To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root.

Meindert van der Meulen and Valerie Sheppard Little Bentley, Barbados - 27 July 2013 I'm Valerie, a Trini-born Sheppard, now the eldest of my family. My father, Andrew Sheppard , was the tenth child in a family of thirteen children. From my early memories of family life with my dad, Barbadian-born mother Betty and my six siblings I remember evenings in our drawing-room hearing him relate with love, humour and passion, stories about his boy days and the joys and challenges of growing up in a large family at their Richmond Street home in Port- of-Spain. I was a child in the fifties, there was no TV in the West Indies yet, certainly no computers but always music, conversations and stories. I remember and treasure his stories about the old times, many of them left behind for us in his beautiful handwriting. Family means the world to me, and I have inherited my father's love for writing and for telling the stories. In our younger days, we seem not to have time nor perhaps enough interest to really find out about our families. I mean, really find out. I look back now and wish I had asked all the questions I want to ask now, from all those beloved family members whom I knew and loved so well, but who have now passed on. We tend to think we'll always have them around. I wish I had taken notes, or even recorded some of the tales on tape. Now that I'm older and have finished raising my family, I find myself absorbed in knowing more about my ancestors, where they came from, how and where they lived, what are the things that helped make us, as a family, who and what we are. I feel it is important to pass these stories on to our children throughout the generations. I was blessed when someone who shares my love and appreciation for family and family history came into my life. My Dutch husband, Meindert van der Meulen, has encouraged me to pursue my passion for this, and has helped me and taught me the ins and outs of his hobby, genealogy. It's a time-consuming, precise, but very enjoyable and rewarding pastime. Together, we have worked on building our Sheppard Family Tree. To achieve this, we have contacted family members directly by email, traveled to Trinidad and spent a few days pouring through the ancient official registers lodged in the archives of the Legal Department in Port- of-Spain. We've talked with the older generation who have shared their memories and treasured family Bibles containing notes of births, marriages and deaths. We've contacted archival departments, including those of the military, in Trinidad, England and Ireland. Meindert and I have spent endless hours sifting through the data, and recording it. We have also scanned and archived the old photos. Using all these ingredients, I felt it was time to put them into a narrative to share with family members. Since launching my website in 2010, starting with my paternal Sheppard family, I expanded into my maternal side doing all my own research, aided by photographs and accounts from living family members. While doing this I find myself imagining what life was like for our ancestors, without all the conveniences and technology we have nowadays. Family traditions and stories were handed down orally, and for this I'm truly grateful. Nowadays, we are able to access information like never before, and we also are able to share to family outside of our own small family circle. Over the years, Meindert's feeling for preserving and archiving special family moments drove him to film various occasions. Years later, we digitized and edited these so that they could be shared with the family. They are a reminder of the importance of appreciating the precious moments with our families. Here he is pictured in Trinidad with my eldest cousin, Joan Bodu filming for the documentary "50th Wedding Anniversary - Audrey & Don", which was filmed in Trinidad and Barbados in 1993. Click here to see all the family videos For reasons of privacy protection for living members of the family, I have not included the family tree on this site. If you would like to have more information, please email me, I'd love to hear from you. I also administer two private Facebook family groups and would love to welcome family members. See also: Friendships - Partnerships - Family Ties Archer Family Barbados J.A.K.(Tony) Archer - Babados Polo Club Descendants - BBC Radio 4 Contact me YouTube

Barbados Polo Archer family POLO IN BARBADOS A Personal Memoir https://www.polobarbados.com/ My involvement with the Barbados Polo Club started the year I married Tony Archer. It was soon after we returned from our honeymoon in July 1966. The first polo match he took me to was at the Garrison, where I watched him play for the first time. Polo had been played there by British cavalry officers in 1884 when the Club was first formed. According to the late Keith Melville, who presided as President for thirty-nine years, the club became inactive between 1929 and 1939 due to the Great Depression. After 1939, the Club was revived and polo was played at the Garrison once more, mostly by the Barbadian planters. Tony was not a planter, but he had a deep love for horses and all equestrian sports. It was all new to me as an 18 year old Trinidadian girl who had never been around horses before, far less watched a polo match. I seldom missed a polo afternoon when my husband played. One by one, as our babies were born (there were five of them) they would be packed up and carted along with us to polo. In those days, it felt like a family affair and generations of polo players enjoyed the sport and the socializing afterwards. When the Polo Club moved from the Garrison to Holders, there was no clubhouse, only a tent made up of palm leaves. The bar was the back of our station wagon, as Tony was in charge of the bar. Needless to say, we were always the last to leave! Members ran up tabs and I assisted Tony in sending out the bar bills at month end, all written by hand. By the end of 1966, the clubhouse had become a reality and was ready for the first touring team from Potomac, USA. A team from Barbados had played against Potomac the year before, and thus began long and lasting friendships and competitive tournaments with the Americans. Sandwiches and cakes were made by members' wives who provided and served afternoon teas. Back then, polo wives prepared dishes for the dinners served at the club house after tournaments with visiting teams. Casette tapes provided music for dancing, and the bar which was located in the centre of the clubhouse was solid! Children of polo players loved to run barefoot and wild on the field after matches and often had little polo sticks made for them to knock balls. Many of these children became players themselves when they grew up, and now several of their children also play polo. When I came across an article tucked between Tony's scrapbook of 'horsie' stuff and read a visitor’s description of an afternoon at the Barbados Polo Club in 1969, it jogged my memory and senses. She had it exactly right. Fifty-five years ago, polo on the island was not yet the popular spectator sport it has become today. It was for many generations of Barbadians and their families simply a "polo afternoon”. Really, a wonderful afternoon. Many of us young mothers were juggling watching the kids and trying to keep an eye on the game so that we could be suitably excited when our man scored or mutter soothing commiserations when his team lost. There were spills and falls and fouls and sometimes we could hear some unmentionable language among the thundering hooves and clatter of sticks. And then there were the post-mortems of the game, the after-match banter in the clubhouse well into the dark of night, babies in their carrycots that slept blissfully throughout all the raising decibels. Over the years, Tony served as Secretary/Treasurer and was a playing member of The Barbados Polo Club. He represented Barbados in several international tournaments. After my husband's untimely passing in 1984, I was granted Honorary Life Membership for his sterling contribution. This honour I treasure, and the memories make me smile. The following article has been transcribed from these pages ‘THE POLO GROUNDS OF BARBADOS’ "Barbados is the Caribbean bastion of the very British sport of polo – developed by the ancient Egyptians and named by the Tibetans." From the Caribbean BEACHCOMBER, July/August 1969 with text by Carol Howland