This summer has been a particularly busy time for Fleet Society members who have volunteered their time to advance our educational mission. We have been asked by groups large and small to deliver presentations about the history of the 1715 Fleet and the recovery of its treasures that have been going on since the early 60s. Treasure is always a magnet. People are just fascinated about what lies in eight or ten feet of water just a couple of hundred feet offshore. But, of course, there is a big difference between dreaming about treasure and actually finding it. What is often overlooked, and is just as fascinating, is the history of those who were caught up in the tragedy of a shipwreck. Who these people were and what their story was is just as important as lost treasure. Researching and learning about these people allows us to get a better understanding of what this event meant to them as individuals and how it ultimately changed the course of their lives. Our research efforts focus on the personal history of survivors and also those who were not so fortunate. Many of our presentations include this information in addition to numismatics and the most current up-to-date archival research on the 1715 Fleet wreck sites and the treasures they hold.
In June of this year, yours truly presented “A Short History of the 1715 Fleet” to a men’s club that meets on a monthly basis to discuss historical and current events. Many of those in attendance frequently visited the Treasure Coast area but were totally unaware of how the Treasure Coast got its name and the relationship of the 1715 Fleet to that name. In July I gave a similar presentation to a group of seniors at a senior living facility north of Pittsburgh. Their reaction was similar to that of those in attendance at the men’s club luncheon the month before. It was very gratifying to me to have had the opportunity to open up an entirely new area of knowledge to all of those in attendance. I set up a display at the senior center which got a lot of attention. Here are pictures of it:
In August I am scheduled to do a presentation at a local Historical Society. Every presentation, no matter how small the group, fulfills our educational mission. It also has resulted in new members, which I am happy to report.
This past week, our Regional Director for the Treasure Coast Region, Jim Wilson, (member # 171) spoke at the Indian River County Historical Society’s Movie Night in Vero Beach. His topic was “Treasure Coast Historical Film” which he helped to produce as a volunteer for the Historical Society in 2020-21. He worked on this film along with renowned producer and videographer Nick Verola. The purpose of the film was to illustrate how the 1715 Fleet disaster and the search for its treasure have become such an important part of the history and culture of the Treasure Coast. Jim reported that there was standing room only, with over 60 attendees. He spoke for 45 minutes and also brought some artifacts to supplement his presentation. Overall, the talk was a great success. Jim sent along some pictures of the event:
Also, Advisory Board member Jorge Proctor was a Keynote speaker at the IV International Conference of Historians and Numismatists in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. His topic was “Two Mysteries of Caribbean Numismatics”. He appeared in period dress and was very well received. Jorge will be a guest speaker at U.S. Mex In Scottsdale in October 2023. Also, he will be a presenter at our conference in Vero Beach in January. I hope to see you there. For more information about our upcoming conference see our post HERE.
