Thomas Bridges
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bridges was the first Anglican missionary to succeed in setting up a mission in Tierra del Fuego
, Argentina
. After being adopted by George Pakenham Despard, he accompanied his new father on missionary trips with the Patagonian Missionary Society. George Despard later left the mission leaving Bridges as the new superintendent. The mission was located at what is now the town of Ushuaia
. On his retirement from missionary
service, he received a grant of land from the Argentine government
and became a rancher.
in 1842. According to local legend, he was later found abandoned on a bridge, in Bristol
, by George Pakenham Despard, the chaplain of the Clifton Union
. George Despard adopted
Bridges and educated him in a private school
that he ran. Later, upon being told of the adoption, Thomas "chose for himself the surname Bridges in honor of the meeting that had saved his life."
There is no record of Thomas Bridges in the 1851 UK census
; however, he is believed to be registered in the private school run by George Despard as George H Bridges. The name change was most likely due to a transcription error.
at Holy Trinity Church in Lenton, Nottingham
but had previously lived in Bristol where he met Allen Gardiner and where his association with the missionary society began. Following the failure of Gardiner's expeditions, George Pakenham Despard, then secretary of the Patagonian Missionary Society, led the next attempt. He took with him his second wife and his children, four daughters, Emily, Bertha, Florence and Harriet and his son Emilius. He also took Thomas Bridges who was about 13 years old. This trip was much more successful than earlier ones. Contact was made with the local people and several were persuaded to go to Keppel Island
where some of them learned English and some of the English, Thomas Bridges in particular, learned the local language.
The next superintendent of the base was the Rev. Waite Hockin Stirling
. The Rev. Stirling and Thomas Bridges made their first excursion into Tierra del Fuego in 1863. They made contact with the Fuegians who, on encountering a white man who could speak their language, received them well. In 1866, the Rev. Stirling made a visit to England accompanied by four Fuegian boys. They returned, and from 1867–1868 a group of Fuegians was assisted in setting up a settlement at Laiwaia on Navarino Island. There, a search was made for the best spot for a mission. The site chosen was in what is now Ushuaia
and a small three-roomed prefabricated hut, about 20 feet (6.1 m) by 10 feet (3 m), was prepared at Port Stanley for construction at Ushuaia. The hut was erected on the shore at Ushuaia and the Rev. Stirling, one of the young Fuegians who had accompanied him to England, and the latter's wife, moved in on January 14, 1869.
. In 1869, he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of London
and then spent some time touring England lecturing on Tierra del Fuego and his work there.
Thomas met his future wife, Mary Ann Varder, at an award ceremony for schoolteachers in Clevedon
near Bristol. Mary was the daughter of Stephen, a master carpenter
, and Ann Varder who lived in Harberton
, a village about a mile south-west of Totnes
. Five weeks after they first met Thomas and Ann were married by license in the parish church
at Harberton on August 7, 1869.
en route for the Falkland Islands.
The Allen Gardiner delivered materials for Stirling House, a new mission house, to be erected about a third of a mile away from the first house at the top of the hill. On October 10, 1870, Thomas Bridges and other members of the community went to Ushuaia to dig the foundations and erect the building. Thomas's wife, Mary Ann, who was pregnant, remained in the Falkland Islands during this time.
After the birth of his daughter, Thomas returned to Ushuaia where he and Jacob Resyck took up residence in Stirling House. Mr. Lewis went back to Keppel Island and, on May 14, returned with his wife, son, and new baby. The baby was baptised Frank Ooshooia in Stirling House on May 28. On August 17, Thomas Bridges, his wife, and his daughter, Mary, set out for the final leg of their journey to Ushuaia arriving on September 27, 1871. The Mission was established.
Bishop Stirling returned to the Falklands in early January 1872 to a salute of seven guns and was installed as bishop. He then made a visit to Ushuaia in the Allen Gardiner and, on March 23, wrote,
In 1881, exploded while anchored near Punta Arenas, killing 144 members of the crew. Thomas Bridges presided over the funeral ceremony.
and 50000 acres (202.3 km²) of land to the east of Ushuaia, now Estancia Harberton
, where he raised sheep and cattle. The house on the ranch was prefabricated in England by Stephen Varder and shipped to Tierra del Fuego in the 360 ton brigantine
Shepherdess. Also on board were two carpenters and Mr. Edward Aspinall, the new superintendent of the Ushuaia Mission who would later relocate to the Wollaston Islands
.
