by Patrice M. Williams (Reprinted from the Journal of the Bahamas Historical Society Vol. 6 no. 1, October 1985).

According to The Tribune of 19 November 1930 Stephen Albert Dillet was "a writer who wielded a trenchant pen, an orator and a politician. He was a temperance reformer and a musician." Born on 13 August 1845 to Flora Spence and Stephen Dillet the boy developed into a "straight forward, plain spoken and fearless man." At the same time he was courteous, kind and sympathetic with a remarkable reputation for punctuality.

At age six he entered the Boys Central School and by age twelve he was a Head of his class. This distinction brought him twofold benefits in that he had a class of his own at the school and later a job as clerk in the Post Office. At age fifteen he was receiving a salary of £100 a year. He later resigned his position and went to sea as an apprentice. From this position he received nothing. His first voyage was to New York City on the Lighthouse Tender Georgia which was wrecked at Bimini during a hurricane in October 1865.

Dillet's rapid acquisition of the navigational skills resulted in his swift promotion through the Lighthouse Service.

At age twenty-three he was appointed Acting Deputy Inspector of Lighthouses a position he retained until he was appointed First Mate aboard the Lighthouse Tender Richmond. He served in this capacity until 1871 when he resigned and went to work in foreign ports.
 
 
     

He returned home in 1874 when he rejoined the Richmond as First Mate. He held this position until 1892 when the schooner was condemned. In the same year Dillet travelled to England returning home at the helm of the new Tender the S. S. Richmond.

His service on this vessel lasted until 1906 when that schooner was discarded. At age sixty-one he joined the new Tender S. S. Carnavon serving with that vessel until 1910 when he was pensioned because of his age.

Besides his nautical profession Captain Dillet was also interested in writing. Being a keen writer he was contributor and correspondent to the Nassau Guardian, the Nassau Times and The Freeman. He edited the latter for a short while. He also contributed literary works to the Watchman and was the Associate Editor of the Strombus during its existence. He was a correspondent for The Tribune from its inception and in fact edited that newspaper for a short time while its editor vacationed in Canada.

At age sixty-nine Stephen Albert Dillet became active in war work when he was appointed to the membership of the Executive body of the War Relief Committee during World War One 1914-1918.

He was also a member of the Recruiting Committee which was responsible for obtaining local volunteers for active war service. He accompanied several of The Bahamas 'Contingents to Jamaica where they were attached to the British West India Regiment. On one occasion he commanded the vessel transporting the volunteers to Jamaica.

For many months during the First World War, Dillet was "Admiral" of the fleet which searched Bahamian waters for suspected submarine bases and men-o-war. He was on duty on board the Flagship Coraline when that vessel was blown up off Grand Bahama. As a result of this calamity he lost one of his eyes.

Being a man of extraordinary character Dillet was not only involved in navigation, literature and newspaper work but was also involved in the social and cultural aspects of the society.

In 1882 he founded the Bahamas Branch of the Rechabites, a Friendly Society organized along English lines and registered in England. This society was likened to insurance companies and it had a rigid code of honour and conduct. Dillet was also a leader in many other Societies and Orders.

In 1868 Dillet was married to Elizabeth Rae and from this union came three children namely Elizabeth Stuart, Lillian Clarke and Stephen Argo Dillet. Being a man of high moral character Dillet was scandalized in 1892 when he became aware of the liaison between his eldest daughter and James Carmichael Smith, the Post Master of The Bahamas. As a result of this illicit affair Dillet's daughter became pregnant. Aided and abetted by Smith she ran away to America where she was discovered by her father. Too ashamed to return to Nassau she was taken to England to live. Smith when confronted with his dastardly deeds denied having fathered the child, and ruined Dillet's daughter's name by calling her a prostitute. The succeeding inquiry into the affair led to a scandal which caused Dillet much pain and Smith his job as Post Master.

This August man known to many people as "Captain Dillet, Brother Dillet, Admiral and Our Grand Old Man" departed this life on 19 November 1930. He was buried at sea with all the pomp and ceremony due to the man who had been "a familiar figure in the life of the colony for many years ... a character in the history of these islands... well known to several generations of Bahamians."