George Anderson's story
George Anderson (1865-1925)
Emigrated to the Falkland Islands in 1884. In 1891 He moved to Patagonia, Argentina.
Sheep farming in Argentina
George Anderson emigrated to the Falkland Islands in 1884 with a five-year contract to work as a shepherd.
In 1891 he formed a company with four other Scottish shepherds to start a sheep farm in Patagonia, Argentina.
It took George nearly eight years to find suitable land in this remote region. Eventually, in 1898 after several unsuccessful expeditions and many privations, he found a place near Cape Watchman.
Although life in Patagonia was isolated and sometimes difficult, George’s farm, which he named 'Bahía Laura', started to take off.
Photographs of Patagonia
George visited Scotland in 1905 and 1907. During the second visit he persuaded his brother Adam to join him the following year. Before returning to Patagonia he acquired a Kodak camera with which he captured the progress of his farm and the lives of relatives and friends.
In 1924 George returned to Scotland permanently. He and his family settled in Peebles. Unfortunately, George died prematurely of pneumonia in January 1925. His son George was born only two months later.