Thomas Bridges died in Buenos Aires
on July 15, 1898 due to stomach cancer
and is buried in Cementerio Británico
His tombstone records that he was 55 years old. Buried in the same grave are his grandson, Percival William Reynolds (1904–1940), his son, Esteban Lucas Bridges, who wrote a book detailing his father's expedition, and Esteban's wife, Jannette McLeod Jardine (1890–1976). Thomas' wife, Mary Ann, returned to Shipbourne
, Kent
, England where she died in 1922. A monument was later erected in his honour.
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. After being adopted by George Pakenham Despard, he accompanied his new father on missionary trips with the Patagonian Missionary Society. George Despard later left the mission leaving Bridges as the new superintendent. The mission was located at what is now the town of Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
. On his retirement from missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
service, he received a grant of land from the Argentine government
Government of Argentina
The government of Argentina, functioning within the framework of a federal system, is a presidential representative democratic republic. The President of Argentina is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the President. Legislative power is vested in both the...
and became a rancher.
Early life
Bridges was born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1842. According to local legend, he was later found abandoned on a bridge, in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, by George Pakenham Despard, the chaplain of the Clifton Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
. George Despard adopted
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
Bridges and educated him in a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
that he ran. Later, upon being told of the adoption, Thomas "chose for himself the surname Bridges in honor of the meeting that had saved his life."
There is no record of Thomas Bridges in the 1851 UK census
United Kingdom Census 1851
The United Kingdom Census of 1851 recorded the people residing in every household on the night of 30 March 1851, and was the second of the UK censuses to include details of household members...
; however, he is believed to be registered in the private school run by George Despard as George H Bridges. The name change was most likely due to a transcription error.
Expedition
From 1853 to 1855 George Despard was curateCurate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Holy Trinity Church in Lenton, Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
but had previously lived in Bristol where he met Allen Gardiner and where his association with the missionary society began. Following the failure of Gardiner's expeditions, George Pakenham Despard, then secretary of the Patagonian Missionary Society, led the next attempt. He took with him his second wife and his children, four daughters, Emily, Bertha, Florence and Harriet and his son Emilius. He also took Thomas Bridges who was about 13 years old. This trip was much more successful than earlier ones. Contact was made with the local people and several were persuaded to go to Keppel Island
Keppel Island
Keppel Island is one of the Falkland Islands, lying between Saunders Island and Pebble Island, and near Golding Island to the north of West Falkland on Keppel Sound. It has an area of and its highest point, Mt Keppel, is high. There is a wide, flat valley in the centre of the island with...
where some of them learned English and some of the English, Thomas Bridges in particular, learned the local language.
Missionary work
After an attack on the Allen Gardiner, the ship used by George Despard, he petitioned the missionary society asking permission to return to England. When the society gave its approval, he and his family returned to England; however, Thomas Bridges, then 17, remained in charge of the Keppel Island base. Thomas Bridges spent the next year on Keppel Island living with some of the Fuegians who had remained there. In this way, he perfected his knowledge of the language and started work on a dictionary of the language, which was completed in 1879, containing over 30,000 words.The next superintendent of the base was the Rev. Waite Hockin Stirling
Waite Hockin Stirling
Waite Hockin Stirling was a 19th century missionary with the Patagonian Missionary Society and was the first Anglican Bishop of the Falkland Islands....
. The Rev. Stirling and Thomas Bridges made their first excursion into Tierra del Fuego in 1863. They made contact with the Fuegians who, on encountering a white man who could speak their language, received them well. In 1866, the Rev. Stirling made a visit to England accompanied by four Fuegian boys. They returned, and from 1867–1868 a group of Fuegians was assisted in setting up a settlement at Laiwaia on Navarino Island. There, a search was made for the best spot for a mission. The site chosen was in what is now Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
and a small three-roomed prefabricated hut, about 20 feet (6.1 m) by 10 feet (3 m), was prepared at Port Stanley for construction at Ushuaia. The hut was erected on the shore at Ushuaia and the Rev. Stirling, one of the young Fuegians who had accompanied him to England, and the latter's wife, moved in on January 14, 1869.
