Bermuda: The Keep - Royal Naval Dockyard - Sandys Parish

The Keep

Royal Naval Dockyard

Sandys Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 19.714 W 064° 49.960

Short Description: 

The Keep is the fortress protecting the Royal Naval Dockyard. It is located at the north end of the Dockyard on the west end of Bermuda.

Long Description:

Construction of the Royal Naval Dockyard began in 1809 on the west end of Bermuda. Due to the fact that Bermuda is surrounded by reefs, it is the only location in Bermuda that is accessible to large cruise ships. At one time it was the largest British naval base outside the United Kingdom. It provided a vital strategic defense for British interests in the western Atlantic Ocean from the War of 1812 until after the Second World War. The area is defended by a fortress once known as the "Gibraltar of the West.”

The walled fortress Keep of the Royal Naval Dockyard encloses six acres of land. The interior is protected by seven bastions and ramparts that guard the north and east side of The Keep. Casemated gun emplacements, designed by the Royal Engineers, provided an outstanding overview of the Atlantic Ocean approaches to Bermuda.

The lower grounds of The Keep contain two bomb proof Georgian style stone magazines, a shell store, a filling room, and several workshops. The Commissioners House is the largest structure within The Keep. It is located in the north part of The Keep on the upper grounds. Other historic buildings include the Shifting House, Shifting House Office, Forsters Cooper House, and the Boatloft.

Today the fortress area is the home to the Bermuda Maritime Museum which preserves the history of the Dockyard and contains the Dolphin Quest exhibit where visitors may view and interact with dolphins. through exhibits

The stamp showing an aerial view of The Keep is part of a set of six stamps issued by Bermuda in 2004 depicting views of the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Bermuda: The Camber - Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Parish

The Camber

Royal Naval Dockyard

Sandys Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 19.596 W 064° 50.045

Short Description: 

The Camber is a harbor between the Keep and the Clock Tower Shopping Mall in the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Long Description:

The Camber is a deep water shelter surrounded by land on three sides which affords a safe anchorage for boats and ships in the Royal Naval Dockyard. It is centrally located among the Dockyard buildings. Before the construction of nearby King's Wharf and Heritage Wharf it was used by ships visiting the Dockyard. Now it is the harbor for Bermuda's pilot boats, the ferries to Hamilton and St. George, and private watercraft. Now that the larger ships can dock elsewhere, a new T-shaped pier extends from the north end of the Camber to accommodate smaller boats. Also the trees across the Camber have grown much taller since the stamp was issued in 2004.

The stamp depicting the Camber is part of a set of six stamps issued by Bermuda in 2004 depicting views of the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Bermuda: Bermuda Historical Society Museum - Hamilton

Bermuda Historical Society Museum

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.569 W 064° 47.173

Short Description: 

The Bermuda Historical Society Museum is located at 13 Queen Street, Hamilton, Bermuda.

Long Description:

Bermuda Historical Society Museum is a repository for a collection of important historical documents and artifacts about the history of Bermuda including a collection of coins and silver items made by local silversmiths.

Rubber Tree

The Georgian style house was once the home of William B Perot, who was Bermuda's first Post Master General. The two story structure has a wrap-around balcony, supported by green posts, on the second floor. An extension to the north side of the building is now the home of the Bermuda library. The front yard has a huge rubber tree planted by William Perot in 1847.

Hours of Operation: 

Monday through Saturday: 10 am to 2 pm

Sunday - Closed

Admission is free. Donations are accepted.

Bermuda: Chandelier and Cedar Ceiling Beams - St. Peter's Church, St. George

Chandelier and Cedar Ceiling Beams

St. Peter's Church

St. George, Bermuda

N 32° 22.885 W 064° 40.655

Short Description: 

The interior of St. Peter's Church in St. George, Bermuda contains silver chandeliers and exposed cedar beams and posts.

Long Description:

St. Peter's Church in St. George, Bermuda is believed to be the oldest continually used Anglican church in the Western hemisphere. The original wooden church built 1612 was destroyed in a storm and replaced by the present church. In 2012, on the 400th anniversary of the church, Queen Elizabeth II gave the church the royal title "Their Majesties Chapell."

