historical and archaeological socie ty the museum of ...extracted from “the daily observer...

Historical and Archaeological Society

The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda

“Knowledge to be of any Value must be Communicated”

HAS Newsletter No. 137 April, May, June 2017

In this Issue…

Leading archaeologist pleads for

developers to assess their sites

Extracted from “The Daily Observer

Newspaper”

, 2

Historical Roots of Street dancing

By Selvyn Walter

Page 3, 4

Untold History Behind Bangles

(Manillas): “Slave Trade Money” To

the Must Have Accessory

Excerpt from Origin Culture

Page 4, 5

Coarse Salt

By Selvyn Walter

Page 5, 6, 7

Christmas to Carnival

From Culture Magazine by Cultural

Division Vol. 3 July 1993

Page 7, 8, 9,10,11,12

Archaeologist calls for laws to protect

historical sites Extracted from “The Daily Observer

Newspaper”

Page12, 13

Chronological

Inventory of Antigua Newspapers

Page 13

Muse News

Page 14

Notices and Events

Page 15, 16

Leading archaeologist pleads for developers to

assess their sites

Extracted from “The Daily Observer Newspaper”

Dr. Reginald Murphy

Antigua & Barbuda’s

leading archaeologist is

pleading with developers to

assess the historical and

archaeological value of their

properties before they begin

construction.

The call came a day after the

Development Control

Authority (DCA) reported

it sent inspectors to Yida International Investment Antigua Limited’s

construction site at Guiana Island after the developer bulldozed a

historic Arawak site.

He said that the site in question was known to be a “late period

Arawak site that dates from around 900 AD to 1200 AD” and added,

“To state any mo re than that I would be guessing because the site

no longer exists except for a very small part of it. This site was in

thick bushes for all these years and because of that no one has ever

done a thorough survey.”

Dr Murphy argued that developers should not view an archaeological

assessment of their site as a process that would impede their projects.

“The policy in archaeology is not to stop development but to guide

development and assist.

(Continued on page 2)


Leading archaeologist pleads for developers to assess

their sites

(Continued from page 1)

To know the history of a site enriches your development and enriches your

project. We recover what we can before it’s developed but it’s a one way

road – once it’s destroyed that’s it, he said.

Dr. Murphy used the proposed Royalton Antigua Hotel & Resort at Deep

Bay Beach as a successful example of a developer incorporating an

archaeological assessment before developing their site.

At a September 2016 public consultation following the study done on that

site Dr. Murphy said, “We found no archaeological material of serious

significance to say that this project cannot happen”

Dr. Murphy told OBSERVER media that it was not often that a site was “so

rare that we’d recommend we may not want to build on it”.

However, he added that many precious sites had been built on in the last

three decades without regard to their historical significance.

“I don’t know of any laws that protect these sites in Antigua. So the status of

these sites in Antigua. So the status of these sites is unclear. National Parks

was given a mandate to look at some of these sites and monitor them, but

they don’t have the resources to protect and save everything,” Dr. Murphy

said.

Board of Directors

Walter Berridge

Chairman

Reg Murphy

President

Janice Augustin

Secretary

Avril Hector

Susan Lowes

Janice Okeefe

Members

Dame Louise Lake-Tack

Honourable Member

Museum Staff

Michele Henry

Curator

Debbie Joseph

Gift Shop Attendant

Myra Piper

Library Researcher

Data Base Clerk

Lisa Francis

Museum Assistant

Library Researcher

Mary Johnson

Heritage Education Tour

Guide

Museum Assistant

Mr. Esrom Philip

Museum Maintenance

Mrs. Suzanne Graham

Cleaner

Deep Bay


Historical Roots of Street dancing By Selvyn Walter

Excerpt from a series of articles entitled “NOT A

DRUM WAS HEARD” On the Paradox of a Lifetime

of Service, Old Age, and Eventual Death. Part

Seventy Four (Published in the Daily Observer July

13th

, 1996)

I have been approached by several people who

have wanted to know why the police usually

looked the other way when the Christmas revelers

ostensibly broke many of the laws and did things

for which they would normally have been

arrested. I intend to attempt the reasons behind

the license that the police grant to people to

misbehave. Even today during the Carnival

Celebrations, the police are usually very tolerant

and tend to ignore behavior which they would not

normally condone.

This attitude has historical roots and a

significance that goes back to the days of the

Christmas Celebrations of hundreds of year ago.

