On the 200th anniversary of the first settlers signing their agreement on equal rights, three Tristan students visited the British Library to see the original document.

Tristan's Past and Future Meet for a Key Anniversary

Report and photos from Chris Carnegy and Peter Millington

The 7th November 2017 was a special day for Tristan da Cunha. It was the 200th anniversary of the day that the original settlers, Samuel Burnell, William Glass and John Nankivel signed their partnership agreement - the island's first constitution. In it, they undertook to be equal partners and to do and share everything on an equal footing - a principle that still influences the island's affairs today.

The agreement is now held in the British Library, London, and to mark the occasion, Tristan's UK Representative, Chris Carnegy, arranged for a special "moment" at which the three Tristan girls currently studying for A-levels in the UK were invited to a special viewing in the Library's boardroom. This event was filmed by the BBC for their 'Breakfast' programme, and they also organised a ride on the famous London Eye.

Rhyanna, Jade and Janice at the British Library

Rhyanna Swain, Jade Repetto and Janice Green arrive at the British Library
Back row (L to R): Jim Kerr, John Cooper, Peter Millington & Chris Carnegy

Jade Repetto, Janice Green and Rhyanna Swain duly travelled up to London from Peter Symonds College, Winchester, with their college Principal, Stephen Carville. They met Chris and the BBC team at the London Eye, and enjoyed stunning views over the city. They then made their way to the British Library at St. Pancras, and met up with Tristan's Deputy Government Representative Jim Kerr, and Association members John Cooper and Peter Millington. Jim and John were both formerly teachers on the island.

Janice, Jade and Rhyanna at the London Eye Janice, Jade and Rhyanna being interviewed in the London Eye by BBC TV
Janice, Jade and Rhyanna being filmed and interviewed aboard the London Eye for BBC TV's
'Breakfast' programme by reporter Graham Satchell & cameraman Darryl Fedeski.

The party was given a brief talk about the library, including some mind boggling statistics, and were shown the King's Library, the personal library of King George III, which was donated to what was then the library of the British Museum in 1823. This collection of leather-bound volumes is impressively displayed in a glass tower that ranges up through six floors of the modern building.

Rhyanna, Jade and Janice pose next to the bust of George III in front of the King's Library tower. Curator William Frame shows the girls the key points the Agreement.
Rhyanna, Jade and Janice pose next to the bust of George III
in front of the King's Library tower.
William Frame, Curator of Modern Historical Papers, shows the girls the key points in the first settlers'agreement.

We were then ushered through to the library's boardroom to view the Tristan agreement, the Glass family bible, and a number of other early Tristan items. It was perhaps with a certain amount of solemnity and with the BBC camera rolling that curator William Frame pointed out to the girls the key points in the manuscripts, and explained how they came to be in the library.

The first Tristan settlers' agreementa Filming in the British Library boardroom
More interviewing, in the BL Boardroom
The agreement signed by the first settlers; Samuel Burnell, William Glass & John Nankivel on the 7th November 1817. More filming and interviewing by the BBC in the British Library's boardroom

Later, in a more relaxed atmosphere over refreshments, the party also met Jody Butterworth, who is overseeing the "All hands' things" project which is Tristan's part of the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme.

The TV report was broadcast on BBC 1's 'Breakfast' on the morning of Friday 10th November, and could be seen on Tristan televisions. Another report showing the girls at the London Eye has also been put on the BBC News website.