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Perim Island
Known as Meyun to
the Arabs, the purely volcanic island of Perim is
located 90 miles west of Aden in the Straits of
Bab-el-Mandeb 1 ½ miles from the Arabian coast and 11
miles from the African coast. The island has a surface
area of 13 square kilometers and rises to an altitude of
65 meters. It was part of the Aden
Colony.
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Albuquerque landed
on the island in 1513 and named it Vera Cruz. Later, for
a short while, it became a base for pirates till they
concluded there was no available fresh water, even after
digging 15 fathoms, and moved elsewhere. |
Perim Harbour |
The East India
Company took possession of Perim in 1799 and it was
garrisoned by a force from Bombay led by
Lieutenant-Colonel Murray. Their stay was short-lived as
it was found unsuitable as a military position for
preventing French troops from Egypt from proceeding to
India.
The demands of
increased shipping in the Red Sea prompted the Indian
Government to build a lighthouse and Perim was
re-occupied in 1857. It was used as a coaling station
but the Perim Coal Company closed down in 1936 and
Perim's small harbour was then closed to shipping.
The coal company was known to have been in fierce
competition with rival, Luke
Thomas of Aden.
Perim Island 2007
By 1861 a dark blue stone
lighthouse had been built and lit at Perim. Located
0.95 km to the south west of Obstruction Point. It was
38 feet in height from base to vane. When the tower was
rebuilt in 1912 it reached 81 feet. There was a one
minute interval of revolution of the flash which could
be seen from 22 miles in clear weather. Quarters were
built for a detachment of 50 native infantry, under the
command of a European officer, who were relieved every 2
months.
Water was never
found on Perim, which has always made its occupation
difficult. After bringing water supplies from Aden
and then considering a reservoir to collect rainwater it
was decided, as in Aden, that a condenser to produce
distilled water was more suitable.
Perim Water Camel c 1910
By 1959 there were
just 300 people living on Perim Island, mainly in the
Arab fishing village of Meyun. The people took no
practical part in the life of the Colony of Aden. In
1959 the Aden Colony Executive and Legislative Councils
were relieved of responsibility for the administration
of Perim but it remained part of Aden Colony with the
executive and administrative power vested in the
Governor.
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