Colonial History of Welsh Patagonia, Argentina
Voyage of the Ship Mimosa & Welsh Colony in Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Sep 4, 2009
In Wales in the 1840’s much talk could be heard of the necessity for more Welsh settlements outside the British Isles. Existing Welsh colonies in North America rapidly lost their identities; the presence of the English language and the mixing of cultures did not facilitate the growth of uniquely Welsh settlements.
Welsh eyes began to turn towards South America, in particularly Argentina. Patagonia, in the untamed south of Argentina, was said to be a largely untouched land ripe for colonization. Plans began to take shape, and colonists were called for a voyage to Patagonia.
Societies in Wales Envisage a Welsh Patagonia
In the 1850’s Welsh colonial societies in Wales and the United States turned their attention towards Patagonia. Unspoiled and largely uninhabited, it was thought of as ideal ground for the formation of a distinctly Welsh colony. The Argentine consul was contacted in Liverpool and a committee was formed to further the venture.
In 1862 Lewis Jones and Captain Love Jones-Parry travelled to Buenos Aires to enter talks with the Argentine government. Initial negotiations for land proved troublesome, with the Argentine contingent rejecting Welsh proposals for an independent colony. The proposal was later accepted on the same terms offered to any immigrants, and the Welsh shook hands on the deal in 1864.
Preparation for the Historic Passage to Welsh Patagonia and the Mimosa
Settlers were immediately called for in Wales. A 700 tonne ship, the Halton Castle, was contracted for departure from Liverpool on the 25th April 1865. Lewis Jones headed back to Patagonia in order to make advanced preparations.
However, the Halton Castle had run into problems during her current voyage, delaying her arrival in Liverpool indefinitely. The voyage was put in jeopardy unless another ship could be found, and quickly. A twelve-year-old tea-clipper, well past her prime and not as equipped as the Halton, became available. The Mimosa, as she was called, was the best option available to the settlers.
Not designed to carry large amounts of passengers, the Mimosa was hastily modified in preparation for her voyage to Patagonia. On 28th May 1865 the Mimosa left the Liverpool docks on her way to the southern hemisphere and the promised land of Welsh Patagonia.
The Voyage of the Mimosa and Welsh Colonists Bound for Welsh Patagonia
Although the exact number of passengers is not certain, the generally accepted figure is 153. According to Susan Wilkinson, writer and great-great-niece of the Mimosa’s doctor, Thomas Greene, “There were 56 married adults, 33 single or widowed men and 12 single women who were either sisters of married passengers or servants, and the remainder were children or babies.” (Buenos Aires Herald, September 1998)
A crew of 18 was to take the Mimosa on her 7,000 mile voyage. Off the coast of England, the ship and her passengers soon encountered their first storm. A poor start was followed by a relatively calm passage across the Atlantic until another storm off the Brazilian coast.
Conditions Aboard the Ship Mimosa on the Voyage to Welsh Patagonia
Conditions on the ship were standard for the era: poor food, basic accommodation, and a daily increasing battle against general hygiene and sickness. The ship’s captain, George Pepperell, was a cargo captain by trade; not one for dealing with passengers, especially when confronted by a large contingent of Welsh speaking women and children. As Susan Wilkinson relates, “Clipper captains were not renowned for their good temper in an age when flogging crew was normal.”
Amidst the stench below decks and the scorching tropical heat above, the passengers suffered. Five children died on the voyage, while two more were born, before the Mimosa and her crew sighted the land that was to be their new home.
Colonists Set Foot Upon Welsh Patagonia, Puerto Madryn
After more than sixty days at sea the passengers and crew were welcomed onto Patagonian soil by the awaiting Lewis Jones. The Mimosa had arrived on July 27th 1865 and, after a lengthy disembarkation, the colonists assembled on the beach where a sermon of thanks was held.
The natural port where the colonists had landed was named in honor of Captain Love Jones-Parry, who had helped realize the expedition, and his Madryn Castle estate in North Wales.
Porth Madryn, as it was then named in Welsh, has since taken on the Spanish form of Puerto Madryn. Today, the Welsh flag can still be seen flying alongside the Argentinian flag on the cliffs overlooking the harbor of Puerto Madryn.
In time, the Welsh settlers pushed further inland, establishing towns such as Trelew and Gaiman. Both the Welsh language and Welsh culture still exist in the old Welsh colonial towns of Welsh Patagonia.
As for the fate of the ship Mimosa, little is known. A year after her arrival in Patagonia her crew mutinied after ration shortages, and Captain Pepperell was locked-up on board. According to Susan Wilkinson, the Mimosa’s largely dismantled hulk was last found serving as anchored offices on the coast of West Africa (Mimosa: The Life & Times of the Ship that Sailed to Patagonia, Y Lolfa, 2007, ISBN 978-0862439521).
 |
 |
 |
