Dear Members

Welcome to a belated Newsletter from the Trust Office, manned by part time help at present. Unfortunately the Director post has not been filled to date and I am in the office 3 days a week for 3 months only. There are many problems on island in filling posts with suitable applicants, as there are fewer people around. The Trust has failed, despite two rounds of recruitment, to secure a Director following the retirement of Mrs Cathy Hopkins at the end of May. However we recognise it is very important that we find the right person to fill the position of Director as soon as possible if we are to maintain our capacity to cope with an increasing, and in many cases urgent, need to be actively engaged in the development, establishment and implementation of policies, projects and programmes for the natural and built environment as the island progresses towards the establishment of air access and a more highly developed tourism market.

Local salaries are always a problem, as more and more people go offshore to work as the cost of living rises along with land prices and building materials, and young people want to build their own homes. The Trust really needs to have better pay and conditions to retain staff. There is little understanding locally of the amount of work and commitment required as the duties of the Trust expand all the time.

We are sorry to announce that Dr. Rebecca Cairns-Wicks has resigned from her current post as Vice President, after the AGM, which will be in August this year. This is a big blow to the Trust as Rebecca has been the driving force behind it from the start, and works tirelessly for it. She helped to set it up in 2002, obtained funding for all the current Projects, coordinating visits and always being there for help, advice, guided tours, walks etc. – you name it, she does it. She confirmed that she continues as Project Manager for the OTEP Peaks Project which is due to be completed by end Dec 07 which she manages for the Trust, and she is also Chair of the Millennium Forest Steering Group. There would be no Millennium Forest without Rebecca’s dedication. These are two projects that she will continue to be engaged with which are not dependent on her being Vice President.

The National Trust is pleased to announce that Robert Draper has been appointed as the Trust’s Projects Officer for a contract period of approximately two years

Robert will be working with the Director & staff of the Trust, local and UK government, public and wider conservation community here and abroad to bring about the successful implementation of the National Trust Projects. This will primarily involve the management of the Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP) funded “ Conserving St Helena's Gumwoods” project, the OTEP “St Helena Wirebird” project and the extension of the OTEP “St Helena Environmental Information System” (SHEIS) project. Robert will also support other Trust projects and develop new projects. The salary of the two year post is being met under the OTEP Conserving St Helena Gumwoods Project and it is an exciting development for the Trust. It creates the opportunity to develop and expand our programmes of work and manage OTEP funded and other priority Trust projects.

Robert will be based at the Trust Office in Broadway House and can be contacted on telephone 2190 or email sth.nattrust@helanta.sh

Cathy Hopkins will continue to support the Trust on the Trust Council. The Trust congratulates Cathy on her

award of MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours and wishes her well in her retirement and lots of success with her new jigsaw business.

Barbara. B. George

Work Experience Students help out at National Trust

My Name is Christy Joshua; I am currently a year 12 Academic student at Prince Andrew School.   This year I finished my AS level courses which were; AS Biology, AS Environment Management, and AS Computing, alongside this I also studied GCSE Business Studies.  I hope to pass these AS course and to go back to study further in the next school year. For the next school year the subjects I would like to study are Biology, Chemistry, Literature and Business Studies.  

Doing work experience at the National Trust Office is something I’ve always enjoyed.  There is always something new to learn about our island.  Not only is there always something to do in the office, but there is also the opportunity to do field work.  I also visited the archives which is fascinating.  I hope doing work experience, will give me an in-sight into which job I would like to do in the future.  I found working at the National Trust interesting, as it helps to build on my current knowledge. I look forward to doing work experience at the National Trust in the near future. 

My name is Michael Peters; I am a student at Prince Andrew School, I am 17 years old and currently studying A-Level and AS Courses. I am doing courses in Biology, Chemistry, Literature, Computing and a GCSE in Business Studies, and will carry on next year to continue these courses. What I hope to achieve from these choices are opportunities, opportunities for jobs that interest me, and give me a brighter future. One of my future goals would be to make it into university, hopefully with the courses that I am studying and what I will be studying should support me in achieving this.