The church was rebuilt with native Bermuda cedar. The ceiling has and exposed lattice framework of cedar beams. Beneath the ceiling 4" by 4" cedar post span the length of the church. Suspended about 6.5' above the aisle floor from cedar posts are silver candlelit chandeliers. The symmetrical fixture has 12 arms joined to a central hub. Each arm holds a glass lantern and fitted with a candle.

The stamp was issued by Bermuda in 2012 as part of a set of four stamps commemorating the 400th anniversary of St. Peter's Church.

Bermuda: Clock Tower of St. Peter's Church - St. George

Clock Tower of St. Peter's Church

St. George, Bermuda

N 32° 22.899 W 064° 40.661

Short Description: 

The Clock Tower of St Peter's Church is an addition on the north corner of the church building in St. George, Bermuda.

Long Description:

St. Peter's Church in St. George, Bermuda is believed to be the oldest continually used Anglican church in the Western hemisphere. The original wooden church built 1612 was destroyed in a storm and replaced by the present church. The church was extended in 1713 and the clock tower was added in the 19th century.

The tower is surrounded by an iron balcony just below the face of the clock. The clock face is light blue and the both the Roman numerals of the dial and the clock hands are gold. On top of the tower is a weather vane.

The stamp is part of a set of 4 stamps issued by Bermuda in 2012 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of St. Peter's Church.

Bermuda: Major General Sir William Reid - Hamilton

Major General Sir William Reid Obelisk

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.582 W 064° 46.870

Short Description: 

An obelisk in memory of Major General William Reid is located on the east grounds of the Cabinet Building in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Long Description:

Major General Sir William Reid was a British officer who served as an engineer, governor, and scientist who made significant contributions to the study of tropical storms in the North Atlantic.

William Reid was born in Kinglassie, Fife, Scotland in 1791. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich and recieved a commissioned as a Lieutenant of Engineers in 1809. He served with Wellington's army in Lisbon and participated in Sir Edward Pakenham's unsuccessful attack on New Orleans in 1815, at the close of the War of 1812.

In 1831 he was sent to the Leeward Islands to oversee reconstruction after the Great Barbados hurricane. During his stay of 2.5 years he began his study of topical storms and, during his life, published two studies on the subject. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1839.

In 1835 he served in the British Legion raised by the Queen Regent of Spain. He was then appointed by Queen Victoria to be the Governor of Bermuda, a position he held from 1839 to 1846. He was knighted in 1851 and promoted to Major General in 1856. He died in London in 1858 at age 67.

In 1861, a 25' high obelisk made of granite blocks was erected on the grounds of the Cabinet Building in his memory. The obelisk is surrounded by four steps and contains a bronze medallion with the left profile of Major General Sir William Reid on the front face. Below in very faint and weathered incised gold letters is the inscription:

ERECTED

A.D. MDCCCLXI

BY AUTHORITY OF THE LEGISLATURE

IN GRATEFUL REMEMBERANCE OF THE

PUBLIC SERVICES AND PRIVATE WORTH OF

MAJOR GEN SIR WILLIAM REID KCB

GOVERNOR OF BERMUDA FROM 1839 TO 1846

OBIIT 31 OCT. 1858 AE 67

Bermuda: Burial Ground for Slaves and Free Blacks - St. George

Burial Ground for Slaves and Free Blacks

St. George, Bermuda

N 32° 22.891 W 064° 40.672

Short Description: 

The burial ground for slaves and free blacks is located at the far western side of the grounds of St. Peter's Church in St. George, Bermuda.

Long Description:

St. Peter's Church in St. George, Bermuda is believed to be the oldest continually used Anglican church in the Western hemisphere. The original wooden church built 1612 was destroyed in a storm and replaced by the present church. The church was extended in 1713 and the clock tower was added in the 19th century.

Outside is a churchyard cemetery with a wall separating two graveyards. A walled area to the far west of the church was for slaves and free blacks while the one east of the wall was reserved for whites. The graveyard for slaves and free blacks is a significant site on the African Diaspora Heritage Trail of Bermuda which traces the legacy of Bermuda's slavery.

In 1698, St. George had a population of 1,124, one-third of whom were blacks who were mostly brought in from Africa as slaves. As the blacks converted to Christianity they became entitled to Christian burials. In the latter half of the 17th century the existing graveyard was extended to the west for the burial of both slaves and free blacks.

