Tristan da Cunha News

Tristan da Cunha – Dogs of Tristan (Part One)

This new issue from the Tristan da Cunha Post Office is the first of a two-part series depicting the various breeds of dogs found on the island.  Dogs have been part of life on Tristan da Cunha since the very first permanent settlement, the British garrison of 1816. According to the writings of naturalist Dugald Carmichael, the early settlers used dogs to hunt the wild goats and pigs left by earlier visitors, as well as feral cats, birds, and other wildlife. They may also have helped herd livestock, though this was not explicitly recorded. These details are supported by Augustus Earle’s account of his enforced stay on Tristan in 1824; Earle himself brought a hunting dog with him when he was marooned there, although no specific breeds were mentioned in his writings.  The Reverend and Mrs. Barrow, stationed on Tristan from 1906 to 1909, brought with them a Collie named Rob (originally Whisky). In her book, Katherine Barrow recounts that Rob promptly clashed with Mrs. Frances Repetto’s white Fox Terrier. Barrow also notes that South African entrepreneur Casper Keytel, temporarily on the island, owned a well-bred Pointer called Scotty. She described the island’s dogs as “quarrelsome among themselves,” often worrying sheep, poultry, and wild birds.  A decade later, Rose Rogers, wife of another clergyman and resident in the early 1920s, referred to “a host of mongrel dogs,” and described the men taking them hunting across the island’s rugged terrain.  Many early family portraits from Tristan include dogs, reflecting their importance in island life. However, tragedy struck in 1961 when the volcano erupted and the entire community was evacuated. The dogs could not be taken to the UK due to quarantine and transport restrictions. Two puppies were rescued by HMS Leopard and affectionately named Tristan (a brindle bitch) and Cunha (a black dog).  Fearing that the remaining dogs might turn feral and threaten livestock, those left on the island had to be humanely destroyed before the evacuation. A few, however, escaped this fate. When the Royal Navy returned in 1962, it was discovered that the island’s sheep population had been almost wiped out, most likely by the surviving dogs that had gone wild during the months of abandonment.  When the islanders resettled, they gradually reintroduced dogs, mostly Collies and Collie-crosses, which continue to serve as loyal working companions on Tristan today. These hardy working dogs help herd sheep and catch calves, especially at Stoney Beach and The Caves, and take part in the traditional Ratting Day each year.In recent years, however, a growing number of small “pet dogs”, such as Yorkshire Terriers and Dachshunds, have been imported from Cape Town, adding variety to the island’s canine community.  There are currently around 100 dogs on the island, almost all of them male, as there is no breeding on Tristan and only limited capacity for neutering. Dog ownership is carefully regulated: owners must obtain a licence, secure prior approval before importing a dog, and present a veterinary health certificate on arrival. With the increasing number of companion dogs being brought from Cape Town, adherence to the island’s strict importation and biosecurity rules is essential.  Veterinary services for dogs are managed by the Agriculture Department’s Veterinary and Livestock Section. Although there is no qualified veterinarian resident on the island, an island-trained “vet” with basic animal-care training is responsible for treating wounds, administering pain relief, and carrying out routine worming and flea treatments. Visiting veterinarians arrive periodically to conduct general health checks, vaccinations, and other essential procedures for both working and companion dogs.  Today, most dogs roam freely during the day, though they are expected to be kept indoors at night. While occasional incidents of sheep worrying still occur, the dogs remain an enduring part of island life: loyal helpers, companions, and a living link to Tristan’s earliest days.  This first set includes the following breeds, beautifully illustrated against Tristan backgrounds based on photographs by Julia Gunther:  65p      Jack Russell £1.00   Rough Coat Collie £1.10   Yorkshire Terrier £2.50   Border Collie FDC    Morkie. (This is a cross between a Maltese and a Yorkshire Terrier) High resolution images for this stamp issue can be found below - SetFirst Day Cover