Doing work experience should give me an idea for choosing the right job in the future. I chose to do work experience down the St Helena National Trust so that I could have the experience of what it is like working in the office, and doing field work. I have learnt a lot about the wirebird, the importance of preserving heritage sites and importance of keeping delicate archival material. Having an interest in these topics also makes it easier for me to do this, and hopefully with this knowledge, I personally can make better choices.

Invasive Species Project introduced on St Helena

The South Atlantic Invasive Species Project is a three year project funded by the EU with the purpose of increasing capacity to reduce the threat to biodiversity posed by invasive species across the South Atlantic Overseas Territories. 

The project is managed by Clare Miller at RSPB, the UK’s largest conservation organisation, with local project officers, Andrew Darlow in St Helena and Brian Summers in the Falkland Islands. 

The project spans five UK Overseas Territories: St Helena, Ascension, Tristan da Cunha, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. The governments of each territory plus Falklands Conservation and the St Helena National Trust are principal project partners. Work has commenced in each of the territories with the preparation of a background discussion document outlining the situation and challenges for each territory.  With a region which stretches from the sub-Antarctic almost to the equator, the scope and diversity of the challenges are considerable. 

Planning workshops will be held in each territory, with input from local stakeholders and community members. The aim is that the workshops will develop a series of prioritised actions which will be taken forward by the project team. Steering groups will then work with project team members to ensure the implementation of the project actions. Technical advice will be available from a regional steering group of experts in invasive species issues. Additionally, the project teams will be working to raise awareness and understanding of the region’s biodiversity issues, locally and internationally.  The workshop on St Helena was held 5 and 6th July 2007.

- South Atlantic Invasive Species – A regional partnership project -

ST HELENA NATURE CONSERVATION GROUP

AGM

The SNCG AGM was held on 13 June 2007.  Twelve people attended (including H.E. the Governor).   Included in the business was the election of Officers; Rebecca Cairns-wicks was re-elected Chairperson; Andrew Darlow, Secretary (outgoing Secretary was Linda Clemett) and Pat Joshua re-elected Treasurer.

OTEP Nature Trails Project

SNCG members (Rebecca, Andrew, Val and Pat) along with ten other persons attended the Nature Trails guide training at AVEC at the end of May and June.  The course was delivered by Susan O’Bey of Logical Solutions (Customer Care & Planning) and Anthony Thomas (Emergency First Response).  So far the training has gone very well and has been interesting and enjoyable.  VHF Radio training is still to be done.  Would - be guides are now required to do a written plan of their chosen walk and to execute the walk with other group members acting as clients and possible assessors.  The group also had the opportunity to accompany Basil George (Magma Way) on his Jamestown historical tour – this was really good and enlightening.

At July’s monthly meeting, the Group checked and updated the maps and wording for the remaining Post Box walks.  Notes and amendments were made for final compilation.

Charitable Status

SNCG’s application for Charitable Status along with the amended constitution is being forwarded to the Charities Commission for consideration.

Walks

SNCG continue to do 2 post box walks per month.  The walk to Lemon Valley earlier this month was cancelled because of bad weather.       

 Last Sunday, 15th July 5 SNCG members and 6 other walkers did the walk to Lots Wife Ponds. No one swam because the sea was very rough with large waves coming over the front rocks. The endemic Baby’s Toes were starting to regenerate along the first part of the path after crossing Broad Gut and several healthy Bone Seed (mature & seedlings) were seen near the path leading down to the Ponds.

The full Group walked to the Heart Shaped waterfall in June travelling up the valley in damp conditions through the Wild Mango and other thicket.  Some minor path clearance was carried out, although some serious clearance was done on a previous visit by Andrew and Derek. This is a fabulous and interesting walk and well worth the odd scratch or two once you reach the waterfall

Group members continue to make periodic visits to check and water the Boxwoods below Lots Wife.  Andrew and Kath did a recent visit on 15th July and reported that there were nine surviving older plants and fourteen younger plants.  There were signs of cushion scale and predatory black beetles.  The older plants were flowering but very little seed has yet set. 