Nothing indicated that this grassy plain might be a polo field. The field was empty, the grass a deep healthy green, joined by a mane of trees to a sky heavily laden with violet clouds. The October afternoon was warm, tropical, languorous. To the west lay the sea, fired by the late afternoon sun to a blade of blinding silver. A gang of little Bajan boys came running up, laughing and tapping metal hoops over the rutted track that ran along the edge of the field. On the theory that where there are horses – or about to be horses – there little boys are found, I asked them if this was Holder’s Hill, home of the Barbados Polo Club. “Yeah, the horses, they goin’ to be heah soon now.” They continued on with their hoops to the end of the field. It seemed a large field to an eye accustomed to American football. But how much larger it must have had to be to accommodate a couple of thousand Egyptians performing their springtime fertility rites – the alleged origin of the game. The Egyptians, using the ball as the symbol of fertility, divided themselves into “teams” representing the opposing forces of spring and winter, these “teams” sometimes numbering as many as a thousand each. It was the Persians however, who in the first few centuries of the Christian era adapted the springtime rite of horseback. From Persia the game traveled East during the 5th century, gaining a name in Tibet as “pulu”. From Tibet it moved on to China and is first mentioned in literature of that country by the poet She Chaun Chi, who died in 713 A.D. Polo is known to have been popular in India as early as the 16th Century. By the time the British arrived in the 19th, it had almost disappeared. The British carried the game back to England, and polo was first played in the West at the Hurlingham Club of London in 1873, introduced by officers of the 10th Hussars. A year later the club men sat down and drew up the first rules of the modern game. Teams were reduced from eight or ten players to five, soon further reduced to the present-day four. The field was drawn at 200 by 300 yards. Regulation mallets were to be made of cane or rattan, measuring from 50 to 60 inches long. Balls for outdoor play were to be made of hard willow root. And the game was divided into periods called chukkers, seven-and-a-half minutes long with three-minute breaks for changing ponies. I watched the little boys, still driving their hoops, loping barefoot through the soft grass across the field. Then came the sound of a straining engine, and a horse trailer hitched to a station wagon appeared at the crest of the hill. It bounced over the track and came to a halt. A stable boy got out, lowered a ramp, and let down a sleek bay. He was a beautiful animal, gleaming in the sun, tossing his head cheerfully as the groom struggled down the ramp with saddle, bridle and other paraphernalia. As if by signal, other trucks and trailers began to arrive. In now more than ten minutes the place was aswarm with wives chatting about children, clothes, and cane. Knots of men, dashing and lean-looking in their flared riding breeches and knee-high boots polished to a fine sheen, with here and there a mallet or a helmet in hand, discussed the progress of this or that horse. Each animal, in turn, had its crowd of boyish admirers. The grooms worked unhurriedly, as though the sun would hang there an inch above the sea like a spotlight until the play was finished. What might well have been no more than a grassy pasture was now undeniably a polo field. Anxious horses, shanks bound, pawed the earth, snorted nervously, side-stepped and jostled their magnificent heads up and down in an arched motion that could only be interpreted as “let’s go.” Heavy in the air were the mingled odors of horses, leather, saddle soap, polished metal, grass, earth and sea – a good rich aroma. One by one the players began to break away from their groups to approach a slim gray-haired man who appeared to be an official. Margaret Dowding, who serves as official timekeeper for the club and is the wife of one of the players, explained that since it is always uncertain who will turn out to play, the club uses a handicap system of drawing lots so that the teams will be evenly matched. The players began to don the team weskits. One of them swung into his saddle and galloped onto the field. More followed until a round dozen or so were swinging mallets and charging up and down. “These are warm-up skirmishes,” Mrs. Dowding said. “They’ll take all the horses out for a minute or two to limber them up. Most of the players own two or three horses.” There are about 30 playing members in the club and 40 or 50 horses. Most of the horses are either race horses which haven’t lived up to expectations, or show horses, or sometimes ponies, bought very young when their previous owners didn’t believe they showed promise. Mrs. Dowding’s husband, Andrew, bought one such pony. Now, after much patient training, he is one of the best horses in the club, to the chagrin of the man who sold him. It takes four or five years to properly train a horse for the game. He must learn to respond to finger-tip control. He must learn to stop short, turn sharply, twist and weave. But most importantly, he must become accustomed to having the mallet swung close to his head. To my surprise, a woman took the field. “A lot more used to go out,” Mrs. Dowding said, “but not many now.” I asked when polo was first played in Barbados. No one seemed to know exactly, but it is known that it was played on the Old Parade Ground in colonial days by officers of the British troops garrisoned in the still-standing red barracks buildings in St. James.** Whether or not this was before James Gordon Bennet, publisher of the old New York Herald introduced it to the U.S. in Rhode Island, in 1876, is uncertain. In any case, what began in Barbados as the sport of gentlemen soldiers has become the legacy of gentlemen planters. The present Barbados Club was founded in 1937 by Henry A. Arthur, now owner of the Ridgeway Plantation in St. Thomas. (His son, Andrew, is currently a playing member.) Jamaica, with the only other club in the Caribbean, visited for a series in 1949. Barbados played a series against Caracas in 1951 and made a return visit to Jamaica in 1964. A boost came in 1965 when Janet Kidd, daughter of Lord Beaverbrook, British publishing magnate, leased a cane field to the club. The cane was uprooted, the field planted in grass and inaugurated by a visit of the Potomac Club of Washington D.C. in January, 1966. Photo on right: l/r Rachel Carpenter, John Marsh, Hon. Mrs. Janet Kidd, 1966 The Holders polo field was still planted in sugar cane, and these photos were taken when some of the members went to have a look around. The bell announced the first chukker of the day. Extra horses and players filed from the field, leaving ten men, four on each team, and the two referees. Another bell and the sharp crack of mallet against ball set the game in motion. How beautiful it was to watch – choreography as graceful as a ballet. A fast-moving, exciting sport, it had none of the monotony of tennis or the incomprehensibility of football. It features splendid animals trained to reach to man’s wishes. Aside from the fact that only a man of some means can afford to keep horses, have the leisure to train them or the wherewithal to hire trainers, it is little wonder polo found favor among the British gentry. Charging up and down the field they went, mallets held high in striking position. A long drive, the wooden ball whizzing through the grass; then the crack of a mallet would turn the pack off into a new direction. Occasionally a player riding in hard from the side would reverse the ball. Almost by synchronization the horses would wheel and charge off toward the opposite goal. Sometimes a series of short intercepted drives would draw them into a tight, twisting skirmish, to be broken by a long drive out into the clear. The bell rang again, ending the first chukker. This would give the players time to change horses. Suddenly I realized I was probably the only spectator. Everyone else was either a player, a club member, or somehow related. I asked why it was so; weren’t visitors welcome? The answer: of course. But Bajans (as Barbadians call themselves) are avid cricket fans, and as it happens, cricket matches are also played on Saturday afternoons. And so, were it not for a few die-hard devotees, an elegant sport that started as a free-for-all