If you overheard someone say "The world's greatest evangelist once visited Western Cove" would it catch your attention?

If not then don't read on.

Otherwise consider the evidence:

The 20th century's greatest evangelist prior to Billy Graham ministered in the Port Adelaide Congregational Church (now Uniting Church) from 1909 to 1915. His calling to evangelism occurred in 1912 and during the next 40 years his preaching produced 250,000 conversions. 

Lionel B. Fletcher (1877-1954) grew up in New South Wales. After working as a seaman, farmhand, miner and clerk he joined the Congregational Church in NSW and was ordained in 1908. He transferred to Port Adelaide where he became famous for his preaching talents and social-reform efforts.  Newspaper reports that mentioned him numbered in the hundreds.

In 1915 Reverend Fletcher and wife relocated to England. During the next 26 years he preached in the British Isles, New York, South Africa and New Zealand, and after that continued in Australia.

From late December 1913 until January 29, 1914, Fletcher and family holidayed on Kangaroo Island — the newspapers say for "five weeks".

Might they have visited Western Cove at some stage during those five weeks?

The Kangaroo Island Courier at the time was an 8-page newspaper published Saturdays. The January 24 edition under the heading "American River News, January 19, 1914" reported:

Holiday makers are now beginning to leave, and the river seems quite deserted after the influx of motor boats during the holidays... Fish have not been so plentiful as usual this time of year. The Rev. L.B. Fletcher and Mr. T. Simmonds have, however, had some very fine hauls, both of whiting and snook during the past week, Rev. L.B. Fletcher catching 100 whiting on Saturday last in the channel below Buick's jetty, in about two hours.... For the last three Sundays the Rev. Fletcher has held a meeting on Sunday afternoon, all have been fairly well attended... Visitors at American River include Mrs. J. Linnet and family of Stepney; Rev. L.B. Fletcher and Mrs Fletcher and 3 children, camped at Buick's Point; and Mr and Mrs Dewhurst on board motor boat in the River.

 

Apparently Fletcher and family stayed at American River for the entire five weeks. The Courier listed visitors staying at Kingscote's hotels (Ozone and Anderson's) and boarding houses (Carnarvon House, Tourist's Retreat, Clifton House, Sea View House and Nepean House). Fletcher is not mentioned.

Transport on KI was at the time rudimentary and roads were few, narrow and unsealed. However, Kingscote had several cars for hire offering local drives up to 15 miles:

Motor Car for Hire D. Hannaford Notifies that he is prepared at all time to convey visitors and others to any of the Picnic Resorts in the vicinity of Kingscote. (Courier, December 27, 1913, p. 5)

The January 3 edition reported on "Holiday Amusements" including "drives to Cygnet River and Emu and Smiths Bays". Also:

Two parties with motor cars have also landed during the past week and have been touring the district. Both cars were shipped by the Morialta on Thursday. (p. 4) Drives Picturesque drives are available within 15 miles of Kingscote... (p.8)

I found no reports of car-use at American River. It seems doubtful therefore that Fletcher travelled from American River to Kingscote by car. And if not to Kingscote then also not to Western Cove.

However, the holiday season saw many yachts and motor boats, visiting from Adelaide, anchored at Kingscote and American River.

Trips along the coast by boat would have been comfortable and feasible, and Fletcher as a popular preacher and celebrity would doubtless have had invitations.

If so then a trip to Kingscote, including a stop at Western Cove where the water is usually calm and safe is possible, even likely.

There's also the question of how Fletcher travelled to and from KI. The Daily Herald of Adelaide reported on January 30 that Fletcher "returned yesterday" but does not state how he travelled. The date he left Adelaide for KI is unknown.

Calculating back 35 days i.e. "five weeks" from January 29 gives his departure date from Adelaide as December 26. However "five weeks" might be correct to the nearest week, therefore not exact to the day.

The ships Karatta and Rupara made day-trips to Kingscote via Penneshaw bringing hundreds of "excursionists" who stayed in or near Kingscote for only a few hours. But the dates cannot be definitely aligned with Fletcher's arrival and departure.

The Courier (December 27, p. 4) reported that the Karatta arrived at Hog Bay and Kingscote on Tuesday with about 80 passengers, and the Rupara on Christmas Day with 500 passengers. Tuesday was December 23 and Christmas day December 25. The report adds: "Both the Rupara and Karatta will arrive on Monday [December 29] with excursionists from the city."

The three departure dates would on January 29 total respectively 38 days, 36 days and 32 days, any of which could be rounded out to "five weeks".

If the Fletchers arrived at Kingscote by ship there's again the question of how they travelled onward to American River.

It's possible however that Fletcher and family did not travel to KI on "excursionist" trips but on a private yacht or motor boat. Recall that American River had an "influx of motor boats during the holidays."

In that case trips from American River along the coast to Kingscote and Western Cove would have been easy to do. It's also unlikely that anyone would on a first visit to KI stay in one isolated place for all of five weeks!

Well, pending further evidence, that's the current conclusion. It's possible — not definite — that in 1914 the 20th century's greatest evangelist prior to Billy Graham visited Western Cove.


References:

Lambert, Peter 2015 Lionel B Fletcher: Empire Evangelist, Uniting Church SA Historical Society

Malcolm, C.W. 1956 Twelve hours in the day: the life of Rev. Lionel B. Fletcher DD, Marshall Morgan & Scott