Captain Eldon Eden Kirkconnell OBE, JP, was born in George Town, Grand Cayman, on June 23rd 1926. He was the third and last child of Captain Charles Gerald Kirkconnell and Mrs. Olivine Eden Kirkconnell.

For the first six years of his life, Eldon lived in Tampa, Florida, before he and his family returned to Cayman Brac in 1932. When they arrived, they found their house destroyed, and a lot of the island had been devastated by the 1932 hurricane. It was at this time that Mr. Aston Rutty (Pat’s father) asked Eldon’s Dad to stay in Cayman Brac and help him to rebuild the island.

Eldon lived in Cayman Brac, enjoying his time fishing, boating, and other island activities. At the age of 13, his father sent him to Munro College in Jamaica, where he became a prefect. Eldon was very active in school sports, including track and field, boxing, and cross-country running. At age 19, after passing his exams with high marks and earning his Cambridge Senior School Certificate, he immediately went to work on one of the family’s ships. He began as a sailor working his way up the ranks to Captain at the age of 23 when he earned his Master Mariner’s License.

In 1954, Eldon married his love, Natalie Patricia Rutty, daughter of Mr. Aston Rutty and Mrs. Ruth Merren Rutty, in George Town, Grand Cayman. After their marriage, they moved to Jamaica, where their two children, Gerald Aston and Debbie Ruth were born. For 15 years he sailed on his family’s ships throughout the Caribbean and different ports in the United States. His time at sea ended abruptly in 1961 due to the sudden death of his father, whom he loved dearly. Eldon returned to Cayman Brac immediately after his father’s death, and the decision was made between him and his brother Charles that Eldon would remain in Cayman Brac and manage the family businesses and Charles would return to Jamaica and manage the shipping business from there.

Shortly after moving back to the Brac, Eldon was persuaded to go into politics and run for Cayman Brac, where he topped the polls. Near the end of his three-year term in November of 1962, he decided to move to Grand Cayman with his family and open a supermarket. Quickly after arriving in Grand Cayman, he was again asked to run as a member of George Town in the next election. He agreed and once again topped the polls.

During a term as Minister of Communication and Works, Eldon was instrumental in getting Cable and Wireless to open a branch in Grand Cayman. He had the pleasure of making the first official long-distance call from Grand Cayman to England, and from that point on, the people of the islands were able to make long-distance calls to their family and friends. Another highlight from his time in government includes the opening of Radio Cayman, the island’s first radio station.

It was also during his time in office that the Government embarked on establishing Finance and Tourism as the main pillars of the Cayman economy.

While in office, Eldon and Pat were invited, as part of a group, to Jamaica to represent the Cayman Islands and have an audience with Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Eldon and Pat also had the honour of being invited on board the Royal Yacht Britannica when Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Prince Phillip visited Grand Cayman during their Caribbean tour.