fertility rite in ancient Egypt would languish for lack of popularity. But in spite of the lack of glory, in Barbados every Saturday afternoon from June to January when the cane crop has been harvested and the sun is beginning its rapid descent, the planters don their helmets, grasp their mallets, mount gleaming steeds and ride out for a few chukkers in the grand old tradition of the gentlemanly sport. ** (My note: The barracks are actually in St. Michael, by the Garrison - not St. James.) BARBADOS POLO CLUB HOSTED BRITISH ROYALTY - 1973 King Charles III, formerly known as The Prince of Wales, became King on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022. In August 1973, the Bajan magazine published the following article about Prince Charles and the Barbados Polo Club. As my husband, Tony Archer, was one of the polo players who played matches with him, I had the pleasure of an informal chat with the young Prince Charles after chukkas in the club house at Holders. "H.R.H Prince Charles plays polo in Barbados" "One of Prince Charles' real loves is the game of polo and while here on a visit to Barbados during the month of June aboard the H.M.S. Minerva he was invited to play several chukkas on no less than two different occasions as well as an afternoon of practise with members of the Barbados Polo Club. The Prince himself a good polo player again met some of the same Barbadian players with whom he played against last summer in England. Polo fans turned out in large numbers to see the matches and several had the good fortune of talking with the charming young gentleman who has the ability of immediately putting his audience at ease." l/r Geoff Howell (backing camera), Paul Officer, the Prince's Equerry, C.O. Williams (pointing) H.R.H. Prince Charles, Ken Frost (President Barbados Polo Club), Tony Archer, Vere Davis and Owen Deane. l/r Andy Dowding, Tony Archer playing #4, Vere Davis centre, H.R.H. Prince Charles, Roger Gooding playing #2 Typical after-match in the clubhouse, sometime in the seventies. COW (Sir Charles Othneil Williams) and Tony with his boot on the stack of old-time metal chairs. Hot, sweaty polo team shirts had already been changed and it was time for socializing. I was somewhere there and our children were running around playing (running wild) on the polo field in the dark. THE BARBADOS POLO CLUB ARCHIVAL PHOTOS Photo restoration by Richard Archer TONY'S SCRAPBOOK Newspaper clippings of various equestrian events Barbados Polo Team to Jamaica - 1969 l/r: Tony Archer, Vere Davis, C.O Williams, Andy Dowding, John Kidd Above: Our son, Wayne Archer - President of the Barbados Polo Club since 2013 Below: Wayne's son Joshua Archer, current Secretary of the Barbados Polo Club Below: At the presentation of the Tony Archer Memorial Trophy in March 2017, held before the start of the Cheshire vs. Barbados match. Far left is our granddaughter Zoe and her mother Monique Archer, whose team won. Our family donated the challenge trophy to the club in the 80's. March 2017 - Margaret Dowding (referred to in the article above) and myself, with my sons Wayne and Richard Archer In February 2024 the Whitehall team lead by my grandson Joshua Archer won his grandfather's memorial trophy l/r: Richard Archer, Valerie and husband Meindert v.d. Meulen, Joshua Archer, his parents Monique and Wayne Archer, Ingrid Martinez Archer and her husband Eduardo Martinez See also: J.A.K. (Tony) Archer - Barbados Turf Club The Archer Family Barbados The Barbados Polo Club (website by Richard Archer) This page has been lovingly created in memory of John Anthony Keith (Tony) Archer 23 March 1939 - 14 July 1984

I was pleased and honoured to have contributed this story to Simon Kreindler for inclusion in his book "The Sephardi Jews of Barbados (1627 to 1934)" published in November 2022. The Lobo & D'Azevedo Families Sephardic Jewish Ancestry In the winter of 1803 in Amsterdam, a Jewish couple from London registered their intention to marry. After the civil registration of the banns, their names and details provided by the couple were hung on the front of the town hall, called the Pui . There passers-by could read who wanted to get married and possibly object. If that objection was not made, the marriage could take place three weeks later. Moses Lobo was 28 years old and lived at 148 Rapenburgerstraat in the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam. He was accompanied by his father Daniel Lobo, a merchant and Public Notary, who was a witness to the registration. His bride-to-be was Sarah Azevedo, age 32, who lived at No. 3 Muidergracht over the busy Houtmarkt (wood market) situated on the canal, not far from where her bethrothed lived. Both of Sarah's parents had died, and her representative was her guardian, Moses Oliviera, who also lived at No. 3 Muideraght. On 9 December 1803, the young Jewish man signed his name Matthew Lobo in the Marriage Register. Moses (Matthew) Lobo's lineage went back six generations to Baruch Bento Osorio , of Lisbon, Portugal. Bento was among those Portuguese Jews who fled to Amsterdam during the time of the infamous Catholic Inquisition. Matthew's parents were cousins, Daniel Jessurun Lobo and Sipora Jessurun Lobo, children of two Dutch Jessurun Lobo brothers - David and Abraham. The story of our Sephardic Lobo ancestor Baruch Bento Osorio and the serendipitous way I learnt about him can be seen here . Moses (Matthew) and Sarah Lobo's first son Daniel Moses Lobo was born in Amsterdam on August 24, 1805. In 1806 the couple moved to Emden in Germany. From there the family emigrated to the Dutch colony of Suriname. On 15 December 1807 in Paramaribo, Suriname, their second son Isaac de Moses Lobo was born. Both sons would emigrate to Barbados in years to come. Daniel Moses eventually left Barbados and settled in Philadelphia, where his son Moses Finzi Lobo became a prominent citizen known for his journalism. Isaac Lobo made the island of Barbados his permanent home . From Suriname to Barbados Isaac de Moses Lobo Our family's Barbados story starts in the early nineteenth century with Isaac de Moses Lobo, born in Paramaribo, Suriname. Isaac married Abigail Cohen D'Azevedo on 26 March, 1834 in Barbados. Abigail was born in London on November 29 1808 where her parents Benjamin Cohen D'Azevedo and Judith de Abraham de Paz raised their family. Isaac and Abigail are my 3rd great-grandparents. Isaac Lobo's prayer book which he used at the Nidhe Israel Synagogue in Barbados. This family heirloom is written in Hebrew, Ladino and English. Ladino is Judaeo-Spanish language originally spoken by Sephardic Jews in parts of the Iberian Peninsula. It is derived from Castilian Old Spanish. Abigail's oldest brother was Moses Cohen d'Azevedo , also born in London. Moses and my 3rd great-grandmother Abigail (D'Azevedo) Lobo were both grandchildren of Haham Moses Cohen D'Azevedo of London. The Haham was born in Holland in 1720 and died in London in 1784. Moses was the creator and owner of the well-known Receipt Book, dated 1813-1837, in the collection of The American Jewish Historical Society. This intriguing receipt book mentions several of my family's ancestors and close connections. A description of the Receipt Book by The Centre for Jewish History: "Leather bound receipt book of approximately 200 pages, with 20 interleaved unbound sheets filled with signed transactions of voyage records in English of the commercial dealings of the brothers Moses and Isaac in the West Indies. Of note are vital statistics of the members of the family, and the record of a slave purchase. One of the interleaved sheets contains a record of the inscriptions on the monuments of the Battle of Waterloo. Among the merchants who signed the book are the following members of the Jewish community of Barbados: Abraham Rodrigues Brandon, Isaac Lopez Brandon, Hananel de Castra, Moses Mendes da Costa, Benjamin Elkin, Mozley Elkin, Abraham Finzi, David Lindo, Jacob Lindo, Raphael Lindo, D.M. Lobo, Isaac de Moses Lobo, Jacob Lobo, Hart Lyon, John Montefiore, Phin S. Nunes, Daniel Pass. Mention is made of S.E. Daniels, Sarah Finzi, Joseph Hart, Edward Aaron Moses and Sampson Shannon." This fascinating historical document can be viewed in two parts by clicking on the following links: Moses Cohen D'Azevedo Receipt Book 1 Moses Cohen D'Azevedo Receipt Book 2 Abigail and Moses Cohen D'Azevedo had a brother called Menessah. He was born in London and died in Barbados on 20 April 