A Deserted Mansion and a Mystery

View from swimming pool at Bird Cay mansion. 

While exploring the Berrys, we stumbled upon an old, deserted mansion located on Bird Cay. Now in decay with nature slowly taking over, we couldn't help but wonder about the history of this place. The grounds included a swimming pool, a two-story mansion with spiral staircase, rooms with old books and furniture scattered about, a large kitchen, and gym.

The tile work and masonry was impressive,
especially considering the remote location.

The second floor of the mansion included old books scattered about, with furniture and ceiling tiles. 

We noted a strange thing about the floors as we wandered through. Hundreds of droppings left by some type of large animal were everywhere, but we could not find any critters in the old house. Brenda asked the resident biologist (me) what animals could have done this, and I, of course, had not a clue. Cats? Giant lizards? Land crabs? We continued our journey.

Kitchen, complete with pantry and food prep tables.

It was not difficult to imagine how beautiful this place was in it's day.

After doing some research once we returned to Pandion, we discovered that the island mansion had been built in the 1940's by Francis Francis, heir to the Standard Oil fortune, and his wife Patricia. Francis was a co-inventor of the ejection seat at the close of WW II, and had been an Olympic fencer and runner. His wife was a well known actress in England. Francis had purchased the island from his sister Joe Carstairs, who had achieved fame as a world class speedboat racer, and owned nearby Whale Cay.

Even the old spiral staircase had evidence of the mystery droppings.

Joe Carstairs, the original owner of Bird Cay.
Joe sold the island to her brother Francis, and continued to live on nearby Whale Cay.

Francis Francis (right), co-inventor of the ejection seat, with colleagues.

Patricia Francis, who passed away at age 93 in 2008,
continued to live at the Bird Cay mansion for many years.

Brenda following the entrance path to the mansion, examining the stone cottages.

We finally solved the mystery of the weird animal droppings. While heading back to the beach, we were surprised by a flock of large peacocks that were roaming about the grounds. Apparently the birds were part of the Bird Cay legacy, and we left them to continue their patrol of the old mansion.