A bronze plaque on the wall on the left side of the entrance to the burial ground is inscribed:

BURIAL GROUND

FOR SLAVES

AND FREE BLACKS

PLAQUE ERECTED IN 1997 BY

THE ST. GEORGE'S CRICKET CLUB.

A bronze plaque on the wall on the right side of the entrance to the burial ground identifies it as an official UNESCO Slave Route Site. The central part of the plaque depicts a black family, a mother, father and two children walking hand in hand between a palm tree and a deciduous tree and above a stone wall. The plaque is inscribed:

THE BERMUDA DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL

{Globe With Bermuda Greatly Enlarged}

BERMUDA

OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED A UNESCO

SLAVE ROUTE PROJECT

St. Peter's Church

GRAVEYARD FOR SLAVES

AND FREE BLACKS

For nearly two Hundred years this

western extension of the 

church's graveyard

was the burial ground for the enslaved

or free Blacks of St. George Parish.

The burial ground stamp was issued by Bermuda in 2010 as part of a set of four stamps depicting sites on the UNESCO African Diaspora Heritage Trail. The stamp showing the UNESCO plaque was issued in by Bermuda in 2012 as part of a set of four stamps issued to commemorate the 400th anniversary of St. Peter's Church.

Bermuda: Dockyard Gate - Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Parish

Dockyard Gate

Royal Naval Dockyard

Sandys Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 19.455 W 064° 50.131

Quick Description: 

The Dockyard Gate is located on Pender Road at the south entrance to the Royal Naval Dockyard in the west end of Bermuda.



Long Description:

The Royal Naval Dockyard was built in 1809 on the west end of Bermuda. Due to the fact that Bermuda is surrounded by reefs, it is the only location in Bermuda that is accessible to large cruise ships. At one time it was the largest British naval base outside the United Kingdom. It provided a vital strategic defense for British interests in the western Atlantic Ocean from the War of 1812 until after the Second World War. The area is defended by a fortress once known as the "Gibraltar of the West.”

Today the dockyard buildings have been restored and converted for commercial use. The buildings, that once housed the administration offices for the British Royal Navy, are now home to the Clock Tower Shopping Mall which contains boutique shops, arts and crafts studios and restaurants. The fortress is home to the National Museum of Bermuda.

A sign on the fence adjacent to the gate give the history of the Dockyard Gate. it is inscribed:

THE DOCKYARD GATE

Completed in 1842

Constructed during the reign of

Queen Victoria, this gate was

originally the innermost in line of

defensive gates protecting the land

approach to the Dockyard. The 

outlying bastion defenses and outer

gates were removed between 1901

and 1907 when the South Yard was

constructed. Above each pedestrian 

gate is a plaque displaying the Royal

Coat-of-Arms and a stone on its inner 

face records its construction date.

The stamp is part of a set of six stamps issued by Bermuda in 2004 showing views of the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Bermuda: U.S. Armed Forces Commemorative Anchor - St. George

U.S. Armed Forces Commemorative Anchor

St. George, Bermuda

N 32° 22.773 W 064° 40.735

Short Description: 

A large Naval Stockless anchor commemorating the presence of the U.S. Armed Forces in Bermuda is located in a small park between Hunter's and Penno's Wharf in St. George, Bermuda.

Long Description:

This commemorative anchor is easily seen in a busy area near the ferry dock in St. George. A large 10' tall gray Naval Stockless anchor includes an artistically welded chain. A bronze plaque at ground level is inscribed:

This anchor is presented to

the Corporation of St. George's

on the 28th day of June 1995

By the United States Navy,

in commemoration of the U.S. Armed Forces

presence in Bermuda from 1941 - 1995

and in recognition of

the mutual alliance and continued friendship

with the citizens of St. George's

Bermuda: Victualling Yard Gateway - Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Parish

Victualling Yard Gateway

Royal Naval Dockyard

Sandys Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 19.631 W 064° 50.052

Quick Description: 

The Gateway to the Victualling Yard of the Royal Naval Dockyard is located on the west of of the walled compound and east of Dockyard Terrace in the west end of Bermuda.

Long Description:

Under Queen Elizabeth I, a Surveyor General of the Victuals was appointed to oversee contracts for food and other provisions for the Royal Navy. At dockyards throughout the British Empire the Victualling Board built breweries to supply beer, slaughterhouses to provide salted meat, and mills to create flour for the bakeries to produce biscuits for the ships under the quality control of the Board. These various facilities were consolidated into Victualling Yards.