1836 when he was just 33 years old. I was touched to see his young age when I came across his grave a few years ago at the Nidhe Israel Cemetery in Barbados. I laid a stone. Recorded in "Monumental Inscriptions in the Burial Ground of the Jewish Synagogues at Bridgetown, Barbados" by Eustace Shilstone. Benjamin was my g-g-g grandmother Abigail's brother. The Barbados Lobo Family Daniel Lobo Our first Barbadian-born Lobo ancestor was Daniel Lobo, my great-great grandfather. He was born on 13 October 1840 to Isaac de Moses Lobo and Abigail Cohen D'Azevedo. Daniel was the fourth of Isaac and Abigail's five Barbadian children. His siblings were Moses, Benjamin, Miriam and Edward Burnett. It appears that the family lived in Swan Street, close to the Synagogue. On 28 August 1839, The Barbadian Newspaper announced the birth of Daniel's sister Miriam, born to Mrs. Isaac Lobo in Swan Street. Again, on 26 Sept 1849, The Barbadian Newspaper, carried this sad announcement: "Died. On Monday in Swan Street after an illness of only three days, Master Edward Burnett aged 6 years 3 months and 24 days, youngest son of Isaac Lobo." Four years earlier, a great tragedy had struck the residents of Swan Street who were mostly the Jewish merchant community. In 1845 when Daniel Lobo was just five years old, a disastrous fire ravaged Swan Street where they lived. The fire started at No. 20 Swan Street, the home and business place of his uncle Daniel Moses Lobo, father of Moses Finzi Lobo , Daniel's first cousin. Following in his father Isaac de Moses Lobo's footsteps, my great-great-grandfather Daniel Lobo became a merchant. We have been told that he officiated in the Nidhe Israel Synagogue. However, while he was most certainly a congregant there with his family, so far I have been unable to find out the full extent of his participation in the Barbados Jewish community. Records show that Daniel relinquished his Jewish faith when he was only 29 years old and was baptised on the day of his marriage. On 14 June 1870 Daniel Lobo was baptized at the Anglican St. Michael's Cathedral in Bridgetown. On that very same day, he married a Christian, Elizabeth Frances Ann Stoute, at St. Leonard's Chapel, St. Michael. As further records have shown, Miss Stoute was already six months pregnant with Daniel's child. Oral tradition tells us that for these reasons, Daniel was excommunicated from the congregation of the Nidhe Israel Synagogue and shunned by his people. Only his sister Miriam Lobo, whom he called Sissy, secretly befriended him and allowed him to visit her. One can only imagine the shame and scandal in the Jewish community! Daniel's wife Elizabeth had seen sad times as a young girl. Six years prior to her marriage to Daniel, both of her parents had died within six months of each other. It must have been a terribly difficult time for Elizabeth and her seven siblings. Their father Samuel Stoute, had been a clerk at the Bridgetown docks who worked for merchants importing goods to the West Indies and exporting colonial goods. Her mother Sarah Frances Moore, owned a small property, but the family wasn't very well off. Barbadian historian Pedro Welch and genealogist Patricia Stafford had researched the Stoute family for the TV network NBC, tracing American celebrity Gwenneth Paltrow to Elizabeth's youngest sister, Rosamund Stoute . They had also contacted me for information. A link to that story can be found at the foot of this page. At the time of their marriage, Daniel Lobo's mother Abigail had also died the previous year. The marriage register shows Daniel's occupation as Merchant, and young Elizabeth as Milliner. She was living in James Street, Bridgetown and he was also living in the city. On 2nd September 1870, just three months after their marriage, Elizabeth gave birth to their son at their home in Spry Street, Bridgetown. They baptized him Isaac Clement Milton Lobo, at St. Michael's Cathedral on 12 October 1870, the same year and place where his Jewish father Daniel had been baptised. This infant Isaac Lobo, who was given the name of his grandfather Isaac de Moses Lobo, would become my great-grandfather. Four years after their first child Isaac, Daniel and Elizabeth had a daughter, Edith Jane Rogers. It is here that oral tradition tells a very tragic story of my Jewish great-great grandfather. In 1976 his granddaughter Freida (Lobo) Jackson recorded the story in her hand-writing: "After his daughter Edith was born, he was a real downcast man, spurned by his people, rejected by his wife because after Edith’s birth she locked him out of her heart and bedroom. She said she already had to work at sewing and teaching dancing and did not intend to have more kids to work so hard. Poor Daniel, rejected by his wife and people, was a sad and forlorn man. He took to drink, got ill and was taken to the Poorhouse where he died to pneumonia and a broken heart." While I have no official documents to confirm this story, I do believe that like all oral family history, there must be kernels of truth in it. Daniel Lobo died on 27 December 1903, just 22 days after the birth of his sixth grandchild, Lillian Isabel. His wife Elizabeth died two years later and they were both laid to rest at the Westbury Cemetery. They didn't live long enough to know that they would become grandparents to several more children born in Barbados to their only son Isaac Clement Lobo through his marriage to Lillian Boyle. Nor would they know that their only daughter Edith would leave the shores of Barbados and settle into a new way of life in America. Isaac Clement Lobo When he was in his twenties, my great-grandfather Isaac Clement Lobo fell in love with Lillian Alicia Boyle, a beautiful brunette. Isaac was known by his second name, Clement. Lillian's parents were Thomas Graham Boyle and Elizabeth Frances (Amey) Tryhane and they lived in Hindsbury Road, St. Michael at the time of her birth. Lillian had a younger sister and brother, Millicent (Millie) and Milton Boyle. Clement and Lillian's romance blossomed into a Christmas wedding at St. Mary's Church in Bridgetown, on 22 December 1892, followed by the birth of a son two months later. On 26 February 1893 when Clarence Alfred D'Azevedo Lobo was born, Lillian was then 20 years old and Isaac Clement was 23. For the next two decades their family continued to grow, until their eleventh child, Freida, was born in September 1912. She arrived exactly nine months after her six-month old sister Daphne Freida passed away. That sad day was also Clement and Lillian's 19th Wedding Anniversary. Isaac Clement Milton Lobo (1870-1943) My great-grandfather Lillian Alicia Theodora Lobo née Boyle (1873-1962) My great-grandmother In December of 1942, Clement and Lillian celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary, but Clement passed away 18 days later on 9 January 1943. Lillian went on to live quietly in their home "Raeburn", in Hastings until she was 88, along with three of their children - Arthur, Hilda and Carmen. Arthur married late in life, after his mother had passed away, while Hilda and Carmen remained single all their lives. In a photo album belonging to his wife Lillian which has been passed down, I found the newspaper clipping of his obituary and funeral announcement published in the Barbados Advocate: MR. CLEMENT LOBO The death occurred on Saturday of Mr. Clement Lobo. formerly of the firm of Messrs. Laurie & Co. Mr. Lobo was one of those figures, all too few in life, whose heartiness and general bon homie made him a favourite with all this community. He was employed at Messrs. Laurie & Co., Steamship Agents, in the period before the Great War when Barbados was the chief coaling station in these parts. His was a geniality which attracted friendship and he always had a kind word for those in distress. His heartiness of manner which he has bequeathed to his family circle led him at times to jest even at himself when he had committed some error of judgment. A true friend, he was highly respected and it was a source of much pride to him to receive a fortnight ago a chorus of congratulations on the celebration of his Golden Wedding. Failing eyesight limited his activities in recent years but he never lost touch with the things around him, or his interest in life. To his sorrowing relatives the Advocate tenders deepest sympathy. DIED LOBO, - On Saturday morning 9th January, Isaac Clement, aged 72. His funeral took place yesterday morning in the Westbury Cemetery. LILIAN LOBO and children. 