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Colonial Office minutes regarding
report of Captain Dyke
June 17, 1898 to June 24, 1898


(Subject)

Pitcairn Island

[Sends] report on visit of the "Comus" in Nov '97. Telm has been sent
as to providing ship to carry judicial commission.


(Minutes.)

Mr Cox

? Send a copy of Capt. Dyke's Report with the Admiral's covering letter to the High Commr asking saying that there seems to be some ground for considering whether it is well to continue leaving the islanders so entirely to themselves as hitherto & asking him to inquire & report whether any improvement seems feasible. Whether he has any obsns to offer as to the condition of the lslanders & the means of improving it.
            C.T.D 24/6

                  Dft. for conson

[At once]      [—]     
                        24 June

Mr Lucas will like to see this paper

Notes.

      Harry Albert Christian was born on Pitcairn Island on Mar. 11, 1872, one of 12 children of Alphonso Downs Christian and Sarah McCoy. In the early 1890s a relationship developed between Harry and Julia Warren. A daughter, Eleanor Linda Warren, was born to the couple on Aug. 14, 1895. Some time later Harry's attentions turned to another woman. On Jun. 17, 1897, Harry killed Julia and the child and threw their bodies into the sea. Though the bodies were never found, the crimes were found out, and Harry admitted to them. Harry was tried on Pitcairn and found guilty of murder. He was taken on H.M.S. Royalist to Suva, Fiji. There, on October 8, 1898, in the Suva gaol, he was hanged for the murders.
Source: Pitcairn Islands Study Center "Who Are the Pitcairners?"

      Captain Henry Hart Dyke (1848-1912) commanded H.M.S. Comus 1895-1898. He rose to the rank of Vice-Admiral.

Source.
Document no. 116. June 17, 1898 to June 24, 1898. "Colonial Office minutes regarding report of Captain Dyke". Pages 1726 to 1727.

This transription was made from a documents in a collection of documents at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Library.

Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Dec 16, 2024.

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