At the height of the 1736 King Court Rebellion,

there were 24,000 slaves and 3,000 whites in

Antigua. The troops in Antigua numbered 155

and were composed of 5 companies. Each

company contained 31 men. The population

ratio posed a serious problem to the Colonial

authorities. How could the whole system survive

if the whites were so heavily outnumbered? The

answer, they argued lay in providing a series of

safety valves that would allow the system to

breathe easier, (in spite of the harshness of the

laws that governed both the existence of the

slaves and the relationship between Blacks and

Whites).

Military Alert

The Blacks danced in the streets, they sang their

songs, drank their liquor and behaved with an

unheard of, reckless abandon. On the other

hand, the whites in the military and the military

and the citizens’ militia remained on “military

alert” during these three days of festivities.

They patrolled the streets of St. John's,

patrolled the Estates and heavily armed,

stood ready to repel any rebellion that

might have been scheduled to take place

during this season, when the slaves enjoyed

one of their rare bouts of freedom during

the calendar year.

No Drums, No Horns!

From the 1680's when the slaves used to "run

away" to the Sherkeley Mountains and up to the

late 1720's, the beating of drums or any thing

that could be substituted for a drum, the blowing

of Conch-Shells, and horns or anything that

could be used as a horn, was prohibited by law.

It was recognised that signals could be sent by

drumming and by the blowing of horns. In fact,

in the days preceding the confrontation of the

1736 Rebellion, the slaves had been using

conch-shells to send signals for secret meetings.

They blew them in the area of the East Bus

Station, in Ottos Pasture and in the used as a

Sunday Market.

Temporary Relaxation of Rules

At Christmas, however, the rules against

drumming and the blowing of horns seem to

have been relaxed and the slaves brought their

music and dancing and feting to St. John’s.

Some did their dancing on the Estates. Thus

the Christmas festivities were a period of

"freedom and license". The slaves enjoyed

their Bacchanal and the authorities did not

interfere with them.



Historical Roots of Street Dancing (Continued from page 3)

In this tradition, the Christmas Street dancing

continued after the Abolition of Slavery and,

until the Christmas festivities died and gave

way to the Carnival Celebrations, there was this

accepted pattern of behaviour where the police

turned a blind eye to many things that took

place in the tumultuous jam sessions that had

been created in the streets. When the authorities

felt threatened and did not want to hear any

drums or horns, the slaves danced to the tune of

other instruments and it was in adverse

situations like these that the custom of singing

in whole bands to the tunes that had been made,

was born.


(Manillas): “Slave Trade Money” To

the Must Have Accessory Excerpt from Origin Culture

For many parents with newborn children in the

Caribbean, it is an expected gift. Thus, shopping for

a toddler’s christening of first birthday is not a

difficult task.

While one appreciates the gesture of the copper or

silver, the gold is preferred. Each child wears it until

his/her wrist outgrows it, however, it is expected that

the child will keep this important piece of jewelry

and pass it on to their offspring.

We also see them adorning the wrist of many

West Indian women. In addition to being a

highly desired piece of fashion jewelry, it also

serves as a symbol of social status. The more

gold pieces one has, it serves as an indication

that she possesses wealth. The current

representation of this piece of jewelry is quite

ironic given its powerful roots and history.

Most West Indians refer to them as ‘bangles’

however, historically they are known as manilas

or okpoho/Okombo/abi. Once a form of currency

for West African peoples, manillas would

become one of the main currencies of choice

during the slave trade to the Americas. Their

usage during this time in history was of such

prevalence that they were often referred to as

“slave trade money.”

While there are many theories surrounding the

orijin of manilas, it is known that it was worn by

women along West African coast as a symbol of

their husband’s wealth. The horseshoe shaped

bracelet or ‘bangles’ are often decorated with

balls on each end. In its inception, these

bracelets/’bangles’ were predominantly made

from copper as it was the “red gold” of Africa.

Noticing the importance of this piece of jewelry

to West African, Portuguese merchants began to

produce these pieces as a means of currency.

Manillas are typically horse-shaped with flared

ends. Africans from each region had names for

each variety of manila and were very particular

about the types they would accept.




(Manillas): “Slave Trade Money”

to the must have Accessory


They valued the Manillas by the sound they

made when struck and used them as the

dominant form of currency for many things

including everyday market purchases, bride

price and burials. The main purpose of the

manila – the trading and purchase of slaves-

fostered a system where the incoming voyage of

Europeans took manillas to West Africa to

obtain slaves, who were then taken to the

Americas to live a life of bondage. The price of

a slave valued in manillas varied depending on

the time, place and type being offered.

