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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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Historic Newspaper articles

There have been all sorts of newspaper articles about Christmas Island over the years. Here is a collection of some of the more interesting historic ones that I have found. This is an ongoing project.

1852 – Shipwreck horror – an amazing tale of survival in 1852 – The shipwreck off Egeria Point and the rescue of three survivors. They were marooned on the Island for nearly 2 months.

1852 – Shipwrecked on Christmas Island – amazing first hand account from 1852 – A nearly two month struggle for survival on Christmas Island as told by one of the three survivors.

1888 – The annexation of Christmas Island – Two accounts, each from 1888 and 1927, of the annexation of the island.

1897 – A strange sea tale – the monster – An account of how, in 1868, an unknown monster latched on to the anchor of the Governor of Lombok’s vessel at Christmas Island and towed it around for the best part of a day.

1902 – Mandors and murder – the early years – Read about the early mandors and the murders of two of them.

1906 – Christmas Island U.S.A. – A curious story – The claimed naming of Christmas Island by Americans in 1861.

1908 – Poaching, bribery and death – the unsatisfactory case of PC Sochot Singh – The event and death of a Sikh policeman.

1916 – Death at the White House – A report of a homicide at the Island brothel and the subsequent trial in Singapore.

1922 – British eclipse expedition – to test part of Einstein’s theory of relativity.

1922 – Off to Christmas Island – what does a lady pack and expect when visiting the Island?

1927 – Christmas Island – lost treasure and pirate ghosts – A memory of Christmas Island as told by Robert M. MacDonald.

1935 – “Lonely Spot” – Stinky crabs, stinging bushes and a treasure map. 

1940 – “Malaysian Island as Gulliver’s Lilliput” – Was Lilliput’s location, in Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathon Swift, based on Christmas Island?

1942 – The invasion of Christmas Island as told by the Japanese.

1942 – The Japanese invasion force arrives – Rare images from a war time magazine of the Japanese shortly after they arrived on Christmas Island. Also, with an English translation of the Japanese commentary.

1947 – A friend in need – Young nurse sails to Christmas Island.

1958 – “Thugs flee to Christmas Isle“- (November) 300 secret society gangsters escaping the police dragnet in Singapore lying low on the Island.

1958 – “Gangbuster ‘King’ of Christmas Island“- (October) The appointment of Donald Evan Nickels, Australia’s first representative to the Island.

More to come.

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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.

Grant acknowledgement

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The base ruins of the Assistant Manager/Chief Engi The base ruins of the Assistant Manager/Chief Engineers house. It was once a substantial colonial home from the 1930s with beautiful gardens. It was still being occupied in June 1965 but by the 1970s it had been abandoned and neglected and fell into decay. The decision to demolish it was taken by a meeting of the CI Club members in 1977.
#christmasisland #ruin #ruins #history #historicalruins #colonialhouse #jungleruins #jungle #christmasislandarchives
A sound from the past Footsteps upon the stair I A sound from the past 
Footsteps upon the stair
I turned around quickly
But no-one was there.
#christmasislandarchives #ruins #steps #ghost #christmasisland
When exploring this old ruin at South Point on Chr When exploring this old ruin at South Point on Christmas Island with my sister-in-law, she noticed a bracket type fixture. It is located in the back corner where the white arrow indicates in the main picture. Were these meant for chains and shackles?
#christmasisland #history #shackles #oldstructure #christmasislandarchives #ruin #southpointchristmasisland
A photo of probably the first Chinese temple to be A photo of probably the first Chinese temple to be built on Christmas Island c1902-1904. This site is in Settlement at the Temple Court area on Gaze Road. The original temple, shown here in black and white, appears to have been replaced in later years by the current one (scroll across) still standing on the original site. It is today known as the Tai Pak Kong temple - Tua Pek Kong (Chinese: 大伯公; Tâi-lô: Tuā-peh-kong).
#christmasisland #taoisttemple #chinesetemple #christmasislandarchives #culture #taoist
“In the universe, there are things that are know “In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.” ~ William Blake
I think the old wooden banners around the door may have been rescued when a nearby temple was being renovated many years ago? I'm not sure about this, so if anyone can tell me their origin that would be great.
#christmasisland #chinesedoor #reddoor #christmasislandarchives
Just one of many fascinating stories that were exh Just one of many fascinating stories that were exhibited at my Faded Lost Forgotten exhibition held on Christmas Island during Territory Week in 2021 and 2022.
#christmasisland #christmasislandhistory #cemetery #headstone #gravesite #grave #arab #forgottenplaces #lostcemetery #kubur #christmasislandarchives
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