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Life in the Falkland Islands - 1965 By Sharon Jaffray A booklet, undated but thought to have been produced in 1965, entitled Life in the Falkland Islands recently found its way into the Penguin News office. The staff so thoroughly enjoyed the booklet and the memories it evoked that we thought it seemed only fair to share them with our readers. The object of this little gem, produced by the Falkland Islands Government, was to give people who may be travelling to the Falkland Islands, or who may be thinking of joining Government or other services, some idea of what life is like. "The Falklands are a British Colony and lie in the South Atlantic about 480 miles northeast of Cape Horn," is the geographical description on the first page. The message is loud and clear in that one sentence with the map barely managing to get part of Africa in the right hand corner - the Falklands are not part of South America. "The population of about 2,100 is all of European, and mainly British, descent." "The Falklands are British and democratic and adult suffrage is universal. Political parties on the United Kingdom model are unknown but problems are thoroughly discussed just as they are in Britain. Conversations in the public bars, chatter in the clubs and fireside arguments are replicas of those in England; admittedly the problems are very local ones but they do not lack interest for all that." Readers are reassured that there is no crime to worry about, "there is a prison but in 1962, 1963 and 1964 there were no prisoners to put in it. You can wander about happily all over the place and so can children." The weather features early in the publication and is described as no worse than Britain, better in winter with no fog and murky gloom, no deep snows and very little severe frost. However, summer is not so good, "the sun shines a lot but the winds ten to be cool." Would-be visitors to the Islands are advised that a good windcheater or anorak and a warm sweater are a must, "but raincoats are not the regular wear they are in England". "Rosy cheeks go with living in the Falkland Islands." Under the heading, "The economy and the Camp" we are told that the Falklands produce sheep for wool and there is no other industry. In 1964 the Islands total imports came to £545,346 whilst exports totalled £1,049,506. These figures "tell their own story." In 2003 the Falklands' total imports were £18,835.580 while the value of the Islands' wool clip, during what was considered to be a slightly better year, was approximately £3,000,000. These figures also tell their own story. "The Camp (as the countryside outside Stanley is known) is not a primitive wilderness as some people might suppose. People live in comfort and without exception are well housed. Life in the Camp is the life of the open air and the Camp is a wonderful place in which to spend holidays." In 1965 the hospital was described as modern with 32 beds. "The colony has four doctors, one to every 520 persons." The authors were proud to declare that there were no mosquitoes, lice, fleas, snakes, smog, industrial pollution and endemic disease but more sunshine than is recorded at Kew. Education was in schools with "British staff" for children between the ages of five and fourteen. "Overseas scholarships are awarded and overseas education allowances are given for all children who receive further education outside the Colony. Children in the Falklands are happy, healthy and sturdy." Income tax was less than half of that paid in the UK. Families with two children under eleven years and on a wage of £500 per annum did not pay any income tax. At the other end of the scale a married man with two children under eleven earning £2,000 would pay £148 income tax; in the UK he would have paid £361. Import duties were charged on beer, wine, spirits, tobacco and matches from Britain with a higher rate being charged on those imports deemed "foreign". There were fourteen shops in Stanley carrying a "comprehensive" range of goods. "Two main grocery shops, fancy goods shops, electrical equipment and hardware stores, outfitting establishments, photographic and radio sellers and a Co-op. Being so far away from the main source of supply, prices reflect freight charges." Whisky retailed at 35/6d a bottle and tobacco 16/4d. The social life boasted a whole range of activities of a "sporting and technical" nature. An amateur dramatic society who put on productions from "pantomime to psychological drama", the midwinter fancy dress for both adults and children, football "but no rugger, the ground is too hard", cricket, fishing for trout and mullet, "salmon have also been introduced and are doing well." Shooting in which "the ladies .22 rifle teams do well during the winter indoor championships" and indoor sports including basketball, netball and badminton. The fact that there was no television is stressed, however there were live broadcasts of local bands from the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station and there is a picture of Des Peck, Rock Berntsen and Jimmy Miller tuning up for such a transmission. The May Ball was a popular event and regular Saturday night dance sessions were held. The Islands are described as "an ornithologist's paradise …. Nowhere else in the world do men and penguins live side by side …. Seals and sea elephants abound and can be photographed more easily than at the zoo." "Roads are few, but travel within the Islands is easy. You can travel by one of the Beaver floatplanes of the Falkland Islands Government Air Service - they are the local country buses. Flying may be a novelty to many people in the UK but not in the Falklands." "Voyages around the Islands on RMS Darwin and MV AES are well worthwhile, particularly in summer and what could be nicer than a week visiting interesting islands and remote and hospitable settlements, watching the life of the Colony. All the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands are hardworking homely and hospitable people. You will be very welcome in the Falkland Islands." The 'good old days' many would call them; and it's true many aspects of that life were good and, more importantly, the lessons learned from that hugely practical lifestyle have provided us with valuable memories and essential skills for life. Sharon Jaffray is the Deputy Editor of the Penguin News and for many years was a farmer on West Falkland This article was first published in the Penguin News on 29 April 2005 and is reproduced with the kind permission of the Editor
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Introduction, Brief
History, Timeline, 1982
Articles, 1982
Timeline, 1982 Documents, Articles,
Agreements, UN
Resolutions
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