SNCG members took part in leading walks during the week of the 2007 Walking Festival.  Rebecca did the spiders at night at Prosperous Bay Plain and Val & Pat did Lots Wife Ponds.

Sponsored Walk

Forty people took part in the SNCG annual sponsored walk from Sandy Bay Beach to the Wharf, Jamestown (16 Km.) on Sunday 17th June.  The route up over the Peaks was not recommended due to the recent wet weather; however the majority of walkers took this route anyhow.  Whilst some money is still to be collected, the amount raised is expected to be in excess of £900; this will be made public in due course.

Invasive Species Workshop

Rebecca, Daphne and Pat J attended the workshop at the Consulate, which was well attended; it was very interesting and well delivered.  Congratulations to Andrew!

SOME NOTES ON THE CHINESE CONNECTION

The donation of the sign for the Canton Store mentioned last Newsletter in the Museum slot, prompted me to offer a few more details on the Chinese indentured labourers on St. Helena

The first group of Chinese who arrived in 1810 were numbered 54 and were agricultural workers. This was the reason for bringing them here initially although later they did many other jobs as well. They lived in the country around Plantation, not in town.There is no mention of which province they came from, and although all the Chinese who arrived here seem to have come from Macau or Canton, this is not mentioned until much later in the Records, and I never came across any indication that either group were better workers than the other – just that they did not get on! There were a few “riots” recorded

The local Government decided to send for 100 more menand take others from passing ships returning to the East to save passage money!!( Sounds familiar!)

They were on 3-year contracts, later extended to 5 years. Single men without families, so naturally liaisons must have been formed locally, from which many islanders will have a Chinese ancestor.

The maximum number of Chinese indentured labourers on the island was 646 in 1817, after which time the Government decided to reduce the numbers.

There was reported to be a Chinese cemetery at the top of China Lane, where they built some ill fated Government accommodation, and also one at New Ground House, but I don’t know if there is still something one would call a “cemetery” left anywhere.

There is record of a Joss House - a place of worship – at the foot of Plantation Gardens

There are also reminders of the Chinese labourers in

• Model Cottage, much altered over recent years with additions to the original building. This had an inscription saying it was “The Mess House of the Master Craftsmen”, but the one above the door now has been translated recently as something quite different, so maybe the original stone was plastered over during the many unfortunate alterations to this listed building.
• China Lane in Jamestown
• The water channels at Longwood and the wharf
• A gravestone from the New Ground cemetery found by a previous Government Secretary, and now placed in the porch at Plantation House with its inscription translated
• The painting by John Kerr from his Views of St. Helena, drawn in 1819, published in 1822 and dedicated to Lady Lowe, showing two Chinese in the grounds of Plantation, and one in 1833 of the races on Deadwood Plain by De Saison, which again shows people in Chinese dress.

The Report of 1832 commissioned by the British Government recommended that those who wished be allowed to stay after the Crown took over. However the British ordered them to be sent home, but somehow quite a few of the older ones at least remained on the island. Records from Capetown show that those who were sent home then never left Capetown and never returned to China – but that is another story.

Chinatown was actually squalid accommodation in town latterly, where Drummond Hay Square is now. Many letters to the paper of the time comment on the conditions under which these people lived in the late 1830’s, and illustrate a lot of local prejudice at the time, although there was one supporter asking for better accommodation – whose nom de plume was Qui Hi! Eventually they became integrated into the St. Helena Community, adding to our international racial identity. The island was simply too small for separate groups to keep to themselves

THE ST. HELENA ARCHAEOLOGY (BUILT HERITAGE) PROJECT

The Trust is pleased to announce that it has been successful in its application to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Overseas Territories Programme Fund (OTPF) for the St Helena Archaeology (Built Heritage) project.