70th Anniversary of the Gough Island Scientific Survey, 1955-56

The Gough Island Scientific Survey was John Heaney’s brainchild, planned during his final year as an engineering student at Cambridge. He had been a surveyor on South Georgia in 1951-52 and Gough Island, uninhabited and unmapped, was suggested as a goal by Dr Brian Roberts of the Scott Polar Research Institute. The expedition was to map the island, record its rocks and plant and animal life and test its value as a weather station. So a professional team was needed and Heaney chose several contemporary Cambridge graduates. Roger LeMaitre came as geologist, Michel Swales as ornithologist and seal biologist and Martin Holdgate as invertebrate zoologist. Botany was covered by the only Oxford member, Nigel Wace. Robert Chambers – a non-scientist but expert mountaineer – was to be assistant surveyor (and deputy Leader).  Philip Mullock – a mathematician and keen radio amateur – was to handle the telecommunications and keep the party in touch with the outside world.  All were under 30. The South African Weather Bureau, which already maintained a station on Tristan da Cunha, 230 miles away from Gough, agreed to second Johannes van der Merwe as meteorologist.   The planning was relatively straightforward, but gathering the funds was a test, for Government support was not available (although the Royal Navy offered transport from South Africa to Tristan).  Thanks to several professional institutions and the generosity of companies and individuals – not least HRH the Duke of Edinburgh – the funds and equipment were gathered and travel provided.  But there were upsets.  Three months before the planned departure a medical problem forced John Heaney himself to step aside. Robert Chambers became leader and surveyor and James Hall, former naval officer and medical student, joined as cine-photographer. The party arrived at Tristan da Cunha early in October 1955 and stayed there for six weeks because – another hiccup – the fishing ship Tristania that was to take them to Gough was delayed with engine trouble.  But the opportunities on Tristan were put to good scientific use – and links established with the islanders that were to last lifetimes.  On 13 November 1955, the expedition, supported by two senior Tristan Islanders, Arthur Rogers and John Lavarello, finally landed on Gough, on the stony eastern beach where the Glen, largest of the island valleys, meets the sea.  And – another set-back – in that landing, leader Robert Chambers injured his back.  Three days later he was evacuated to Tristan, leaving Martin Holdgate to stand in as the third GISS leader.  But the routine of getting established went smoothly: the sectional wooden hut was assembled, the generator and radios installed, and exploring parties began to climb the hills, sample plant and animal life, and count and make notes on birds and seals.   Those early forays showed that the existing maps were very inaccurate. Happily, soon after Christmas there was good news: John Heaney had been passed fit and was preparing to join the expedition!  He arrived in early February 1956 bringing two young Tristan Islanders, Harold Green and Ernest Repetto, to replace Arthur Rogers and John Lavarello who had gone home at Christmas.  With Heaney’s professional skill, the survey moved swiftly and by the time the South African frigate Transvaal relieved the expedition on 13 May 1956 the first good map of the island (later printed by the Royal Geographical Society) was complete; the rock structure had been documented and a comprehensive series of rock samples gathered; the vegetation had been described; a number of new plant species and invertebrate animals had been collected; the birds, including the bunting and flightless moorhen that occur nowhere else in the world, documented; and the fur seals and elephant seals counted.  It was clear that the fur seals – unexpectedly shown to be a subantarctic species rather than the one found in South Africa - had recovered from the near extermination wrought by sealers in the 18th and 19th centuries and it was also clear that Gough Island was the most important seabird island in the entire southern cool temperate zone.  It had also been established that weather observations on Gough Island would indeed be useful in improving forecasting in South Africa, so the South African Weather Bureau proceeded to lease the site for a weather station – initially based on the GISS wooden hut but later to be transferred to a better observational site on the wider area of level lowland at the south end of the island.  All in all, the GISS had achieved everything its planners and supporters had hoped for, and from then onwards the island has remained an important scientific facility as well as justified its designation as a World Heritage site.  55p – Exploring party on Michael’s Ridge on way to upland camp. Harold Green carries survey tripod: Martin Holdgate takes a bearing and Nigel Wace points to a feature of interest.  55p – Michael Swales prepares to record sounds of a Brown Skua.  65p – John Heaney with plane table, looks across the rugged eastern side of Gough Island.  £1 – Michael Swales records the throaty bellow of an elephant seal.  £1.50 – Roger LeMaitre looks across the uplands of Gough Island from the slopes of Gonçalo Alvarez Peak (formerly Expedition Peak) to Mount Rowett.  £1.50 – The map of Gough Island surveyed by John Heaney and published by the Royal Geographical Society.  First Day Cover envelope image shows the GISS members outside the expedition base hut. From left: Harold Green; Ernest Repetto; Roger LeMaitre; John Heaney; James Hall; Philip Mullock; Nigel Wace; Johannes van der Merwe; Michael Swales; Martin Holdgate.  We acknowledge with thanks the help and assistance of Martin Holdgate High resolution images for this stamp issue can be found below - SetFirst Day Cover  