The demise of the slave trade resulted in the

prohibition of manilas as a form of currency. A

constant reminder and a tangible symbol of

slavery and the slave trade, the British initialed

a major recall of all manilas and replaced them

with the British West African currency. Many

of the existing manilas were collected,

confiscated and sold as scrap. Much of it was

melted and transformed in other usable goods.

While many of us in the Caribbean know that

these “bangles” are somehow linked to slavery

and the slave trade, many of us are unaware of

the exact history and circumstances surrounding

their prevalence and usage today is that they still

hold true to its original purpose of being symbol

of wealth. Some might look at the continuation

of these pieces in the form of fashion accessories

as a way preserving and honouring their culture

and history, however, others might look at it as a

reminder of an unfortunate part of African

history where Africans sold each other for a

piece of metal.

End

Coarse Salt By Selvyn Walter

Excerpt from a series of articles entitled “NOT A

DRUM WAS HEARD” On the Paradox of a

Lifetime of Service, Old Age, and Eventual

Death. Part Seventy Four (Published in the Daily

Observer September 21st, 1996)

Among poor people there was never a

surplus of meat, for if a pig or goat or cow

was accidentally killed, the portion that

could not be sold was turned into "corned

meat". It must be remembered that until the

1950's when refrigerators began to make a

bid to enter the lives of Antiguans,

COARSE SALT was the saviour that solved

the meat problems of the majority of people,

In those days, SALT, real salt that came

from the Salt Ponds was sold and used by

everyone. Five Island Village was famous

for the salt that the villagers harvested from

Yepton's Salt Pond. Today salt pond at

Yeptons has been inundated by the sea. It no

longer bears salt but has become a beautiful

lagoon across which tourist look and view

the Caribbean Sea.



Coarse Salt


The salt industry today has died and the Salt

Ponds have either been "filled-in" or have

become so contaminated and polluted that they

never bear salt.

There are so many young people existing today who

have not the faintest idea of how salt was farmed

and harvested. Those were the days of coarse salt

where your mother or the person who

was cooking, knew by instinct or experience how

many lumps of coarse salt to use. Fine salt is a

recent phenomenon that began creeping into our

culture in the 1950’s. Today the fine salt has been

“iodised” and laced with all sorts of high sounding

compound names, which names we have been

assured represent nutritional elements that ought

to present us with a better balance in our diets. The

doctors have assured us that fine salt that has been

“iodised” will prevent us from developing

GOITRES. Many people do not know that the fine

salt to which we are being subjected has been

mined deep in the earth from many inland areas of

North America. The good old “coarse salt” that so

many of people have grown to despise was

manufactured every year in the salt ponds by the

good old tropical sun from pure sea water. Water

that was chock full of iodine. This was a salt that

needed no double barreled hyphenated tongue

twisting names that represented ingredients that

they tell us will help to make us healthy and

balance our diets.


1964 Salt Pond at Deep Bay

Working salt at Deep Bay in the 1950’s


Coarse Salt


Salt Ponds Have Died

The Salt Ponds have died. There are no films

no video tapes, no photographic displays of

the days of "picking salt" when the selling of

coarse salt constituted the livelihood of many

families in some villages. The salt was healthy

salt and as the salt ponds have been filled with

sewage and other pollutants they have given

way to the modern tourist trade. The pleasure

of walking among salt and of separating

coarse salt from fine salt and of watching the

sun ripen the salt has been a thing of the past.

For the salt ponds (there were salt ponds that

didn't bear salt) and the salt industry NOT A

DRUM HAS BEEN HEARD.

Associated with the "drying up" of the salt

ponds the harvesting of mullets. Thousands of

fish became entrapped in the limited water as

the sun beat mercilessly on the salt ponds and

"dried up" the water. This phenomenon was a

seasonal source of an abundant supply of fish

to many villagers. It became a seasonal source

of protein. Today that phenomenon is no

more. And, even if a salt pond would have the

effrontery in this modern age of polluted

waters, to dry-up no person in his or her right

mind would venture to eat the fish that could

be seen gasping for breath and foundering in

the shallow water. Antigua has said good-bye

"mullet-catching" in dried up salt ponds.