The Royal Naval Dockyard was built in 1809 on the west end of Bermuda. Due to the fact that Bermuda is surrounded by reefs, it is the only location in Bermuda that is accessible to large cruise ships. At one time it was the largest British naval base outside the United Kingdom. It provided a vital strategic defense for British interests in the western Atlantic Ocean from the War of 1812 until after the Second World War. The area is defended by a fortress once known as the "Gibraltar of the West.”

Today the the area around the Victualling Yard of the Royal Naval Dockyard the Bermuda houses the Bermuda Craft Market and the Bermuda Arts Center.

The stamp is part of a set of six stamps issued by Bermuda in 2004 showing views of the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Bermuda: Settlement of Bermuda/Admiral Sir George Somers - St. George, Bermuda

Settlement of Bermuda

Admiral Sir George Somers 

St. George, Bermuda

N 32° 22.917 W 064° 40.568

Quick Description:

A 20' tall obelisk contains a plaque commemorates the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Bermuda and its founder Admiral Sir George Somers. It it located at the entrance to Somers' Garden on Duke of York Street in St. George Bermuda.


Long Description:

A 20' high obelisk made of stone blocks commemorates the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Bermuda and honors the founder of Bermuda, Admiral Sir George Somers.

In 1609, Sir George Somers was appointed as Admiral of the Virginia Company's Third Supply relief fleet and was sent to the Jamestown colony in present day Virginia. On June 2, 1609, he sailed from Plymouth, England on the Sea Venture, the flagship of the seven-ship fleet. The ships encounter a storm on July 25th and were separated. The Sea Venture began to leak rapidly. On July 28th he spotted land, what is now Bermuda. He had to purposely drive his ship on a reef to prevent it from sinking. All of the 150 people on board were able to safely reach shore.

While ashore, the crew and passengers built a church and houses. This was the beginning of the settlement of Bermuda colony. Admiral Somers oversaw the construction of two small ships, the Deliverance and the Patience, from local timber and the wreckage of the Sea venture. They then and sailed to the original destination, the Jamestown Colony, to deliver much needed supplies. Thus enabling the survival of the colony.

The plaque contains a bas-relief sculpture of Admiral Sir George Somers above his ship the Sea Venture which is shown foundering on a reef. Below is the following inscription:

1609 - 1909

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE

SETTLEMENT OF THESE ISLANDS

ON THE 28TH DAY OF JULY 1609

AND 

IN HONOR OF ADMIRAL

SIR GEORGE SOMERS KT.

AT WHOSE INSTANCE LARGELY

THE SETTLEMENT WAS EFFECTED

THIS MEMORIAL

HAS BEEN ERECTED OUT OF A

GRANT MADE BY THE LEGISLATURE

OF THIS COLONY

Bermuda: City Hall Weather Vane - Hamilton, Bermuda

City Hall Weather Vane

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.660 W 064° 47.130

Short Description: 

An unusual weather vane is located on the west side of the front of Hamilton City Hall located at 17 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda

Long Description:

The weather vane on Hamilton City Hall is an unusual and iconic feature of the building. The 91' high tower on the front of the building has a weather vane on the roof which is a replica of the ship the H.M.S. Sea Venture. In 1609, this ship was sailed by Sir George Somers the first settler of Bermuda. He purposely grounded the ship on the reef outside present day St. George to prevent the ship from sinking, thereby saving all the passengers and crew members aboard. These survivors then founded the first settlement in Bermuda. The beautiful blue, gold and black dial on the front of the tower has a single dial which reports the wind direction.

The stamp is part of a set of four stamps issued by Bermuda on June 24, 1974 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Rotary International in Bermuda.

Bermuda: Gosling Brothers Ltd. - Hamilton, Bermuda

Gosling Brothers Ltd.

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.536 W 064° 47.154

Short Description: 

Gosling Brothers Limited company store is located on Front Street and Queen Street in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Long Description:

In 1806 James Gosling sailed from England with a cargo of spirits bound for the American colonies. His ship was beset by calm, his charter expired, and so he sailed for the nearest port of St. George, Bermuda. There he opened a store which was the start the Gosling Rum Company. Today Gosling Rum is Bermuda's leading export.

