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Christmas Island Archives Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) - Ruins, relics, stories and other interesting things

Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) - Ruins, relics, stories and other interesting things

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“Doomed to a disappointment”

Benjamin Lincoln Ball M.D.This is a unique and entertaining little excerpt about Christmas Island and though quite short, I thought it should be shared. It is part of the much larger story that an adventuring American dentist, Benjamin Lincoln Ball M.D. tells in his 1855 book “Rambles in eastern Asia, including China and Manilla: during several years’ residence (1848-1850)”.

Benjamin set sail from Boston Harbour, Massachusetts on the 8th May 1848 for a grand 4 month adventure that was to turn into four years. This was a time of sea adventure and exploration; where weather and fate could be unpredictable and navigation difficult. Benjamin would have perhaps chosen the ship and captain with care.

The Thomas W. Sears” is considered a first class vessel – a ship, I think they said, of about eight hundred tons. Captain Graves, from Salem, has the reputation of being a good seaman, and fully competent to the command. Mr Hood, of Salem, and Mr Burgess, of Barnstable, are the first and second officers, and are competent to the discharge of their duties. With these, and twenty fine, hardy sailors for a crew, we, the three passengers, think we shall not regret having committed ourselves to their care for the next four months.

Two months later, in July, he would write about his anticipated exploration on Christmas Island. Captain Graves gave a most imaginative description of the island.

We expect, if the weather holds good, to see Christmas Island towards night. Mr. R. and I think of going ashore, should it be calm when we reach there. It is an island of some three or four miles across, and covered with trees, bushes, and rocks. Only two or three persons have ever landed there. The captain offers to send some men with us in the boat, but will not go himself. He declares there is nothing there but venomous snakes, porcupines, poisonous insects, and a host of wild animals; and he says, “I will not step my foot among the bushes.” However, with pistols, sword-canes, dirks, &c., I think that we may venture to see what they keep there.
…
The captain is at his figures; he has just been taking an observation, but cannot get an accurate one till twelve o’clock. He made out, by dead reckoning, that we are in a latitude 10 deg 3′ south, longitude 105 deg east; and has arrived at the conclusion that we have passed Christmas Island. We are, however, still looking for it.

It is now one o’clock. Our doubts and desires are all settled; we now have the true reckoning, and find that we have drifted twenty-five miles to the westward, by the treacherous westerly current. Had it not been for that, we should not have been doomed to a disappointment. We must give up Christmas Island; and now, then, for Java next, though a sight of that seems dubious; for, of all the land we have passed, we have not yet seen any.

Benjamin went on to have more adventures and if you are curious about this most interesting man, as I was, you can read more about him here.

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Christmas Island Archives was selected for preservation by the State Library of Western Australia. It is now listed in perpetuity on PANDORA, Australia’s website archive established by the National Library of Australia.

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An ammunition cave used by the Japanese during the An ammunition cave used by the Japanese during their occupation of Christmas Island in WW2. The circular opening in the wall is where I believe a ventilation pipe was inserted. Its purpose was to keep a stable temperature and extract noxious fumes. Its use as an ammunition cave may have predated WW2. To find out more about this cave read Helena van der Riet's excellent thesis "The Archaeology of the Japanese World War II Occupation of Christmas Island". It can be found on my website (see link in my bio) under the "Documents" section. 
#christmasisland #cave #ammunition #ww2 #ww2history #worldwar2 #worldwar2history #japaneseoccupation #ww2japanese #christmasislandarchives
I love Victor Purcell's observations of human beha I love Victor Purcell's observations of human behaviour on Christmas Island in 1926. The European community caused him the most angst.
#christmasisland #christmasislandhistory #history #islandlife #colonial #straitssettlements #christmasislandarchives
An old water tank near South Point located along t An old water tank near South Point located along the old railway track. I understand that a couple of years ago it was totally overgrown by the jungle and was invisible until it was cleared.
#christmasisland #ruin #relic #industrialrelic #watertank #colonial #christmasislandarchives
Back in 2020 as we were leaving the Old European C Back in 2020 as we were leaving the Old European Cemetery my sis-in-law @mily_barrett spotted this now 72 year old engraving in the concrete path. A nice little reminder from a long gone workman that he was once doing a job there.
"1.7.1951
Pipe Repar" ... 
The last seen letter is partially obscured. The word repair has likely been misspelt?
#christmasisland #history #christmasislandhistory #relic #cemetery #path #oldpath #christmasislandarchives
A sad end for Norman Howard. His gravesite lies in A sad end for Norman Howard. His gravesite lies in the Old European Cemetery on Christmas Island. His story and the mystery loss of his headstone lead to a surprising misidentification of his gravesite. Read about it now on my website. See bio for link. Look under “latest updates” for “Norman Howard - turning in his grave”.
"In memory of Norman Howard
European Overseer
Aged 32
Died 6.3.24"
#christmasisland #straitssettlements #christmasislandhistory #cemetery #headstone #gravesite #grave #colonialhistory #christmasislandarchives
Straits settlement 1 cent coins that I found parti Straits settlement 1 cent coins that I found partially buried. The verdigris colour of one of them caught my eye. How I came to be in that specific spot to find them is another whole story LOL. I donated them to the Island's Tai Jin House museum.
Left top to bottom:
Tails side “Straits Settlements 1936”.
Head side “George V King and Emperor of India” 
Right top to bottom:
Tails side “Commissioners of Currency Malaya 1939”
Head side “George VI King Emperor”
There was another 1 cent coin found along with these as well and was dated 1943. 
I am not sure if such a small denomination would have been used for gambling? However, it has been told that on the Island when Straits Settlement coins were no longer a viable currency they would be saved and then scattered/given as offerings to the good brothers during the Hungry Ghost month. I found these coins during that very month in an area that metal detectorists had been over previously. Perhaps the coins were revealed to me 🙂
#christmasisland #christmasislandhistory #christmasislandrelic #relic #relichunting #indianoceanislands #ghostmonth #straitssettlementscoins #straitssettlements #oldcoins #christmasislandarchives
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