Christmas to Carnival From Culture Magazine by Cultural Division

Vol. 3 July 1993

From the earliest documented reports, Antigua

has always had a reputation for hospitality; but

Christmas was the season of the year when

conviviality was at height. During the festivities,

relatives met together from all parts of the island,

friendships were renewed, family differences

happily adjusted, and “sweet concord with

beaming smile, wreathed once more her golden

chain”.

Notwithstanding this seasonal bliss, it comes as a

painful reminder of the lot of the slaves to note

that up until Emancipation, martial law was put

into effect from Christmas Eve until December

27.

By 1844 the situation had changed to such an

extent that Christmas Day was ushered in with

the sounds of fiddles and drums, with parties of

negroes going around town from about 4a.m.

This was the general pattern of the Christmas

celebrations for the following fifty years. The

holiday period gradually lengthened into one

week, climaxing with New Years Day. The

African presence made itself increasingly felt,

and various other ethnic groups made a

considerable cultural input at the celebrations. It

is however interesting to read in “To Shoot Hard

Labour” that on New Years Day 1899 all the

music, dancing, masquerading, clowns was done

by the white people. “The English masses and

their families were enjoying themselves. The

merry makers were Scottish and they were the

ones that bought Christmas celebrations to

Antigua”. This is one point of view. It may be

more correct that Christmas celebrations were a

fusion of the cultures, and that the Scottish with

their long tradition of New Years Day

(Hogmanay) celebrations successfully

transplanted them to Antigua.


Waladli versus Wadadli The actual "Carib" name for

Antigua is Wadadli. In fact the name was Waladli. The

mistake occurred when a popular

band, wrote a song using Wadadli.

From this time on Waladli became Wadadli.


Christmas to Carnival (Continued from page 7)

The Christmas celebrations continued until

shortly after the introduction of Carnival in

1957. Carnival has proven to be a much

more spectacular and commercialised

event than Christmas, but there is no

doubting the fact that it has also deprived

Antigua and Barbuda of a vital part of its

cultural activities.

It is hoped that the Tourist Department and

the Cultural Division will succeed in their

plan to revive the 'old time Christmas' --

not as a participation exercise to rival

Carnival, but as an expose and a means of

preserving some of our cultural forms,

especially for the younger generation who

know nothing about the components of the

“old time Christmas”.

COMPONENTS

Most of the components of the old time

Christmas are unknown to the present

generation.

Carol Trees: consisted of a stick with several

crossbars like a telephone pole on which were

hung lighted lanterns. The finished item

resembled a decorated Christmas Tree. The

name derives from the fact that these trees were

used by itinerant carol singing groups who

visited homes and serenaded the residents.

Some groups were accompanied by an accordian

(concertina). The origin of this tree is uncertain,

but it was in Antigua early in the 19th

Century.

introduced by the slaves as a takeoff on

their colonial master. The costume

resembles that of the Sensay dancers from

Guinea who performed at the end of the

first stage of male initiation (in Baga) or on

the completion of the harvest (in Kono).

Frequently the Sensay in his old clothes and

dried banana leaves made his appearance

with his guitar during Christmas.

The Pow: This is a local adaptation of the

John Bull. The costume is the same except that

it has no horns, and is heavily padded at the

back. The Pow exposes himself to beatings by

whip or stick for which he expects to be paid.

Doubtless an Antiguan figure of fun.

Highlanders: Several of these dancers still

perform at Christmas.


John Bull: Dressed in

dry banana leaves, this

character was a replica

of the grotesque

African witch doctor,

the dominating feature

being a horn on the

head. A plausible

theory as to its use at

Christmas is that it was


The fife and drum band is a Caribbean

version of the British and French military

bands of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Others included the Portuguese band in

their traditional red and yellow costumes,

minstrel bands, Monkey band,

Highlanders in plaid kilts, Belgians.

Oriental boys (soldiers). Indians,

Cowboys and the clowns. The origin of

the clowns is not certain, but they

dominated the Christmas scene for a long

time before being over-shadowed by

Carnival in the 1950's.

CARNIVAL: History: The word

Carnival means in Latin "Carne Vale",

"O Flesh, farewell". This refers to the

putting away of meat and the beginning

of the Lenten fast.



With their vestigial kilts, they are part of the

Scottish legacy in our culture. Originally

worn in a Scottish dance (Highland fling etc)

the costume simulates the Scottish military

dress. Performers wear wire masks and use a

cowhide whip.

upturned garden fork. Origin is the acrobats who

feature in certain African rituals. Most famous of these

are from Dan, Ivory Coast.

