NELSON ISLAND AND ITS SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR CULTURAL LEGACY

​Nelson Island is one of a cluster of size small islands called the Five Islands located in the Gulf of Paria approximately 2.5 kilometres due south of Chaguaramas. Nelson Island holds so many stories of our historical past.
Firstly, the island was supposedly used as a trading post by the First Peoples before the 15th century trans-Atlantic contact period
From the 1820's, the islands were given out as grants for holiday homes for the British elite living in Trinidad. It was named after Dr. Neilson, who was granted the land. The island was previously known as Stephenson's Island and was used as a garrison in the early 1800s . According to an article posted by National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago it was eventually renamed for Dr Neilson, when the grant was taken back.
Later on in the in the 19th and early 20th century the tiny island served as disembarkation point and quarantine station for East Indian indentured servants to Trinidad. On arrival at Nelson Island everything,including the ship, immigrants their belongings and foodstuff were inspected and fumigated. The East Indian immigrants who were brought to serve as indentured servants on sugar estates in Trinidad after the quarantine period were then transported in small boats to Port of Spain and then dispatched to various sugar estates.
Did you know that the first ship to enter Nelson Island was the Humber on Wednesday December 26, 1866? The Humber brought 473 immigrants from India which brought 473 east indian immigrants: 329 men, 84 women, 32 boys and 14 girls ? Records pertaining to that voyage indicates that of this number 25 immigrants unfortunately, did not survive the journey. Nelson Island, a limestone islet in the group known as the Five Islands off Port of Spain harbour became to Trinidad what Ellis Island was to New York City- a gateway to a new life for an alien people.( Angelo Bissessarsingh , 2010)
In World War Two, the island served as a naval station for the United States Navy, an internment camp for enemy alien internees and a detention centre for labour leader Tubal Uriah Buzz Butler. The island was again used as a detention center 1970 to house 50 individuals associated with Trinidad’s Black Power Revolution. '
Today Nelson Island is listed as one of our heritage sites by the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago who offer tours to interested persons wanting to visit this historical site.
Photo : Nelson Island circa 1940
Credit to following sources:
Nelson Island- Indentureship’s Gateway to Trinidad. Author : Angelo Bissessarsingh
Nelson Island and Indian Indentureship in Trinidad.” The National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Five Islands article written by LESLIE-ANN PAUL of the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago published in Newsday Wednesday 29 April 2020