In front of the company store on Front Street is a mosaic of the clipper ship Mercury which recalls the company's past and appears on their bottles of gold rum. The rectangular mosaic is 3' long and 2.5' high.

Address: 
Gosling Brothers Limited
33 Queen Street
Hamilton, Pembroke Parish Bermuda

Bermuda: Hamilton Ferry Terminal - Hamilton, Bermuda

Hamilton Ferry Terminal

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.482 W 064° 47.184

Short Description: 

The Hamilton Ferry Terminal is located at Albouy's Point near downtown Hamilton, Bermuda.

Long Description:

The Bermuda ferry service, known as Sea Express, is operated by the Government of Bermuda's Department of Marine and Ports Services. They are responsible for the safe movement of both international shipping and local ferry transportation service between the islands of Bermuda. They operate public ferries over several routes. The three main docks are located at the Royal Naval Dockyard, the town of St. George, and the capital, Hamilton.

In 2002, Sea Express, part of Department of Marine and Ports Services, opened a new ferry terminal and docking facility in the Albouy's Point in Hamilton, Bermuda. This ferry service accommodates West End residents and workers and cruise ship passengers from Heritage and King's Wharf going to and from Hamilton. The Hamilton Ferry terminal also provides service to and from Warwick Parish, Paget Parish, and Southampton Parish.

Officiating at the opening were several dignitaries including: the then Premier of Bermuda, Jennifer M. Smith, Premier of Bermuda; Ewart F. Brown, Minister of Transportation; W. Alexander Scott, Minister of Works and Engineering; Lawson E. Mapp, Mayor of Hamilton; Willard Fox.

Jennifer Meredith Smith was born in 1947 in Bermuda. She attended the Art Institute of Bermuda before returning to Bermuda as a reporter. She was appointed to the Bermuda Senate in 1980 and was elected to the House of Assembly in 1989 as a member of the Progressive Labour Party. Upon her party winning the election of 1998, as leader of her party, She became the premier of Bermuda as post she held until 2003. She presided over the opening of the Hamilton Ferry Terminal on March 27, 2002.

Ewart Frederick Brown, Jr., was a Member of the Assembly and Minister of Transportation at the opening of the Hamilton Ferry Terminal. He oversaw the public bus system, taxis, marine ports and ferries, vehicle licensing, and aviation. A progressive leader, he modernized the Bermuda's obsolete ferry system with new and faster, 205-seat catamarans, the Serenity and the Resolute. He became Premier of Bermuda from 2006 to 2010. A physician by profession, he is the medical director of Bermuda Healthcare Services.

A polished black granite plaque is embedded in the top of a 4' high cinder block platform. The plaque commemorated the opening of the Dockyard Ferry Dock which provides ferry service to St. George and Hamilton, Bermuda.

The plaque contains the image of a ferry and the following inscription:

Hamilton Ferry Terminal

Opened on 27 March 2002

by

The Hon. Jennifer M. Smith, JP, DHum, MP, The Premier of Bermuda

Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP, Minister of Transport

The Hon. W. Alex Scott, JP, MP, Minister of Works and Engineering

The Rt. Wor. Lawson E. Mapp, JP, The Mayor of Hamilton

Mr. Willard Fox

Sea Express

You Gotta Sea It!

Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP

Minister of Transport

Bermuda: Dockyard Ferry Dock - Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Parish, Bermuda

Dockyard Ferry Dock

Royal Naval Dockyard

Sandys Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 19.587 W 064° 50.003

Short Description: 

The new Dockyard Ferry Dock is on the west end of Bermuda near the cruise ship wharves.

Long Description:

The Bermuda ferry service, known as Sea Express, is operated by the Government of Bermuda's Department of Marine and Ports Services. They are responsible for the safe movement of both international shipping and local ferry transportation service between the islands of Bermuda. They operate public ferries over several routes. The three main docks are located at the Royal Naval Dockyard, the town of St. George, and the capital, Hamilton.

In 2002, Sea Express, part of Department of Marine and Ports Services, opened a new docking facility in the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island North. This ferry dock predominately accommodates the cruise ship passengers that utilize the Kings Wharf that was built to handle the newer and larger cruise ships that could not reach the ports of St. George or Hamilton.