Bands: The music for group and individuals

taking part in the Christmas celebrations

varies as much in sound as in composition.

There were jazz bands with conventional

instruments, string bands with fife, guitar,

banjo, ukulele, triangle, cymbals, iron

plumbing pipe, and drums. Many fife and

drum bands included improvised rhythm

instruments such as the grater or the jawbone

of an animal used as a scraper.

Play Actors: These

were the acrobats and

tumblers who

performed with

fantastic acrobatic

skills.

It was not uncommon

to see them somersault

over six men kneeling

side by side or over an

The Fife Band

Clowns



When the British took Trinidad from the

Spaniards in 1797, they promised the

Trinidadians that their customs and

religions would be honoured, including of

course, Carnival. Since then Carnival has

spread northwards in the Caribbean.

Antigua and Barbuda had had its Carnival

celebrations at Christmas, but in June 1953

a one day 'Carnival' was organised as part

of the Coronation celebrations for Queen

El1zabeth II. It was so successful that many

Antiguans called on the Chairman, Mr.

John F. Shoul to inaugurate an annual

affair.

It was not until 1956 that a master plan for

Carnival was submitted by Mr. Maurice

Ambrose, builder and musician, on

returning from the Virgin Islands. A

meeting was held in the De Luxe Cinema,

and Mr. Shoul was commissioned to make

the necessary approach to Government.

Sub-Committees were set up, and in August

1957 Antigua celebrated its first Carnival as

a tourist attraction and more importantly to

commemorate the emancipation from

slavery. On this occasion there were many

floats sponsored by the business sector.

Both the Queen show and the Calypso

competition were held at the DeLuxe a far

cry from the spacious and attractive

accommodation which eventually

obtained at the Antigua Recreation

Grounds which is converted every year to

"Carnival City". Antigua's Carnival is now

billed as the Caribbean's greatest summer

festival, and not only stages the only

Caribbean Queen Show but attracts

thousands of visitors and returning

residents every year.

It is modelled loosely on the Trinidad

pattern and provides a means of

promoting calypso King of the year.


Coronation Celebrations

1957 Carnival at the Antigua Recreation Grounds

1957 Antigua’s First Carnival Queen Gloria White



The renditions of the Calypsonians are

quickly embraced by the steelbands and

competition is intense on the selection of

the calypso to be used as the "road march"

(the tune played most on the streets,

especially on j'ouvert).

This "march", most inappropriately named,

is a mass “jump up” by thousands of

revellers in extravagant costumes on the

Monday and Tuesday, the final days of

Carnival. (J'ouvert is on the first Monday in

August, and the Carnival season begins one

week before that date). These two days are

public holidays, and it is a glorious sight to

observe the steelbands, costumed troupes

and groups and the gaily decorated floats.

“J'ouvert” celebrations, is from a French

creole word, 'Jour Ouvert' meaning

'daybreak', and pronounced 'Joovay'.

In the 1981 Independence magazine, the

writer says in an article on Culture in

Antigua and Barbuda: ‘Culture in Antigua

and Barbuda is also an amazingly unifying

force, and carnival plays a special role in

that regard. At the Carnival Shows and in

the street ‘jump ups’, politicians and others

locked in rivalry all year around drop their

differences and in the spirit of camaraderie

which characterizes this annual festival, jump

up together in the streets and actually joke with

each other at bars and booths on the Carnival

grounds. Such are the wonders performed by

this unique cultural experience’.


1964 J’ouvert on Market and Newgate Street

1965

1967

1975


Christmas to Carnival (Continued on page 12)

In Barbuda, Carnival is observed on a

much smaller scale and has similar

origins. Many Barbudans visit Antigua at

Carnival time, especially so now that

Barbuda has moved her celebrations to

coincide with the Whitsun holiday. By the

same token, traffic moves towards the

sister island at Whitsun.

**************

Archaeologist calls for laws to

protect historical sites

Extracted from “The Daily Observer Newspaper”

A local archaeologist is calling for legislation

to be enacted to protect the historical sites in

Antigua & Barbuda.

Dr Reginald Murphy, who is also an

historian, contends that all of the country's

historically significant relics should be

governed by one central authority.

"We need to have one central management

system that controls what they are being used

for and is responsible for maintaining them to

a certain level," he said.

