If you are reading this blog, you probably know that Napoleon Bonaparte spent his last six years in exile on St Helena Island in the remote south Atlantic Ocean. I visited the island in 2011 and I’m always interested in learning more about its fascinating connection to Napoleon.
I owe this blog post to one of my readers, Roger Knights. Roger’s been researching his ancestors who were members of the Moss family on St Helena. They married into the Solomon family, prominent merchants whose name still graces the largest retail business in Jamestown, St Helena. You can see one of their establishments in the background of my photo of the St Helena Day parade in 2011.
Roger’s great aunt saved this clipping of a Melbourne newspaper article, which he believes his ancestor, Walter Frederick Moss, wrote around 1940. In it, Moss reminisces about his childhood on St Helena during the 1860s. I love the part where he describes how his elderly nursemaid, who in her youth had been in Napoleon’s household, professed a strong dislike for the Great Man.
(Readers, please forgive the old-fashioned views of the ethnic groups that peopled St Helena. Authentic documents from the past often leave us modern readers uncomfortable with our history.)
Thank you, Roger, for providing this material.
Thank you so much for publishing this article which may have been written by my great grand uncle. It has given me an insight into how my family lived. It all sounds so wonderful and life seemed carefree not like today. From this information I now can close some doors on some questions on the Moss family but it has also opened others. Thank you again.
I’m glad that you enjoyed the article. I did, too. I love the family connections to Napoleon, especially the ones involving St Helena. Take care!
I have reason to believe that my four times great grandfather, Isaac Moss had a sister who married into the Solomon family. My mother’s maiden name was Moss.
Anything on St Helena always interests me. I find it fascinating and would love to connect with distant relatives!!
Christine
Hi, Christine,
Everything about St Helena always interests me, too. Maybe you should check with Friends of St Helena. They might be able to direct you to the right place to find your relatives. Thanks for coming by my website.
All the best, Margaret
Christine, just found this site and your comments. My interest has been in Saul Solomon who came to St Helena in 1796 after falling ill on a trip to India. He survived and of course the Solomon and Moss families have been part of St Helena since that time.
Saul was so successful in business that his three brothers followed him there. One of the brothers was Joseph Solomon who was betrothed to Hannah Moss when both still in England. They were married in St Helena and had 9 children. Isaac Moss was Hannah’s brother and came to St Helena and was the Moss in Solomon and Moss.
Joseph and Hannah moved to Cape Town in 1831.