Eleuthera, one of the out islands of the Bahamas, is our next destination. In preparation for our trip, I have begun doing some research on the island, which includes reading a well-regarded history of the islands by Mrs. Everild Young, later known as Mrs. Everild Helweg-Larsen (1909-1992), a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Mrs. Larsen, a native of England, lived on Eleuthera nearly 20 years while researching the island’s history. Her book, “Eleuthera, An Island Called Freedom,” was originally published in 1966. My copy is from the third edition, published in 1996. Although there were many significant events which post-dated this book, including Bahamian independence in 1973, the book is a great resource on the history of the island.
One story I found to be quite interesting was the connection between Eleuthera and Harvard University. After the Spanish extinguished the native population of the island by slavery or disease, the island was sparsely populated until Captain William Sayle and a group of 70 fled persecution in Bermuda, and found refuge on the island when a treacherous reef damaged their ship. As a result of the wreck, their supplies were lost. Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts and two Boston churches, sympathetic of their plight, raised a relief fund, providing seven hundred pounds worth of provisions. In response, “to avoid that foule sin of ingratitude so abhorred of God, so hateful of all men,” the group of Eleutheran adventurers sent a return load of ten tons of Braziletto wood as a gift to the infant Harvard College. A plaque memorializing the gift can be found at the public library in Governor’s Harbour.
It is said that Captain Sayle gave the island its name. The island had been previously known by mapmakers by a variety of names, including Cigateo and Alebaster. Captain Sayle advertised the idea of a personal Utopia in a broadsheet in London as “Eleutheria,” a modification of the Greek word for “freedom.” As it was religious freedom which Captain Sayle sought when he left Bermuda for the Bahamas, the name “Eleuthera” certainly fit.
For more information on the island of Eleuthera, click over to the Out Islands of the Bahamas website. To read more details of the Eleuthera-Harvard connection, pick up Mrs. Larsen’s book, available used online, or read this article in Harvard magazine.
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I am really enjoying your blog of Eleuthera. I grew up there during the 60s & 70s in S Palmetto Pt and later on the now abandoned military base north of Gov Harbour. I have fond memories of Ms Young. She was a friend of my parents’. She told wonderful stories about Eleuthera.
I really enjoyed Ms. Young’s book, and I’m glad you are enjoying the blog. We loved our trip to Eleuthera!