1981

1992

Barbuda Caribana Celebrations

(Photo taken from “Beautiful Barbuda

Official Destination Guide 2008”)

1990 Barbuda Caribana Celebrations

Dr. Reginald Murphy


Top left: Cleofoster

Lewis, first Caribana

Queen in 1984.

Top right: King

Goldie, first Calypso

King for Caribana in

1984.


Archaeologist calls for laws to

protect historical sites


Dr Murphy said although several of the

nation's historical sites are on private

property, the country should adopt the

British approach to this problem, where

private property owners have to get per-

mission to make changes to their structures.

"If you own a historical building you are

obliged to treat it a certain way, to maintain

it a certain way and you must go to a panel

or established experts to advise you on what

you can and cannot do to it," he charged. "I

know people in England who have houses

that are 200 or 300 years old and they can't

even paint (them) without permission."

Dr Murphy said he believes that such

regulations are on the horizon.

Meantime, the archaeologist, who has long

been a proponent for the preservation of

historical sites, said Antigua & Barbuda

should consider stabilising the remnants of

structures at Monk's Hill, instead of

restoring them, to avoid exorbitant costs.

Dr Murphy said if the site is developed it

could be a major contributor to the tourism

product.

"If they could find the money to redo it

completely, it could rival the Dockyard," he

posited.

He said officials could mull making the

large site a completely reinforced, fortified

town where reenactments of the time could

be done.

The historian said the next step in the

restoration efforts is to conduct a major

archaeological project, through which

officials can decipher how the site was truly

used and who were the main occupants.

END

Chronological

Inventory of Antigua Newspapers 1722 The first newspaper of the West Indies: “The

Jamaica Courant”

1731 The “Barbados” Gazette” first appeared.

1734 The “Grenada Chronicle” began publication

and lasted to 1916. It closed because of

financial difficulties.

1788 In Antigua this year there were three

newspapers, but the dates of their first issue

are uncertain. These were the “Antigua

Chronicle”, the “Antigua Gazette”, and the

“Antigua Journal”, and it would appear that

their editor was only induced to stop his

scurrilous attacks on public men by the threat

of thirty-three subscribers to withdraw their

subscriptions.

1814 “The Weekly Register” was started by Henry

Loving. It came out every Saturday. In 1878

it was purchased by Angus Macmillan.

1819 “The Antigua Gazette” was in existence.

1826 The “Free Press” was in existence. In 1831

its editor was James Scotland, an old

Methodist. He was locked up for six months

for his inflammatory writings. Both the “Free

Press” and the “Weekly Register” were said to

be in the pay of the Anti-Slavery Society, The

planters had no newspaper to oppose them.

1832 The “Antigua Herald and Gazette” was

established and owned by the plantocracy.

There were 60 subscribers of £10 each.

1834 Emancipation year. The Weekly Register

editor was Loving, a coloured man.

(Chronological Inventory

will be continued in next issue)


(iii)Passing of the Independence in Association

with Britain’s Bill (1967) – 300 years of

Colonialism ended.

Q - Name some places of historical and cultural

interest in the city of St. John’s.

A - Redcliffe Quay, the Cathedral of St. John’s the

Divine, The Old Court House, Ebenezer Methodist

Church (St. Mary’s Street), Antigua Recreation

Ground, Victoria Park (Botanical Gardens), Public

Market, Government House.

TRAVEL AGENTS/RESTAURANTS AND

BARS IN ST. JOHN’S

Q - What were the names and addresses of the Travel Agents in Antigua and Barbuda?

A - (i) Brysons Travel- Long Street.

(ii) Global Travel - High Street,

(iii) Wadadli Travel- Market Street.

(iv) Alexander Parish-St. Mary's Street.

(v) Nicholsons Travel- Nelson's Dockyard.

(vi) International Travel Consultants - Church &

Thames Streets.

Q - What were the names of some of the main Bars

and Restaurants in St. John’s?

A - (i) Golden Peanut - High Street.

(ii) Brother B's - Long Street.

(iii) Kim Sha Bar and Restaurant - Church Street.

(iv) Victory Restaurant - Redcliffe Street.

(v) Country Pond House - Nevis Street

(vi) St. Mary's Court - St. Mary's Street.

(viii) 18 Carat – Church Street.

(viii) The Yard – Long Street.