Officiating at the opening were several dignitaries including: the then Premier of Bermuda, Jennifer M. Smith; C. Eugene Cox, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance; Ewart F. Brown, Minister of Transportation; Lois M. Browne-Evans, Attorney General and Minister of Legislative Affairs; Walter M. Lister, Deputy Speaker House of Assembly.

Jennifer Meredith Smith was born in 1947 in Bermuda. She attended the Art Institute of Bermuda before returning to Bermuda as a reporter. She was appointed to the Bermuda Senate in 1980 and was elected to the House of Assembly in 1989 as a member of the Progressive Labour Party. Upon her party winning the election of 1998, as leader of her party, She became the premier of Bermuda as post she held until 2003. She presided over the opening of the Dockyard Ferry Dock on June 11, 2002.

Ewart Frederick Brown, Jr., was a Member of the Assembly and Minister of Transportation at the opening of the Dockyard Ferry Dock. He oversaw the public bus system, taxis, marine ports and ferries, vehicle licensing, and aviation. A progressive leader, he modernized the Bermuda's obsolete ferry system with new and faster, 205-seat catamarans, the Serenity and the Resolute. He became Premier of Bermuda from 2006 to 2010. A physician by profession, he is the medical director of Bermuda Healthcare Services.

A polished black granite plaque is embedded in the top of a 4' high cinder block platform. The plaque commemorated the opening of the Dockyard Ferry Dock which provides ferry service to St. George and Hamilton, Bermuda.

The plaque contains the image of a ferry and the following inscription:

Dockyard Ferry Dock

Opened on 11 June 2002

by

The Hon. Jennifer M. Smith, JP, DHum, MP, The Premier of Bermuda

The Hon. C. Eugene Cox, JP, MP, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance

The Hon. Dame Lois M. Browne-Evans, DBE, JP, MP, Attorney General

and Minister of Legislative Affairs

Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP, Minister of Transport

Mr. Walter M. Lister, JP, MP, Deputy Speaker House of Assembly

Sea Express

You Gotta Sea It!

Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP

Minister of Transport

Bermuda: Bermudian Heritage Museum - St. George, Bermuda

Bermudian Heritage Museum

St. George, Bermuda

N 32° 22.923 W 064° 40.491

Quick Description: 

The Bermudian Heritage Museum is located on the corner of West Water Street and Duke of York Street in St. George, Bermuda.

Long Description:

The Bermudian Heritage Museum is housed in the former Grand United Order of Good Samaritans Lodge which was once home to the Friendly Society that assisted emancipated slaves. It is now a stop on the UNESCO African Diaspora Heritage Trail. The museum preserves the accomplishments of Black Bermudians.

A bronze UNESCO African Diaspora Heritage Trail plaque on the front wall has a globe with an over-sized map of Bermuda and a bas-relief sculpture depicting Black Bermudians in native dress participating in a celebration. The plaque is inscribed:

THE BERMUDA DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL

{Globe With Bermuda Greatly Enlarged}

BERMUDA

OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED A UNESCO

SLAVE ROUTE PROJECT

BERMUDIAN HERITAGE MUSEUM

This museum tells the story of the accomplishments

od Black Bermudians. This building was the 

meeting place of one of the Black Lodges formed

after slavery was abolished in 1834

The stamp was issued by Bermuda in 2010 as part of a set of four stamps depicting sites on the UNESCO African Diaspora Heritage Trail.

Bermuda: Cabinet Building - Hamilton, Bermuda

Cabinet Building

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.579 W 064° 46.885

Short Description: 

The present day Cabinet Building was built to house the Colonial Secretariat. It is located at 105 Front Street in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Long Description:

The Cabinet Building is where the Bermuda Cabinet of Ministers and other top officials meet. The Premier and at least six other members of the Legislature comprise the Cabinet. The majority leader in the House of Assembly is appointed by the Governor to be the Premier who will nominate the other members to be on the Cabinet. The Cabinet is responsible for coordinating Government Departments, formulating policies and reports to the Legislature.

The Classical style Cabinet Building was designed in 1837 by an officer of the Royal Engineers serving in Bermuda. It opened in 1884 and was known as the Public Building. It housed the Customs Department, Treasury Department, and the Bermuda Library on the ground floor and the Council Room and the Secretariat on the upper floor. The Council and the Secretariat still hold their meeting in the Cabinet Building. In 1968, it became the office of Bermuda's Premier.