11.1.43. A graphic chart of these three generations of our Barbados Lobo family can be seen here. The Lobo Family home "Raeburn" where my great-grandparents lived and spent the last years of their life is the yellow house third left Esmée Ione D'Azevedo Lobo Clement and Lillian's eldest daughter was Esmée Ione D'Azevedo Lobo, my grandmother. She was the only one their eleven children to get married in Barbados and raise their family of five children there. Esmée Ione D'Azevedo (Lobo) St.Hill My Grandmother My grandparents Henry Garnet St. Hill and Esmee Ione d'Azevedo Lobo on their wedding day - 18th December 1913. They are at the Lobo residence "Moorehouse", 9th Avenue, Belleville, St. Michael. Esmee's parents Lillian and Clement Lobo are standing behind her at the right, while Garnet's parents are on the left of the picture, behind the bridesmaids. All of the bride's siblings are here, the youngest being the baby in the arms of her nanny. Various records show Isaac Clement Lobo's occupation as Merchant's Clerk and as Merchant. In any case, he made a very successful career in the shipping business, and by all accounts, was well respected in the community. He traveled with his wife and daughters to the U.S.A on more than one occasion to visit his family who had emigrated there. Certainly by 1907, he had bought their spacious family home called "Morehouse" in 9th Avenue Belleville. He later purchased "Raeburn" on the Hastings coast, where he and Lillian lived with their unmarried children, and where he died on 9 January 1943 when he was 72. According to my mother, when Isaac Clement died, he left Lillian a very comfortable estate which comprised several properties. These included "Calcachima" - a seaside property located on the south coast next door to where the Accra Hotel is now, "Raeburn" in Hastings, "Moorehouse" in Belleville, as well as another property at the corner of 10th Avenue Belleville and Pine Road called "Govan." There are many entertaining tales to be told about cocktail parties and family gatherings by all of us who knew our great-grandmother Lillian Lobo and our great aunts and uncles whom we met at "Raeburn". We all remember that trap door in the kitchen floor of "Raeburn" that led down a dark, dank staircase of worn stone steps, finally opening on to the beach, close to the Ocean View Hotel . It was exciting for all of us who experienced with trepidation feeling our way down, the odd red crab scurrying away, and finally seeing the strip of bright sunlight and sound of the ocean, indicating we'd reached the beach! Lobos and The Peddlers in Barbados For now, I shall recount just one small but significant memory told me by my mother, Betty (St. Hill) Sheppard. My mother fondly recalls her visits to her Lobo grandparents when they lived at "Raeburn", Hastings and would spend a lot of time with them. She loved all the fuss and attention showered on her by her grandmother and especially her spinster aunts, who had no children of their own. As a young child, she vividly remembers seeing a mahogany bookcase with shelves of several "special looking" leather-bound books which were written in Hebrew. Fascinated and curious about them, she asked what they were all about. She was told that they were her great-grandfather Daniel's Jewish books that he used at the Synagogue. Excited to think there was some precious heirloom somewhere in our family's possession, I asked my mother what ever became of the books. The story goes that nobody understood what they were about, and Judaism was not their faith. The old books were just sitting there, collecting dust. Around that time, there were Jewish peddlers who would come regularly to the Lobo's door in Hastings selling their goods. My great-aunts who lived there, thought it would be a nice thing to give away the books to these friendly Jewish itinerant salesmen. After all, the Lobos certainly had no use for them and they thought that one of these men might like to have them. Knowing my great-aunts Hilda and Carmen, I am sure they had struck up a friendly rapport with these gentlemen, and also purchased laces, ribbons and other notions from them, as Aunt Hilda was a gifted seamstress. She knitted, did fancy embroidery work and sewed most of my mother's clothes and various costumes when she was growing up. She even sewed her pretty organza wedding dress in 1943. Daniel Lobo's Sephardic Jewish books which he quite likely inherited from his father Isaac de Moses Lobo might very well have ended up in the homes of such gentlemen as Mr. Joe Kreindler or Mr. Henry Altman and are no doubt long gone. Now that I have learnt more about our family history, I rather love the idea of those Hebrew books belonging to my Sephardic Jewish ancestor being passed on to one or more of the first Ashkenazi Jewish settlers in Barbados. My dear, sweet old great-aunts would have been unaware of the significance of their gesture, but to me it was quite serendipitous. Ripe Old Age My great-grandparents Lillian and Clement Lobo at their home, "Raeburn", Hastings, Barbados The family at "Raeburn", Hastings, Barbados Above: l/r standing: Colin Lobo, Beryl (Toppin) Lobo, Arthur Lobo (aka Shortie), Marilyn Lobo, Richard Lobo Hilda Lobo, Evan Lobo l/r seated: Clarence Lobo, Lillian (Boyle) Lobo, Frank Lobo, Carmen Lobo The four Lobo brothers at "Raeburn", Hastings, Barbados - l/r Colin, Arthur, Clarence, Frank Colin married Barbadian Ivy Atkinson and Arthur married Barbadian Elene Bowen , both of whom lived to be centenarians. Neither couple had children. Clarence married Barbadian Beryl Edith Toppin and emigrated to the USA, they had a son and two daughters. Frank married Trinidadian Rita Stokes and moved to Trinidad, they had two sons and a daughter. Isaac Clement Lobo's widow Lillian (in black) with three of her children, l/r Hilda, Carmen and Arthur, mourn at his graveside, Westbury Cemetery, Barbados His resting place is beside that of his parents, Daniel and Elizabeth (Stoute) Lobo whose headstone bears the inscription "Father and Mother - dearly loved." On a visit to the Nide Israel Synagogue, Barbados - 2015 In the mikveh (usually called baño by the Sephardim) Nide Israel Synagogue Barbados - 2015 This was built in the mid-seventeenth century over a natural spring. When Sarah Massiah was fired from the Barbados mikveh in 1814, Mrs. Lobo became the bañadeira . The Mahamad did not record her first name, and I would dearly love to know it. She was probably a poor widow who was receiving a pension from the synagogue. As the bañadeira she would have been provided with a house of her own within the compound of the Synagogue. See also: BARUCH (BENTO) OSORIO MOSES FINZI LOBO My research was done through: Dutch genealogists in Amsterdam Genealogy internet sites and Facebook groups Visits to The Shilstone Library in the Barbados Museum, reference to "Monumental Inscriptions in the Burial Ground of the Jewish Synagogues at Bridgetown, Barbados" by Eustace Shilstone. Visits to the Nidhe Israel Cemetery and Museum in Barbados Visits to The Barbados Archives Visits to the Barbados Nidhe Israel Synagogue and graveyard Collecting and archiving family documents and photos, and interviews with family members The Amsterdam Archives Barbados Jewish Community A Review of the Jewish Colonists in Barbados by Wilfred S. Samuel Cohen D'Azevedo Family Chart The Occident and American Jewish Advocate: Meeting at Barbadoes Barbadoes—Progress of Education . News Items Barbados Synagogue Historic District Laura Leibman about Mikveh Rediscovering an Important Link to American Jewish History: Field Notes from the Nidhe Israel Synagogue Complex in Barbados: Laura Leibman interview with Karl Watson, November 4, 2021 SAMUEL, E. (2013). Marriages at the Nidhe Yisrael synagogue, Bridgetown, Barbados. Jewish Historical Studies, 45, 163–171. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23720251 Cohen, C. J. (1910). Moses Finzi Lobo. Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society, 19, 197–199. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43057861 Excellent Books about Barbados Jewish families: PEDDLERS ALL - Simon Kreindler THE SEPHARDI JEWS OF BARBADOS (1627 - 1934) - Simon Kreindler ONCE WE WERE SLAVES - Laura Arnold Leibman Watch author Simon Kreindler's video presentation THE SEPHARDIC JEWS OF BARBADOS As we get to know more details about the history of the Sephardim, this webpage will be updated and/or corrected.

