With these tales of tragedy, humour and love, we do not disappoint. Each explains a little of our history and our character.

The parson keeps it fair

Like a treacherous beacon in the unforgiving Atlantic, many 18th-century islanders would intentionally lure trusting ships onto our perilous rocks. Wrecking, as it was known, was a profitable, if unsavoury practice.

One wrecking story tells of a rector preaching at St. Anne's Church in Southampton Parish on a stormy Sunday. A man stormed into the church and started whispering to members of the congregation, who promptly reached for their hats.

The rector demanded, "John Smith, what are you saying to these people?"

Smith supposedly answered, "Parson, there's a ship on the south-west breakers."

"The congregation will remain seated until I take off my surplice," replied the rector. "Then, boys, we'll all start fair."

From the hottest flames come the prettiest flowers

Visitors often remark on our island's pleasant temperatures. But when the thermometer spikes, keep your ears pealed for us to say, "It's a regular Sally Bassett day."

Sally Bassett, you see, was a slave found guilty of compelling her granddaughter to poison her owners, Thomas Forster and his wife. As punishment she was burned to death at the Foot of the Lane at the eastern end of Hamilton Harbour. On her way to her execution, she is reputed to have admonished crowds rushing to witness the event to take their time because, in her words, "There'll be no fun 'til I get there."

The execution day's unusually high temperature, together with the fire's intense flames, gave rise to the local saying. Some people believe that out of her ashes appeared a tiny purple iris in full bloom: the endemic Bermudiana flower.

Unbounded love

Would you risk drowning for love? John, a young Flatts Village slave, escaped most nights from his owner's house to visit his love, also a slave. Problem was, she lived on the other side of Harrington Sound.

Rather than risk capture on land, John would swim the considerable distance to her owner's house. When his master discovered John's nightly swims, he chained John to a stake. While John couldn't break the chain, he could pull up the stake. Off he swam again, this time in shackles. Both sets of owners were so moved by John's feat that they allowed the couple to marry.