The stamp was part of a set of 18 definitive stamps issued from 1962 to 1965 each showing a scene from Bermuda.

Bermuda: Cenotaph - Hamilton, Bermuda

Cenotaph

Hamilton, Bermuda

Bermuda Cenotaph

London Cenotaph

N 32° 17.562 W 064° 46.885

Short Description: 

The Bermuda Cenotaph is located in front of the Cabinet Building on Front Street in Hamilton, Bermuda. it is an exact replica of the British Cenotaph, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, which is  located at Whitehall in London, England.

Long Description:

The Bermuda Cenotaph is a memorial to those from Bermuda who died during the World War I and World War II. It was built in 1920 of limestone blocks. The monument is 35' tall. On each side are carved wreaths. On the front and the back are three flags that represent the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British Army. saluting the sacrifice of the brave soldiers.

The left side of the Cenotaph has the following inscriptions:

MCM

XIV

THE 

GLORIOUS

DEAD

1914 - 1918

1939 - 1945

The right side has the following inscriptions:

MCM

XIX

THE 

GLORIOUS

DEAD

1914 - 1918

1939 - 1945

A bronze plaque at ground level on the front of the Cenotaph is inscribed:

THIS FOUNDATION

WAS LAID BY

H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES

ON THE 

1ST OF OCTOBER 1920 

Bermuda: "We Arrive" at Barr's Bay Park - Hamilton, Bermuda[

"We Arrive" at Barr's Bay Park

Hamilton, Bermuda

N 32° 17.467 W 064° 47.301

Short Description: 

The sculpture "We Arrive" at Barr's Bay Park near downtown Hamilton, Bermuda commemorates the historical events of 1856 that restored of the Civil Rights of 172 American slaves by the courts and people of Bermuda.

Long Description:

In 1835 a group of 172 slaves from America chose to gained their freedom on the shore of Barr's Bay Park. In 2010 a sculpture was unveiled to commemorate the event. A plaque on the retaining wall between Pitt's Bay Road and Barr's Bay Park has a plaque that describes the event. The plaque is inscribed:

THE BERMUDA DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL

{Globe With Bermuda Greatly Enlarged}

BERMUDA

OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED A UNESCO

SLAVE ROUTE PROJECT

Enterprise Landing Site Barr's Bay Park

In 1856 the American brig Enterprise was on its way from Alexandria,

Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina and was driven off course

by a violent storm and had to put into Bermuda for provisions

On board were 78 slaves due to be sold once the vessel

reached its destination.

But slavery was now illegal in Bermuda and the ship in violation of

island laws. the slaves were brought ashore at Barr's Bay Park which is

located in the City of Hamilton and taken before the Chief Magistrate

where they were given the opportunity to stay in Bermuda

and become free or continue with the ship and be sold.

all but one mother and her five children chose

to remain on the island.

"We Arrive" is a bronze sculpture created by Bermuda artist Chesley Trott in 2009. It is installed in Barr's Bay Park near downtown Hamilton. The sculpture depicts a group of five stylized former slaves arriving on the shore of Barr's Bay Park. The sculpture rests on a bronze plinth set on an irregular octagonal base made of brick and concrete. The sculpture commemorates an historical event which is explained in detail by a plaque at the base of the sculpture.

The plaque contains the coat-of-arms of the City of Hamilton and the following inscription:

"We Arrive" 

Less that one year after Bermuda's slaves won emancipation, in early

1835, the American Brigantine Enterprise having set sail from Virginia

was blown off course by a savage inter storm and forced to seek

refuge in this harbour. When safely moored, the brig was discovered to

hold a 'human cargo' of 78 slaves who, as a result of a Habeas Corpus

obtained by the islands' Black Friendly Societies, were offered their

freedom by the Bermuda Courts on February 18th 1835.

Local artist Chesley Trott was commissioned by The Corporation 

of Hamilton to create this sculpture, unveiled on the 175th Anniversary

of the historic day, to commemorate not only the freed 172 men, women 

and children who accepted Bermuda as their home, but a community

who offered this rare gift.

A smaller plaque at the base of the sculpture is inscribed:

"We Arrive"

Chesley Trott

b. Bermuda, 1930

Collection of the City of Hamilton