The St. Hill Family - Barbados St. Hill/Sheppard Family Archives The earliest known photo of the St. Hill Family in Barbados - circa 1896 (Original image from my grandmother's photo album restored using AI) Seated centre are my maternal great-grandparents, Henry Graham St. Hill and Annie Bourne. Next to Annie is her father, John Bourne with his wife Augusta Matilda Mahon standing behind him. Next to her l/r are Florrie and Evy (Evelyn) Bourne (sisters of Annie Bourne). My grandfather, Henry Garnet St. Hill is standing next to his grandfather on the right, and his brother Eric is next to his father on the left. Seated in front are their twin sisters, Ruby and Beryl, and to the left is their aunt, May Bourne, another of Annie's sisters. Above: Marriage Register showing the marriage of my great-great grandparents John Bourne and Augusta Mathilda Mahon - 1859. Below: Marriage of my great-grandparents Henry Graham St. Hill and Annie Wall Bourne - 1887 Oral tradition tells us that our Sainthill family came from Devon, England, but it is a challenge to find documented proof of this. I do know that certainly in Barbados, the surname changed at some point to St. Hill . Our story starts on April 28, 1842 when 22 year old Benjamin St. Hill , my mother's great-grandfather, took as his bride Margaret Bourne. The Marriage Register shows that the couple's fathers, Samuel St. Hill and John Bourne were present to give their blessings and sign as witnesses. It is true to say that their marriage was fruitful, as between 1843 and 1863 they became parents of no less than ten children. They lived in St. Michael and baptised each of their children in the Anglican faith. Several of them were baptised at St. Stephen's Church, Black Rock. In the various registers, Benjamin's profession was sometimes listed as a merchant, and sometimes as a merchant's clerk. With such a large family to support he must have worked hard! The ninth child of Benjamin and Margaret's brood was my great-grandfather Henry Graham St. Hill . He was duly baptised on 4 Jul 1861 and was just a boy of 11 years old when his father Benjamin died. Benjamin was only 52 years old when he died on January 5, 1872, and Margaret died about six years later in Warwickshire, England. Left without parents, one wonders how all these children left behind were able to cope. Although he was a 'city' boy, he married a girl from the parish of St. Peter - that was fairly uncommon in those days. Annie also came from a family of 10 children, daughter of John Bourne and Augusta Matilda Mahon. Henry Graham and Annie made their home in Cheapside, St. Michael, and were living there when their first child Eric Graham was born. Cheapside in Bridgetown, where many of the Jewish settlers also lived, was close to the port (now the Careenage), which was the hub of shipping and trade in those days. It was a convenient location for merchants to reside, as it was near to where are most of their business was transacted. Within five years, they had five children - Eric, Edith, Henry Garnet, and twin daughters Ruby and Beryl. Of these, the only one who remained in Barbados was my grandfather, Henry Garnet St. Hill. Henry Graham and Annie eventually moved to Barbarees Hill, and owned their family home there. My mother Betty remembers visiting her grandparents at this house when she was a child. She describes the atmosphere in their home as "fascinating and quaint" and loved to go there. She says that her grandad taught her how to tell the time when she was 8, using an alarm clock that had two big bells either side. About her grandmother Annie she recalls: "She was a dear little soul. From the time you woke up in the morning, she was dressed in boots and a long skirt with an apron over it. She was a busy, busy little lady. She was olive-skinned, with a little round face. She was a Bourne. She was very musical - she could play the flute." She recalled that there was an Uncle Freddie St. Hill, (her grandad's brother) Aunt Bessie and Aunt Evie who lived with them in their Barbarees Hill home, but they all made themselves scarce and went into their own rooms when she visited. After they all died and her grandparents were left alone, their house in Barbarees Hill was sold and arrangements made for them to come and live with her parents at their home "Ypres" in Belleville sometime in the 30's. My mother was one of five children, so I can imagine that it must have been awkward and difficult for them and, according to Mum "It just didn't work out." My grandfather then bought a house for them in Tweedside Road, and had it renovated. They called it "Graham Cot", and since it was within walking distance, they could visit often. Garnet also hired a lady to live in and attend to his parents and he diligently looked after them until they passed away in 1940 and 1941. The first of their children to be married was their eldest child Eric, who was later to become somewhat of a family mystery for a long time. ERIC GRAHAM ST. HILL Eric Graham St. Hill and his wife Sarah Berinda Josephine Johnson Barbados, 8th November 1911 (Photo restoration of damaged original image) Eric was born on 18 August 1887, and was baptized in St. Mary’s Chapel, St. Michael on 1st October the same year. At that time, his parents were still living at Cheapside, Bridgetown, an area not too far away from that church. St. Mary's Anglican Church (called chapel in those days) was built in 1825 and is the second oldest consecrated ground on the island. Of Eric's early life we know that he attended the Combermere School in Barbados, where he showed a keen interest in and aptitude for languages. When he was 15 years old, he was awarded a prize for Latin, and the following year he won the Senior Prize for French and Spanish. The two handsome leather-bound classics are treasured by his family. Eric also studied Pitman's Shorthand, as evidenced by the textbook he kept and on which is inscribed "Eric St. Hill, 1905". His thirst for learning never stopped, as he continued to study Spanish after he left school, teaching himself to become fluent by listening to records. We don't know where they first met, but Eric fell in love with an attractive brunette named Sarah Berinda Josephine Johnson (called Berinda), daughter of James and Louisa Johnson née Weekes, who was to become his spouse for life. The couple took their wedding vows at St. Leonard's Anglican Church on 8 November 1911, when they were both 24 years old. The marriage records show that she was living in St. Philip at the time, and he in Belleville, St. Michael. His brother Garnet (my grandfather) is shown as a witness on their marriage certificate. As a matter of interest, St. Leonard's Church was where the St. Hill family worshipped, and the St. Hill Family burial site is located in the St. Leonard's churchyard. Eric joined the Machine Gun Volunteers of Barbados, but was not called to active duty during WWl. Seeking better job opportunities, he and Berinda decided to emigrate to Toronto, Canada sometime after their marriage in 1911. My grandmother, Esmée St. Hill in Barbados sent Eric a postcard in 1915, which indicates that they corresponded with each other during those first years after he left his home in Barbados. A postcard was also sent from Eric to them in 1916. Like Eric, my grandparents, Esmée and Garnet St. Hill also lived in Belleville, where their family home "Ypres" was situated at the corner of the 1st Avenue and Pine Road. Their property occupied two lots, extending into the 2nd Avenue, so they had a large back garden and orchard. In 1880s, Belleville was developed as an exclusive residential area in Barbados. By 1910, the 8th through 11th avenues were available for public access while up until about 1935, the 1st through 7th avenues catered to private residents only. An avenue in Belleville, Barbados I was curious to find out more about where Eric and Berinda lived in Canada, having left behind the beautiful palm-lined avenues of Belleville in Barbados. Thanks to my grandmother's familiar rounded handwriting on the postcard she sent to him in 1915 I had their exact address. With the help of Canadian friends, I discovered that they had moved into a new and very desirable residential area, designed as Tudor style apartments set in gardens and close to nature. The construction of the 260 units began in 1913 and continued on for another decade. They were designed to provide the working class with nice places to live. Eric and Berinda, with their toddler Josephene, would have been among the first tenants to move into the first of the finished units. Below are photos of the Aberdeen Club apartments at that time, and a picture of them now. Postcard sent in 1915 from 1st Ave. Belleville, Barbados to Eric at No. 1 Apartment, Aberdeen Club, Bain Ave. Toronto, Ont. Canada. Eric is in the front row among a detachment of Machine Gun Barbados Volunteers. August 3, 1914 -Postcard addressed to my grandmother, Mrs. H.G. St. Hill from her brother-in-law Eric. He and Berinda visited Niagra Falls, N.Y. Eric and Berinda's first child arrived in the summer of 1916, while they were living in their new Apartment on Bain Avenue, Toronto. By all accounts, Berinda loved life in Canada, but the same could not be said for Eric. Many Barbadians who have emigrated