Port Elisabeth was first settled around 1623. The location was well chosen as Elisabeth Bay was then the safest natural harbour in the Eastern Caribbean during hurricane season. The pirates Blackbeard and Basque Jack were based at the bay in the period of 1715-1718 Several localities sprung up around Port Elisabeth, namely Belmont (1655), Hamilton (1810), Union Vale (1838), Pretoria (1890) and Hope Estate (1917). To streamline administration it was decided to combine all these with Port Elisabeth to make one larger town.