Black and white St. Helena Island

The island of Saint Helena, one of the most remote corners of the world, which can only be reached by ship, is known for being the last refuge of Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1815, Napoleon was captured by the British and sent into exile on a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean to the west of Africa, where he spent the last six years of his life. After learning about where he was being exiled, Napoleon exclaimed: "This is worse than Tamerlane's iron cage!" Napoleon lived in the Longwood estate. The house and the adjacent lands were surrounded by a stone wall with a length of six kilometers. To ensure that the former emperor did not run, the guard officer, sentries and sentries watched. The prisoner's health began to deteriorate rapidly — he and his entourage blamed the bad climate of the island for this. Napoleon died on May 5, 1821.

Today, the two houses where Napoleon lived and the Geranium Valley, where he is buried, belong to France, and the rest of the island is part of the overseas possession of Great Britain — St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. We offer you to view photos from the collection of the Ministry of Colonial Affairs of the National Archives of Great Britain.

Panorama of St. Helena, 1815.

View of the island from Diana Peak, 1815.

Rock Lot, 1834.

Donkey Ears Rocks and Lot's Wife, 1834.

Dolphin grotto, 1835.

View of Jamestown, 1880-1889.

Jamestown, 1880-1889

General view of the mill buildings, 1908.

Lace Makers, 1908.

Lace Makers, 1908.

Royal visit to St. Helena, 1910.

View of the island from the sea, 1914.

Two giant turtles, presumably brought from the islands of the Indian Ocean, 1914.

Longwood House, 1914.

Panoramic view of the house from east to west, 1931-1959.

Entrance hall and door to the living room, 1931-1959.

The interior of the house, 1931-1959.

Opening of the Longwood House, members of the community crowd at the door, 1954-1955.

View of Sandy Bay, 1958-1969.

The procession after the annual Thanksgiving Service, 1958-1969.