Pebble Island

Introduction to Pebble Island

Pebble Island, with a length of 31 kilometers and land area of some 8900 hectares, is the third largest offshore island in the Falklands. Its diverse terrain combines moorlands, ponds, and wetlands together with pristine sand beaches, dramatic coastal cliffs, and rocky peaks rising to 277 meters. Collectively these provide breeding habitats for a wide ranging population of birds, including some rare and elusive species like the majestic Black-necked swan. Many thousands of Gentoo, Rockhopper and Magellanic penguins breed on Pebble Island each summer, spearheading the list of 42 resident bird species.

Earliest known record of Pebble Island

The earliest known record of Pebble Island (referred to as "Fayre Island") appears in the log of the Dainty, which sailed past under command of the Elizabethan adventurer, Sir Richard Hawkins in 1594.
By the late 18th and early 19th centuries Ship Harbour, at the east end of the island, had become a popular anchorage amongst the itinerant sealing community, which arrived seasonally from Britain and the United States. The sealers introduced livestock as a readily available source of protein, and by the 1830's pigs, rabbits, cattle and goats were roaming freely.

Pebble Island

The island is so named due to the presence of a rare and attractive agate, which occurs locally as small "pebbles". Many of these are both translucent and colorful, and once polished can be made into attractive jewelry. It is not clear at what point or by whom the island was given its present title, but the name was already in use when Englishman John Henry Dean bought Pebble Island along with several smaller, neighboring islands in 1846. The estate was further expanded in 1911 with the purchase of nearby Keppel Island. Dean established a sheep farming company known as Dean Brothers, which to the present day retains land assets in the Falklands. For many years Pebble Island was one of the most successful West Falkland wool producers. This thriving enterprise supported up to seven families and an equal number of single workers. Many of the smaller islands have been sold off over the years, but the Pebble Island group still encompasses Broken Island along with both the Pebble and Government islets.

Stamps in detail

Issue: Falkland Islands, 12 September 2005
Stamp designer: Tony Chater
Print: BDT International Lithography
Perforation: 14 per 2 cms
Stamp size: 30.56 x 38 mm
Sheet Layout Release date Production Co-ordination

More information

Stamps Falkland Islands
Postage stamps 2005
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