The funding provides a contribution towards travel costs, subsistence and provision of necessary equipment to enable three experts to visit St Helena to provide training to St Helena Government (SHG), National Trust staff and the private sector in the recording of historic buildings and restoration planning. The project was developed in consultation with the SHG Legal, Lands and Planning Department (LLPD) and with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) in UK. It is supported by SHG which is providing accommodation and staff time.

Mr Ian Serjeant, Dip TP; MRTPI; MA (Urban Design and Regeneration, University of Manchester), IHBC, arrived on the 29th July and will be on island until the 18th September. Mr Serjeant has over thirty years experience in town planning, urban design and conservation and his current appointment as Conservation Officer for the Methodist Church involves processing proposals for the alteration of historic chapel buildings which requires an assessment of their significance and their capacity to absorb change. It is planned that he be joined, for nine days in August, by Ed Simons, MSc.(Oxford) AIFA; IHBC, Historic Buildings and Landscapes Consultant. BA (Hons) Archaeology and Classics, University of Wales; PG Dip and Master of Studies University of Oxford; Associate of the Institute of Field Archaeologists, who has considerable experience of building survey and analysis, hopefully with a colleague, but funding for this second visit is currently presenting problems

The aim is that all 3 will provide training in basic historic building recording, develop material for the National Heritage Register and as a guide to future restoration and development of historic buildings, assess and collate earlier research, records and reports of historic buildings into one database, develop the resource of information to support heritage tourism and assess historic buildings and fortifications for potential tourism-related development, assess the potential for buried archaeological and relict landscapes, train staff of the Lands Section & Land Planning & Control Agency members & Appeals Board members in assessment of applications to develop historic buildings, provide assistance with development of policies to protect the built environment, assist with the preparation of guidelines for the development of historic houses in keeping with their character and establish a basis from which a further project to train local artisans in restoration techniques can be pursued.

MILLENNIUM FOREST UPDATE from Dr.Rebecca Cairns-Wicks

Tree planting for World Environment Day

World Environment Day (5th June) is celebrated every year on St Helena with a week of activities co-ordinated by the Environmental Planning Department. This year’s theme was Climate Change – melting ice…a hot topic. At the Millennium Forest we hosted tree planting. Three days were set aside for planting by the first and primary schools. Wet weather led to the cancellation of one visit but it was able to go ahead a week later. The planting was a great success and marked our next expansion into the area of Bilberry Field Gut adjacent to Bottom Woods Field and close to the Weather Station.

Donations received

It is always a exciting to receive donations to the Millennium Forest however big or small because it means that others share our vision and passion to re-establish former native forests on St Helena and that the trees established so far are an inspiration to others to support further planting.

We reported in the last newsletter that passengers and crew of the Hebridean Spirit visited the Millennium Forest to view the ‘Hebridean Spirit copse’ in April 2007 that had been established by donations received from passengers and crew of the previous voyage to the island in March 2006. This year’s visit inspired passengers to raise just short of £1,000 for the forest for which we are extremely grateful. An additional donation of £500 was received from Keith Cook on his return to the UK. We have also received £500 from Cathy Hopkins to plant trees in memory of Mervyn Bell, and donations of £250 each from John Blanche and Peter Johnston for tree planting. Thank you to all.

The original Porteous House was destroyed by fire in 1862, when the white ants had ravaged the town. In fact there were a few fires in buildings at that time and it was suspected that an arsonist was at work.

This survey was undertaken after the Crown took over the island from the East India Company in 1834, although the new Governor did not arrive till 1836.

G.C. Kitching reports that Governor Middlemore, in 1836,”approached Jamestown as if he was invading some hostile shore. Almost his first act was to lay hands on the public buildings that he considered suitable for the troops, irrespective of whether they had previously been used for military purposes or not – and these he expropriated for the use of the Board of Ordnance, without payment of compensation – a financial loss to the Government which handicapped it for many years.”