Scenes from Tristan da Cunha – Landscapes

On Tristan da Cunha, the world’s most remote inhabited island, you are never far from a striking view. Volcanic slopes rise steeply above the Settlement, the South Atlantic stretches to the horizon, and the Potato Patches, the islanders’ lifeline of cultivated ground, spread across the plain and its green foothills. These landscapes are more than scenery: they are a record of endurance, of how the community has adapted to their environment and drawn sustenance from it for more than two centuries.  The new “Landscapes” stamp issue captures this relationship between land, sea and people. The set comprises four stamps: three highlighting iconic views from the Potato Patches, and one panoramic aerial of the Settlement framed by cliffs and Queen Mary’s Peak. Together, they celebrate not just the island’s beauty but the way islanders live within it.  65p – View from Redbody Hill This stamp captures the sweeping view from Redbody Hill towards the ocean, looking across the fields towards the Coolers on the left and Bill’s Hill on the right. Scattered among the plots are small seed huts used by islanders during planting and harvesting, and a camping hut where island families spend weekends and holidays. The scene reflects the working rhythm of the Potato Patches, a landscape shaped by hand and where every patch has a long family history.  £1 – Evening Light over the Wash This view looks inland towards a section of mountain slopes known as The Wash and Dick’s Hill, with Johnny Patch in the middle distance. In the foreground stands a camping hut, surrounded by grazing cattle. The warm evening light softens the cliffs’ rugged contours; a reminder of how small human presence remains amid Tristan’s monumental landscape.  £2 – Old Pieces and Hillpiece Depicted here is the area known as Old Pieces, with the prominent Hillpiece rising behind. Seed huts and several camping huts dot the green expanse, where generations of islanders have planted and tended potatoes, the community’s staple crop. The hand-placed stonework, neat field lines, and enduring structures remind us of the islanders’ stewardship of this land and their deep connection to it.  £2.50 – Settlement and the 1961 Volcano This aerial view shows Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan’s only village, nestled between the South Atlantic and the sheer volcanic cliffs. To the left lies the cone formed by the 1961 eruption; to the right, the Hillpiece and the lower slopes of Queen Mary’s Peak, partly veiled in cloud. Together, they frame a community that has endured disaster and isolation, yet continues to thrive in one of the world’s most extraordinary settings.  First Day Cover – Road to the Potato Patches The First Day Cover image looks along the road to the Potato Patches at Robert’s Stone, with the Hillpiece and mountain rising in the distance. It is a familiar view for every islander, a route that links home, work, and holidays, embodying the close relationship the community has with its stunning surroundings. High resolution images for this stamp issue can be found below - SetFirst Day Cover  

Tristan da Cunha Post Office Celebrates Local Talent with New Stamp Issue Featuring Artist Jimmy Rogers

The Tristan da Cunha Post Office is proud to announce the release of a new set of four commemorative stamps honoring the artistic work of the island’s most celebrated local artist, Jimmy Rogers.  Born in October 1962 during the islanders’ temporary resettlement in the UK following the 1961 volcanic eruption, Jimmy Rogers has become a cherished figure in Tristan’s cultural life. He discovered his talent at an early age, earning second place in an arts competition while attending St John’s School for the Deaf in 1978. An artist with a deep passion for his homeland, Jimmy has spent many years capturing the essence of Tristan da Cunha through his reminiscent and distinctive artwork.  This special stamp collection focuses primarily on the rich wildlife of the Tristan Islands, a recurring theme in Jimmy’s work. His vivid and detailed paintings not only celebrate the natural beauty of the island but also serve as a visual tribute to its unique ecosystem and heritage.  “Jimmy’s work speaks not only to the Tristan community but to anyone with a passion for art, nature, and heritage,” said Iris Green, Head of the Tristan da Cunha Post Office. “We’re proud to present his work in this commemorative set.”  Jimmy’s artwork has long been popular among visitors to Tristan, who often take home his paintings as distinctive keepsakes. With the release of these stamps, collectors and admirers across the globe can share in the beauty and heritage of Tristan da Cunha through the eyes of one of its own.  Stamp Issue Details:  55p – Two Yellow-nosed Albatrosses in a mating dance, with Tristan rising majestically from the sea in the background. 85p – A group of Albatrosses resting at The Ponds, Nightingale Island  £1.30 – An iconic Rockhopper Penguin, standing proudly on the beach at Inaccessible Island.  £2.00 – A traditional Tristan longboat sailing through island waters, a nod to the community’s strong maritime heritage. High resolution images for this stamp issue can be found below - SetFirst Day Cover

