What Happened in September ….
1678 – Damage caused to St James church by extreme heat was assessed for the cost of repairs. The repair bill is to be paid by the islands inhabitants – subject to a limit of 12 pence per year.
1680 – Decided by the islands rulers that women are forbidden to board visiting ships – except in daylight and in the company of their husbands.
1692 – The look out position at Matts Mount [Flagstaff] was abandoned. The fog and haze frequently over Flagstaff made visibility of enemy ships difficult. Instead, alarm guns positioned at Prosperous Bay would be used
to alert the island of approaching unidentified ships.
1708 – A report on the capture of runaway negroes states the reason for running away was their cruel usage beyond measure. Measures taken to ensure quicker reporting of runaway slaves. Nothing done to protect their cruel usage.
1721 – A man admitting and found guilty of three burglaries was sentanced to be hung. It was ordered he be executed by his accomplices in crime who were judged also to be guilty but to a lesser degree.
1781 – Royal Navy brings six captured Dutch ships to James Bay.
1810 – A report states that Gumwood trees which used to grow on the hills between Ruperts and Deadwood, together with a thick wood of Gumwoods at Half Tree Hollow had been destroyed over the last 50 years.
1820 – New iron railings were erected at considerable expense at Government Garden. As a result, it was forbidden to leave carts or set up stalls to sell goods in front of them.
1828 – Governor Dallas proposed the building of Jacobs Ladder.
1833 – Act of Parliament orders that St Helena Island and all property of the East India Company be transferred from the East India Company to The Crown.
1851 – Country Church opened for the first time.
1864 – Standard Bank [South Africa] open an Agency on St Helena. It is closed in August 1865.
1872 – 280 St Helenians leave the island permanently on a ship to South Africa.
1891 – Official opening ceremony of the Fountain in Main Street in memory of people killed in April 1890 rock fall
1893 – 106 St Helenians leave the island permanently on a ship to South Africa.
1899 – Quarantine facilities organised for ships arriving from south and east Asia due to Bubonic plague.
1913 – 4,800 rats tails presented to the government who paid one old pence per tail. Cecil Isaac from Plantation ollected 414 tails.
With acknowledemenst to St Helena Heritage Societys publication St Helena
500 compiled by Robin Gill & Percy Teale