Edinburgh was named Calshot Harbour, after the place in Hampshire where the islanders temporarily stayed.
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is the only major settlement of Tristan da Cunha, and contains a small port, the Administrator's residence, and the post office. There is a school, St Mary's School, with five classrooms, a computer room and other facilities.[4]
Climate
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas has a mild and humid oceanic climate, with moderate temperatures throughout the year.
| Climate data for Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha Island | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
20 (68) |
20 (68) |
19 (66) |
17 (63) |
15 (59) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
18 (64) |
16.9 (62.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 14 (57) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
13 (55) |
11 (52) |
10 (50) |
9 (48) |
8 (46) |
8 (46) |
9 (48) |
11 (52) |
12 (54) |
11.1 (52) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 104 (4.09) |
92 (3.62) |
115 (4.53) |
140 (5.51) |
151 (5.94) |
156 (6.14) |
150 (5.91) |
160 (6.3) |
155 (6.1) |
142 (5.59) |
126 (4.96) |
125 (4.92) |
1,615 (63.58) |
| Source: Weatherbase.com [1] | |||||||||||||
Gallery
Edinburgh Of The Seven Seas Media
Map of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas (known locally as “The Settlement”)
Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean
View of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha
View of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha
Supermarket, Tristan da Cunha
German research vessel Maria S. Merian in front of the island Tristan da Cunha. In the background is the settlement Edinburgh of the Seven Seas.
St Joseph's Church, built in 1995/6 to replace a smaller church on the same site built in 1983. The Roman Catholic faith was brought to Tristan by two Irish sisters, Elizabeth and Agnes Smith who had married Tristan men who returned to settle in 1908.
Tristan da Cunha: Mabel Clark Guest house.
Tristan da Cunha: Longboats in front of the administrator's residence. Flag flying at half mast because of death of Tongan king George Tupou V.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tristan da Cunha Settlement of Edinburg of the Seven Seas". Tristan da Cunha Government and the Tristan da Cunha Association. 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Tristan History 1817 - 1853". Tristan da Cunha Government and the Tristan da Cunha Association. 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
- ↑ "Tristan da Cunha - Summary". Global Volcanism Program. National Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- ↑ "Tristan School". Tristan da Cunha Government and the Tristan da Cunha Association. 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2013.