Communication on Tristan da Cunha – From Mail Ships to the Digital Age

The Tristan da Cunha Post Office is proud to announce the release of a new set of commemorative stamps chronicling the remarkable evolution of communication on the world’s most remote inhabited island. These four stamps capture a century of progress - from handwritten letters delivered by passing ships to today's high-speed satellite internet.  This stamp issue is more than a visual timeline - it is a tribute to Tristan da Cunha’s enduring spirit, adaptability, and determination to stay connected despite extreme remoteness. Each stamp captures a step forward in the island’s efforts to bridge the distance and keep its voice heard in the world.  55p - Mail Ships - 1920s In the early 20th century, Tristan's only link to the outside world came through mail carried by passing ships - often infrequent, weather-dependent, and unpredictable. These visits might occur just once a year, and were the sole means for exchanging letters and vital goods.  There was no formal postal system at the time, and messages were often delayed by months or even years. News from abroad arrived long after events had occurred, and day-to-day life remained largely cut off from the rest of the world. Yet for Tristan's close-knit community, these mail ships were a lifeline.  The 55p stamp captures this early era of long-distance connection, with a stylised depiction of a mail ship approaching Tristan's rugged coastline - the beginning of formal communications with the wider world.  95p - Radio Communication - 1950s Although radio equipment was first installed on the Tristan in the 1930s, it proved underpowered and unreliable, and the radios of the naval station set up on Tristan during World War II were temporary and for military use only.  A major breakthrough came in the 1950s with the permanent introduction of radio communications. The island's first radio station was established in 1950, enabling Tristan to maintain scheduled contact with South Africa and the United Kingdom, and to communicate with passing ships. Radio brought timely news broadcasts and an essential means of coordination during emergencies. This technology proved especially critical during the 1961 volcanic eruption, when the islanders were evacuated to the UK.  While still dependent on scheduled operating hours and trained personnel, radio was a game-changer for safety and connection. The 95p stamp honours this era with imagery of vintage equipment, symbolising a new voice for Tristan on the global stage.  £1.15 - Telecommunications - 1990s The arrival of telephone and satellite services in the 1990s ushered in a new chapter of communication. For the first time, islanders could speak in real time with loved ones overseas.  Tristan's new satellite infrastructure, including landlines and satellite dishes, made it possible to connect the island to international networks. The impact was profound: families stayed in touch more easily, emergency services improved, and a modern sense of global belonging began to emerge.  However, this new connectivity came with challenges. Equipment was expensive to install and maintain, and vulnerable to Tristan's severe weather, which often disrupted service. The £1.15 stamp depicts a traditional desk telephone alongside a satellite dish - symbols of Tristan's leap into modern telecommunications.  £2.00 - High-Speed Internet - 2020s The most transformative step yet came in the 2020s with the arrival of high-speed internet. Though early internet access via satellite existed, it was slow, costly, and unreliable. That changed dramatically with the introduction of Starlink, SpaceX's Low-Earth orbit satellite internet service.  Starlink brought unprecedented broadband access to even the most remote corners of the island. Islanders could now participate in video calls, access global news in real time, and use cloud services, e-commerce, and streaming media just like anyone else in the world.  The £2.00 stamp features sleek satellite terminals and a stylised digital grid, illustrating the island's emergence into the digital age.  Impact of Starlink on the Tristan da Cunha Community High-speed internet has transformed daily life on Tristan da Cunha. Telemedicine services are now accessible, enabling faster diagnosis and treatment. Online education has broadened learning opportunities, especially for young people. Businesses can reach global markets, and tourism promotion has become more viable.  More importantly, this new connectivity allows Tristan residents to preserve their culture while participating in a global conversation. Social media and messaging platforms have bridged personal and cultural distances that once seemed insurmountable.  High resolution images for this stamp collection can be found below -  Set First Day Cover