Q - Give the names and addresses of some of the main

Souvenir and Local Craft Shops/Centres in Antigua.

A - (i)Shipwreck Shop St. Mary's Street

(ii) Coco Shop - St. Mary's Street

(iii) The Handicraft Center - High Street

(iv) School for the Blind – All Saints Road

(v) Kel-Print St. Mary’s and Temple Street

(vi) Arawaks Craft – Newgate Street

NATIONAL EVENT

Q – What important national event took place on

Saturday 9th March, 1918?

A - This date will go down in the history of Antigua as

a Blood Saturday, for on that day thousands of people

staged a riot that shook the country to its very

foundation……there had never been such a

demonstration of civil violence by the people of the

island, who were always law abiding people.

MUSE NEWS

A Trip Down Memory Lane

PLACES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST

ETC.

(Taken from 1987 Information Booklet Of Antigua &

Barbuda by the Department of Tourism)

Q - Where is Indian Creek situated?

A - Near to Momora Bay and the St. James Club,

one of the newest exclusive Resorts in Antigua.

Q - Who lived at Indian Creek?

A - Arawaks in Pre-Columbian or Prehistoric Times.

Q - How did Indian Creek get its name?

A - It derived its name from an engagement that took

place on the Savannah between a party of raiding

Caribs and English Settlers in 1654.

Q - Where is Indian town situated?

A - Near to Willikies and Devil's Bridge.

Q - For what is Indian Town known?

A - Some evidence of Arawak habitation. However,

the lack of an adequate rainfall could have prevented

any permanent settlement. Q - After which person or thing was Nonsuch Bay

named?

A - A ship, the Nonsuch, which anchored there for

some time in 1647 - presumably the first to do so.

Q - What is another name for the Villa Area?

A - Daniel’s Estate

THE COURTHOUSE

Q – When the Courthouse in the city of St. John’s

established?

A - 1747 - The Court House was first damaged by

earthquake in 1843, restored and again damaged by

the earthquake in 1974.

Q - From what material was the Court House built?

A - White stones quarried from islands off the North,

east Coast.

Q - Name three (3) historical events associated with

the Court House.

A - (i) The establishment of the Carifta 1968. (ii)

Parliament until 1974.


NOTICES

Acquisitions

The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda would like to

thank Mr. W.D. Cribbs for donating to the Museum

stamp collection which includes; the original proofs

of the 1962 Antigua Stamp centenary both the

“approved” and “not approved” and original proofs

of 1966-1971.

Stamps donated:

New Members

The Historical and Archaeological Society &

Museum of Antigua & Barbuda would like to

welcome our newest Members:

Ms. Penelope Gurland

Mr. Craig Fernandez of Antigua

Mr. Tafari Richards of Antigua

New life member Dr. Thomas Foote

Now selling in the Museum’s gift shop. The

golden edition of the Antigua Sailing Week

2017; The First 50 Years. Get your copy

now!

Donations Special thanks to friend of the museum,

Ms. Maizeline Frazer for donating a collection of

past cable and wireless phone cards. Her

contribution is deeply appreciated.

1970 Military Uniform Stamps

1971

20th

Anniversary of

Adult Suffrage

1967

300th

Anniversary

of Treaty of

Breda

1969

Tercentenary of

Parliament

Courthouse

Special thanks also to

our staff member

Ms. Mary Johnson for

donation a refrigerator

to the museum’s lunch

room. We express much

appreciation for her

donation.

The Museum of Antigua & Barbuda has designed

lapels pins in the images of Bessie, Marion and

Plymouth locomotive that once hauled the

sugarcane to the Antigua Sugar Factory. Included in

the heritage package is a copy of the Antigua

Railway map, and information on the locomotives

and Sugar Factory. They will be available at the

Museum Gift shop from Tuesday1st August 2017

for $25.00EC


The Historical & Archaeological Society Newsletter is published at the Museum quarterly in January, April,

July and October. HAS encourages contribution of material relevant to the Society from the membership or

Other interested individuals

Tel/Fax: 268-462-1469, 462-4930 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.antiguamuseums.net

Historical and Archaeological Society

APRIL, MAY, JUNE 2017 HAS NEWSLETTER, No. 137

UPCOMING EVENTS

No proposed upcoming events, as the Museum Main Gallery is being upgraded, and the upstairs

gallery will be fumigated.

Join HAS! Discover & Preserve Antigua & Barbuda’s Heritage

mailto:[email protected]

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