Port Louis, Falkland Islands

Port Louis is a settlement on northeastern East Falkland. It was established by Louis de Bougainville in 1764 as the first French settlement on the islands, but was then transferred to Spain in 1767 and renamed Puerto Soledad (In Spanish, East Falkland is known as Isla Soledad).

The settlement has seen several name changes. The original French settlers named the settlement Port Saint Louis, which was changed to Puerto Soledad upon the Spanish take over. Vernet reverted to a Spanish version of the original name when he formed his settlement, Puerto Luis. The British renamed the settlement Anson's Harbour for a while before reverting once more to the original French name, Port Louis.

For a time, the town became the Spanish capital of the islands, which were claimed by Spain and administered from Montevideo as a naval outpost (Presidio). The Spanish removed the governor in 1806 abandoned the settlement in 1811.

In October 1820, following damage to his ship Heroína in a storm, Colonel David Jewett was forced to put into the islands to shelter in Puerto Soledad. This was the culmination of a disastrous eight-month voyage that saw a mutiny and most of his crew disabled by scurvy and other diseases. While in harbour, there was another attempt at mutiny by the crew who wished to return to Buenos Aires. With many of his crew disabled by scurvy, Jewett sought the assistance of the British Antarctic explorer James Weddell in preparing his ship for sea once more.

On 6 November 1820, Jewett raised the flag of the United Provinces of the River Plate (now Argentina) at Port Louis. Weddell witnessed the ceremony.

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