The Story of My Barbados Family
Scroll down for an informal pictorial family history
In 1964 Herbert was tasked with opening a branch of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in St Vincent, now known as St Vincent and the Grenadines. He sailed Aurora from Barbados to St Vincent.
I think that this is a photo of the bank.
We were very happy in St Vincent. Everybody was very friendly and made us feel very welcome.
Our father, Herbert, had a wooden sailboat called Aurora. I think it was about twenty seven feet long. When Herbert was tasked with opening a new branch of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in St. Vincent, he was not going to leave his boat in Barbados!
The above shows Aurora entering the Careenage, Bridgetown. Herbert kept the boat at the Royal Barbados Yacht Club, as it was then known. The boat was brought to Bridgetown to do the required paperwork before leaving for St. Vincent.
St. Vincent was a hundred miles away across deep open ocean. Herbert made the trip navigating with a compass and a transistor radio!
I strongly desired to go on this adventure, but I was only thirteen and I had a habit of falling overboard!
At fifteen Anthony was chosen to crew. The others were Jacques Baldini, cousin Harold Jones and of course, Herbert.
Most of our school days were spent at our grandparents’ home, Windermere, in St. John, Barbados. We did fly to St. Vincent for most vacations. There we had many friends and enjoyed the parties and the fishing.
Herbert died in 1996 and it became easier for his wife Marjorie to travel.
When I (Ian) was exploring Wales, I came across the Ty Cook Farm. It was also a Bed and Breakfast. This old house reminded me of the “Plantation Great Houses” in Barbados. I enjoyed my visit so much that I returned with my family in 1998.
Mummy loved to go on vacations with us. We were headed down to Merlin’s Cave in Cornwall, England when she asked us to take a photo in front of this sign!
In 2002, Marjorie attended the wedding of Summer her eldest granddaughter. This photo was taken at Bakers Plantation which was owned by Summer’s maternal grandparents.
Here we are on the beach of Craigwell. Spion Kop would be on the right. Craigwell and Spion Kop were owned by Kingsland Estates Ltd. Kathy used to live at Spion Kop.
In 2003, Marjorie went with Ian’s family to Yosemite National Park in California. I am looking for those photos.
These were taken on 5th June 2005. Marjorie held a party for her family at the Crane Hotel.
This is Marjorie’s apartment in Barbados. The mahogany furniture is the same that I grew up with!
In late May of 2009, Marjorie flew from Texas to Miami.
Marjorie’s granddaughter married Ben in 2009.
Mummy was always game to try new things. Below we are eating at Rudy’s where there are no plates – the food is served on a sheet of grease proofed paper!
After flying from Barbados to Texas, Marjorie went to Miami, Florida. This was taken at Ian and Kathy’s home in Kendall, Miami. Christine Baldini was visiting and here she is showing Marjorie some photos on her camera.
Marjorie then flew with Ian to London, England to celebrate the eightieth birthday of her brother George. The party was on the 6th of June, 2009.
Marjorie also visited her family in England.
My recollections of my parents start in Belleville, where we lived on the 10th avenue. We first lived at “Constant”, a two story wooden home. Then we moved to “Bohemia”, which was close to George Street. Below Marjorie and Herbert in the backyard of Bohemia. The concrete wall runs along 10th Avenue. Behind the wall are towering palms. We called them Cabbage Palms, but their scientific name is Roystonea oleracea. They bore a “broom” which was used by our maid.
We were close to Bridgetown, and I recall my father coming home for lunch!
Here is an extended family photo taken in Barbados.
Laurence’s sisters were Helen Farmer, Katy Jones and May Marshall. Teddy and Katy’s daughter Audrey was married to Louis Seale.
This is a nice photo of my mother, but I don’t know the story behind it.
As a condition of his employment at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Herbert had to take a “long leave” every few years. The only stipulation that he was to head north to Canada or the US. My parents used to say with Dad’s uncle Leo in Brooklyn, New York. Leo’s wife Ida is on the left below.
Here is another unknown photo.
I am going to take a wild guess and say that the photo below was taken at Plymouth, Crane, St. Philip.
The photo below was probably taken on the south coast of Barbados. Marjorie is with her nieces, George’s girls.
Herbert was transferred to the nearby island of St. Vincent. Herbert had a sailboat, “Aurora.” I believe this group is seeing him off.
Below is a family reunion at Windermere, St. John, Barbados. Herbert, Marjorie and Ronnie would be visiting from St. Vincent.
Next: St. Vincent
Ronnie went to St. Vincent with our parents when he was about eight.
The photo above is probably related to the 100+ mile trip that Herbert made with Jacques Baldini from Barbados to St. Vincent on Herbert’s 27 foot sailboat Aurora. That trip will be covered later under Herbert’s memorial. Marjorie and Ronnie went by plane!
Another photo was taken on the same day, so I stuck it here. I cannot place the exact location below, but I guess it could be Belleville, St. Michael, Barbados.
In St. Vincent, our parents lived in “Tally Ho”, Villa.
Herbert once planted 600 pineapple plants on a neighbouring house lot. The volcanic soil produced the sweetest pineapples we had ever tasted.
This appears to be a costume party near Tally Ho, but I cannot identify anyone.
Our family were close to their good friends Phyllis and Ken Punnett. Phyllis and Ken lived in a beautiful home. They were very kind and hospitable.
Later Herbert built a house near the town of Calliaqua. Below Ronnie enjoys the view from his front yard.
My parents lived many years here.
Both homes were a short walk from the beach, and we could row or swim to Young Island. We enjoyed fishing and boating.
Herbert redesigned and rebuilt the “Cecily M.”, a thirty eight foot gaff rigged sloop. We loved to sail down the Grenadines!
All was not good for Ronnie. Because he was not perceived as a local he was attacked every day at school. He was fortunate that he grew early and was bigger than his assailants. He could successfully defend himself, but Marjorie had to do a lot of mending and laundry.