have found the long, harsh Canadian winters to be difficult - I wonder whether Eric longed for warmer weather year-long! Eric's daughter Helen remembers that her father always yearned to visit Spain, which is perhaps why he continued to learn Spanish after he left school. The fact that he spoke Spanish may well have been the reason he was sent from Canada to work in the Mexican branch of the Railway Light and Power Company. With this job opportunity, Eric, Berinda and little Josephine set off from Canada around 1918 to live in Monterrey, Mexico . There he was employed as Assistant Manager with Monterrey Railway Light and Power Company, which was a Canadian company. Two more children were born, Gloria in 1920 and Helen in 1922 - completing their family of three daughters. Eric loved life in Mexico and soon became actively involved in the community. He was founding member of the Rotary Club of Monterrey, which held its first meeting on October 27, 1922. He also served as President of the Rotary Club of Monterrey in 1925-1926. He and his family moved to Mexico City in 1930 where they settled permanently. Eric and Berinda were married for 41 years, until he died on January 22, 1953 when he was 65 years old. Berinda went on to live to the ripe old age of 92. It appears that Eric and Berinda never returned to Barbados, and after a while the St. Hill family completely lost contact with each other. His family in Barbados never knew what became of him, and sadly, his parents passed away not ever knowing what became of their eldest son. Fast-forward to May 2008 when, out of the proverbial blue, I was thrilled to receive a message on Facebook from a stranger with a Spanish sounding name. "My name is Emilia and I am the granddaughter of Eric St. Hill, your grandfather Garnet's brother. This makes us relatives, but I'm not sure what we are -second cousins? My mother, Helen St. Hill (sister of Josephine and Gloria) would love to contact your mother Betty... Until a few days ago she had no idea that she has a cousin in Barbados. My brother Marco has been trying to track down my mother's side of the family in Barbados and he found out about you on Internet. We live in Mexico City and would love to write to you." Our long-lost Eric, though long gone, was reunited with the family through his Mexican family! Through this contact with my Mexican family, we have been able to learn more about my great-uncle Eric, though we will probably never know why he and Berinda broke all ties with their families in Barbados after they settled down in Mexico. All we can say is that, as in many other families, "something " must have happened. After exchanging several emails, Emilia, her sister Helen and their mother Helen (now 98) took a trip to Barbados in 2010, and met her cousin Betty (St. Hill) Sheppard (my mother, now 95) and some other family members. The cousins exchanged letters and were happy to have found each other. So thanks to my family tree work on line and the wonders of the internet - we are thrilled to have discovered a delightful Mexican branch of the St. Hill Family, and they are happy to know more about their Barbadian roots. Above: l/r Eric's granddaughters Emilia Almazán, her sister Helen and their mother Helen Graham St. Hill Almazán Below: l/r my cousin Helen St. Hill, Helen Graham St. Hill Almazán, with my brother Peter Sheppard and his wife Neilsa nee Tasker, in Barbados - 2010 Cousins meet for the first and only time in Barbados, 2010 Betty (St. Hill) Sheppard (1925 - 2024), rt. Helen (St. Hill) Almazán (1922 - 1924) See also: ST. HILL & LOBO FAMILIES HENRY GARNET (HARRY) ST. HILL FRANCES ELIZABETH (BETTY) SHEPPARD née ST. HILL

QUEEN VICTORIA'S DIAMOND JUBILEE In 1897 when Trinidad was a British colony, the Trinidad Police Force sent a contingent to London for the celebrations of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. This grand occasion marked the sovereign's 60 years on the throne in service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. As a senior police officer in Trinidad, my English great-grandfather Alfred Sheppard was among the police chosen to represent the island and take part in the historic celebrations in his homeland. It must have been a proud and exciting occasion for the family. He was then forty years old and his Trinidad-born children Charles (my grandfather) and Amalia (Amy Mendes née Sheppard) were twelve and ten years old at the time. 1897 - Trinidad's colonial contingent for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee police officers on right (THE WESTERLY Issue 63, 2012) The full story of Alfred Sheppard can be seen here . "People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them." ~ James Baldwin

Barbados Turf Club Tony Archer John Anthony Keith Archer TONY (1939 - 1984) Tony Archer was was an avid Barbadian sportsman. He enjoyed playing water polo and tennis. He played cricket for the Wanderers Club and in the eighties he became a member of the Windward Cricket Club. But horses were his first love. He represented Barbados in show jumping and polo for a number of years. He was also a keen competitor in dressage, and sponsored many equestrian events through his family business, J.A.K. Archer & Co. Ltd. Later he turned his enormous enthusiasm and knowledge of horses to the sport of horse-racing. He served as a member of the Committee of Management of The Barbados Turf Club and was the youngest person ever to be appointed as Steward of The Barbados Turf Club. Tony Archer

 Man of the Soil The author of this tribute, Michael L. (Mike) Goddard, has been dubbed 
"the voice of horse racing in Barbados".
 Mike is a multi-award-winning Caribbean journalist who has been inducted into the
Barbados Association of Journalists’ Hall of Fame. People from all walks of life are mourning the death of Tony Archer, a man who during his lifetime became a friend of all. The large crowd which overflowed the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Jemmotts Lane was indicative of the respect and love which followed this man throughout his lifetime. The sudden death of John Anthony Keith “Tony” Archer last month, left a shocking numbness which will take sometime to wear off. However, those of us who were fortunate to come into contact with him will always remember his pleasant personality and his constant willingness to help. In the world of horse racing, Tony Archer made his mark not only as a much respected steward, but as a forward thinking person always ready to adopt new ideas. He introduced sponsorship to horse racing in Barbados when his company J.A.K. Archer & Co. Ltd. launched the Martini Vermouth St. Leger back in 1966. Since that first sponsored event this phenomenon has grown to tremendous heights in Barbados, but few remember the input of Tony Archer. When the Martini Vermouth St. Leger failed to develop into the type of race that Tony envisaged, he abandoned the event, but returned some years later, this time with a new sponsor for the island’s most historic event. The Mackeson Derby was the brainchild of Tony Archer and before the introduction of the rich Cockspur Gold Cup was the race of the year in Barbados. Tony had only one way of doing things and that was the best. With this in mind, he turned what used to be an ordinary classic into the most prestigious creole race in Barbados. He assisted in increasing the stakes, putting a valuable trophy and staging a crowd pleasing event worthy of any of the major racing centers in the world. With the backing of Tony Archer, race sponsorship reached new heights. Tony Archer had one pet peeve and that was the poor standard of riding in Barbados. He therefore in his own way set out to correct what he saw as a major stumbling block to the development of horse racing Barbados. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Jockey School, and one of his major disappointments came when this establishment closed its doors a few years ago. Just before his untimely death, Tony Archer had once again set out towards having this school reopened as a means of improving the standard of riding. Jockeys at the Garrison will not hesitate to tell you that as long as Tony was a sitting steward for a particular day, they could expect to be summoned to be told in no uncertain way that they must be at the top of their profession. In addition, if they made a mistake during the course of that day, they would be recalled on the very next day to be shown their faults and asked to correct them. So committed was Tony to this that on several occasions when most people had missed things in a race he came up with something. For instance, toward the end of the last racing season two jockeys were fined, one for handing his whip to his colleague during the course of a race and the other for receiving it. Not only did he call up the two jockeys, but he also found the appropriate rule that they had infringed. Tony Archer served for several years as a steward of the Barbados Turf Club, and he geared himself for this learning all the rules and reading every scrap of information that would improve his capabilities. He was also an open man and was always ready to explain why he had taken a particular decision. He was a hard but fair steward and his one aim was to ensure the highest standards