Brief trip to England
Thomas Bridges did not take part in building the hut because, in 1868, the South American Missionary Society (successors to the Patagonian Missionary Society) decided that he should return to England and take Holy OrdersHoly Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
. In 1869, he was ordained deacon by the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
and then spent some time touring England lecturing on Tierra del Fuego and his work there.
Thomas met his future wife, Mary Ann Varder, at an award ceremony for schoolteachers in Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
near Bristol. Mary was the daughter of Stephen, a master carpenter
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, and Ann Varder who lived in Harberton
Harberton
Harberton is a village and civil parish 3 miles south west of Totnes, Devon, England, in South Hams District. The parish also includes the village of Harbertonford...
, a village about a mile south-west of Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. Five weeks after they first met Thomas and Ann were married by license in the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
at Harberton on August 7, 1869.
Return to South America
Two days after they were married, they sailed for Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
en route for the Falkland Islands.
The Allen Gardiner delivered materials for Stirling House, a new mission house, to be erected about a third of a mile away from the first house at the top of the hill. On October 10, 1870, Thomas Bridges and other members of the community went to Ushuaia to dig the foundations and erect the building. Thomas's wife, Mary Ann, who was pregnant, remained in the Falkland Islands during this time.
After the birth of his daughter, Thomas returned to Ushuaia where he and Jacob Resyck took up residence in Stirling House. Mr. Lewis went back to Keppel Island and, on May 14, returned with his wife, son, and new baby. The baby was baptised Frank Ooshooia in Stirling House on May 28. On August 17, Thomas Bridges, his wife, and his daughter, Mary, set out for the final leg of their journey to Ushuaia arriving on September 27, 1871. The Mission was established.
Bishop Stirling returned to the Falklands in early January 1872 to a salute of seven guns and was installed as bishop. He then made a visit to Ushuaia in the Allen Gardiner and, on March 23, wrote,
In 1881, exploded while anchored near Punta Arenas, killing 144 members of the crew. Thomas Bridges presided over the funeral ceremony.
Family
Bridges had six children, four of whom were born in Ushuaia. Thomas and Mary had their first child, Mary Ann Varder, in 1870. Their eldest son, Thomas Despard was born in 1872. Stephen (Esteban) Lucas was born in 1874, William Samuel in 1876, Bertha Milman in 1879 and Alice Couty in 1882. Mary's younger sister, Johanna, arrived from England to join the mission and help Mary with the growing family in 1874.Retirement from the Mission
In 1886, the government of Argentina established a presence in Ushuaia. Bridges left the Mission and was granted citizenshipCitizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
and 50000 acres (202.3 km²) of land to the east of Ushuaia, now Estancia Harberton
Estancia Harberton
Estancia Harberton was established in 1886, when the missionary pioneer Thomas Bridges resigned from the Anglican mission at Ushuaia. The estancia was named for Harberton, Devon, the home of his wife, Mary Ann Varder...
, where he raised sheep and cattle. The house on the ranch was prefabricated in England by Stephen Varder and shipped to Tierra del Fuego in the 360 ton brigantine
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
Shepherdess. Also on board were two carpenters and Mr. Edward Aspinall, the new superintendent of the Ushuaia Mission who would later relocate to the Wollaston Islands
Wollaston Islands
Wollaston Islands is a group of islands in the extreme south of Chile near Cape Horn. The islands are inside Cabo de Hornos National Park, belonging to the Commune of Cabo de Hornos in Antártica Chilena Province of Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region....
.
Thomas Bridges died in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
on July 15, 1898 due to stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and is buried in Cementerio Británico
Cementerio Británico
Cementerio Británico, also known as Buenos Aires British cemetery, is a cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is in the district of Chacarita in the northern part of Buenos Aires, adjacent to La Chacarita Cemetery.-History of the British Cemetery:...
His tombstone records that he was 55 years old. Buried in the same grave are his grandson, Percival William Reynolds (1904–1940), his son, Esteban Lucas Bridges, who wrote a book detailing his father's expedition, and Esteban's wife, Jannette McLeod Jardine (1890–1976). Thomas' wife, Mary Ann, returned to Shipbourne
Shipbourne
Shipbourne lies in the English county of Kent, in an undulating landscape traversed by the small streams of the River Bourne, set in a clay vale at the foot of the wooded Sevenoaks Greensand Ridge....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England where she died in 1922. A monument was later erected in his honour.