Contributed by Barbara B. George

CONGRATULATIONS TO COLLEAGUES

Dr. REBECCA CAIRNS-WICKS, who has given dedicated service in setting up the Trust, and throughout, as President and Vice-President, was awarded an M.B.E in January for her work on environmental issues, generally raising awareness of the environment, not only while serving in the public service, but during and after that time in her continued voluntary work with the Nature Conservation Group, the St. Helena National Trust and independently.  When working for Government, she served as Environmental Conservation Officer, Environmental Coordinator, and developed these new posts. She initiated and was very much involved with the Millennium Gumwood Forest Project which continues to successfully re-introduce endemic trees to former wasteland.

Since leaving the public sector in 2001, Rebecca continues with her voluntary work at the Millennium Forest, and the National Trust, playing an active role in these organisations which contribute to tourism by developing and promoting marine and terrestrial nature trails. She gives freely of her time to accompany people when possible

CATHY HOPKINS, retired Director of the National Trust, also gained an M.B.E. in the June 2007 Honours for services to St. Helena in recognition of her contribution to island life and development, in particular her services in the teaching profession, as a past member of Executive and Legislative Councils, in the voluntary sector as part of the music scene on the island, and for her church work. Also as a long time member of the Heritage Society. Recognition has also been given for her active involvement in St. Helena’s quest for the restoration of British citizenship from the start when it initially seemed impossible.

Cathy also put in a tremendous amount of work on the Draft Constitution, which was put to the people of St. Helena. The island decided against moving towards a ministerial system of Government at the time, but the good work is still on record

President TERRY RICHARDS receives an award for Group Scout Leader --

During the First Jamestown Scout Group Parade Service on Sunday 24th June 2007, Colin Yon, Chairman of the Scout Group, presented Mr. Terrence Richards,  the Group Scout Leader, with his warrant for that post.  An extract from the message from the Chief Scout read:-

Congratulations on your appointment as a Group Scout Leader. You are embarking on a very important job. The Scout movement has always believed that the Scout Group is the cornerstone of our efforts to provide good Scouting. Accordingly, may I stress how important I consider it is to develop and grow your Scout Group,so

that more young people in your area have access to the highest quality Scouting.

 Former Ascension Conservation Officer, TARA PELEMBE, graduates

Former colleague Tara Pelembe, who was Conservation Officer on Ascension Island for the last 5 years, has now moved on to be Overseas Territories Officer for Conservation with the JNCC in Peterborough in UK. She is pictured here with her family on graduating from Exeter University with an M.Sc. in July this year.

Tara is enjoying her new post, and the Conservation Officer on Ascension is now Susanna Musick. Stedson Stroud is continues working at the Conservation Centre there.

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 10

On 24th April this year, the St. Helena National Trust became a registered charity. This currently enables any visitor coming here to work for the Trust to waive the Landing Fee, bank charges on sterling transfers are waived and customs duty is waived for items requisitioned for the Trust. We also had a computer donated – not new, but helpful, as one of the registered charities which applied for the same.

SOUVENIRS AND CALENDARS

The Trust is still financed by a Government Grant. It raises its own funds from the sale of souvenirs and an annual calendar.

Souvenirs currently available are:-

Set of  6 coasters with 3 wirebird and 3 ebony flowers

SHNT caps

Key rings and Fridge Magnets

And for the Millennium Forest – T- Shirts for children and adults

The calendar will be ready soon at the usual cost of £8 plus p&p

OVERDUE SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions are due on 1 April annually. It is easy to forget, so please renew if you have not already done so

It’s that time of year again! Please let us have your subscriptions payable at the Trust Office in Broadway House or by Bank transfer  - see details below.

Your support is much appreciated as are your comments on the work we undertake on your behalf to safeguard the heritage of the island. Please contact us by letter or by e-mail to sth.nattrust@helanta.sh  - we’d like to hear from you.