in the sport of horse racing. He was also one of the people responsible for introducing the filming of racing in Barbados, a move which made it easier for the stewards to review a race and see particular incidents. He made sure they got the appropriate equipment and he used it to the fullest. Tony Archer has passed on and will surely be missed, but he has left behind an excellent example for us to follow. He was a perfectionist and one must realize that his path would be a hard one to walk. However, he has shown us that to aim for the best should be our main objective, no matter what we do. For my part, I feel that I had lost not only a friend, but a confidant and one who I could always turn to for advice and support. In fact, just days before his death we had discussed a project that I was planning and I was on my way home to call him when news of his death reached me. Tony . . . rest in peace. You have done your part and all that’s left is for us to emulate you. Tony Archer died on 14 July, 1984 at the age of 45. In March 2006, he was inducted into The Barbados Turf Club's Hall of Fame in recognition of his significant contributions to the sport of horse racing in Barbados. I am pictured here with our eldest and youngest children, Paul (left)) and Philip (right) having received the certificate of induction. The occasion was reported in the Barbados Sunday Advocate of March 19, 2006 Barbados Mackeson Derby at the Garrison Savannah - Saturday August 11, 1984 My husband, Tony Archer, was Managing Director of J.A.K. Archer & Co. Ltd., agents for Mackeson Stout, and sponsors of the Barbados Derby. Tony had died just a month before the big feature race. “Generator” owned by Trinidadian Mr. Navarro, trained by Steven Jardim and ridden by top Barbadian jockey Venice Richards are pictured above. Our two eldest sons, Paul and Wayne Archer - then 17 and 16 years old - were invited to join in the lead-in by the connections, in honour of their father. It was a poignant moment. Amateur Jockey Race at The Garrison, Barbados circa 1978/79 Tony Archer took the lead and won on "September Song " Amateur Jockey Race at The Garrison, Barbados circa 1978/79 Tony Archer Tony on "September Song" being led in by son Paul Archer with Anne Marie Moore "Gilly Gilly" being led in by owner Tony Archer, son Paul - around 1977 "Gilly Gilly" being led in by owner Tony Archer, son Wayne, and Hon. Da Costa Edwards, Minister of Education - around 1977 For Gilly-Gilly's win, I received the prize of a silver coffee and tea service from Governor General of Barbados,Sir Deighton Lisle Ward GCMG GCVO. He was the 2nd native Governor General of Barbados after the island became independent in 1966 See also: J.A.K. (Tony) Archer - Barbados Polo Club The Archer Family Barbados

Sgt. Major Alfred Sheppard (1855 - 1917) My great-grandfather In this remarkable photograph of my great-grandfather, Alfred Sheppard, we see details that align with the historical records of the Trinidad Constabulary and the British Imperial Army during the late 19th century. It is a studio portrait taken in the years when he served in active duty in South Trinidad. In this portrait, Alfred is wearing a full-dress tunic typical of a high-ranking Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in a British colonial police force. The intricate "Hussar-style" cord frogging across the chest was a hallmark of senior ranks in the Trinidad Police. It signifies his position as a Superintendent Sergeant or Sergeant Major. The visible silver chain across his chest (attached to his pocket watch) was a common personal touch for senior officers of the era, symbolizing punctuality and administrative authority. Entries written by Alfred in the Sheppard Family bible are testimony to his precise record keeping, especially relating to dates and time. Alfred's impeccably groomed "handlebar" moustache was the standard military and police style of the late Victorian era. This rare "Cabinet Card" photograph captures him at the height of his professional career. I consider it a glimpse into the "Old Guard" of the Caribbean colonial service and a striking visual record of the men who shaped the early Trinidad and Tobago Police Service. As a Sergeant Major in the late 19th-century Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Alfred Sheppard held a position of significant authority. During this era, the TTPS was structured along British semi-military lines, and the Sergeant Major was the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer. He would have been responsible for the daily discipline, training, and drill of the constables. His role would have required high literacy and administrative skill. Alfred sent the portrait of himself to his family in Wem. He wrote this note on the back of the cabinet card - "a perfect facsimile of your lost sheep". I think that Alfred was being witty, playing on the Sheppard (Shepherd) name, referring to himself as the lost sheep because he was the one who had strayed the furthest across the globe! He was no doubt proud to show off that that he had been successful since his arrival as a youngster from Sussex to Trinidad in the West Indies. The card identifies the photographer as George Adhar, located at 10a Prince of Wales St., San Fernando, Trinidad. Adhar was a prominent photographer in San Fernando, Trinidad, during the late 19th century. Having his studio information printed in this elaborate, turquoise-lithographed style suggests that he was a high-end professional. The bottom left mentions "Marion, Imp. Paris." This refers to Marion & Co., a famous French company that manufactured the actual card stock. It shows that even in Trinidad, photographers were importing the finest materials from Europe to create these portraits. Alfred Sheppard's Early Life Alfred Sheppard was the sixth child in a family of ten children born to James and Elizabeth Shepherd née Cole. He was born in Chichester, Sussex on 22 August, 1855 and was baptised at St. Pancras Church, Sussex on 30 September that year. His baptism record shows his father's trade as "labourer", while his birth certificate states "jobbing gardener". In other words, he came from an English working class family in the parish of St. Pancras, Chichester, Sussex. In 1874 when he was just 19 years old, Alfred enlisted in the 2nd Brigade King’s Own, Sussex. This "Brigade" was headquartered in Chichester (at the Rousillon Barracks), which explains how Alfred, born in the parish of St. Pancras, would have simply walked down the road to enlist in his local regiment. In 1878, he was seconded to Trinidad and left his home in England. He arrived in Trinidad as Colour Sergeant with his regiment. Reaching the rank of Colour Sergeant by age 23 (when he arrived in Trinidad) indicates Alfred was exceptionally disciplined, literate, and possessed natural leadership. A Colour Sergeant was a prestigious rank, responsible for protecting the regiment's flags (the "Colours") and for the well-being of a full company of men. When he arrived on the shores of Trinidad, Alfred would have been wearing the scarlet wool tunic of the Sussex Regiment. In the humid West Indian climate and tropical surroundings, he must have experienced a drastic change from life in England. When he moved from the King’s Own Royal Regiment Sussex to the Trinidad Police, he was part of a wave of British "Imperial" soldiers brought in to professionalize the local constabulary. In 1880, two years after his arrival in the island, the Trinidad Police Force required two Supt. Sergeants and Alfred was allowed to resign from the army to take up one of those positions. Alfred was the perfect candidate: an Englishman from a working-class background who had proven himself in the King’s Own Sussex. By resigning from the Army to join the Police, he effectively chose a path of permanent immigration, trading his life in Chichester for a position of authority in the Caribbean. A brave move for this young Englishman so far away from his family and his motherland. The Sheppard Family Bible - Alfred's Legacy I find it a touching detail to observe that one year after enrolling in the Sussex Regiment, and two years before arriving in Trinidad, Alfred Sheppard wrote the following statement at the very top of the page of what was to become our genealogical and historical treasure - the Sheppard Family Bible. In Alfred’s distinctive handwriting, in military style, he wrote a formal authentication of the records he entered, starting with his own birth. It reads: "This is a True Record, copied from the old Family Bible by me on Sunday the 19th day of September 1875." Directly following this statement is his signature: Alfred Sheppard. Perhaps he was already preparing for the possibility of overseas deployment and wanted to carry with him his own Bible from England in which he would record his life's journey. The phrase "True Record" reflects his military mindset and training, treating family history with the same importance and accuracy as an official ledger. Sgt. Alfred Sheppard in Trinidad Life in the tropics must have smiled on Alfred, as he fell in love with a young lady of Portuguese descent, the daughter of immigrants from Madeira. Sgt. Alfred Sheppard recorded in his family Bible that he and Virginia de Freitas were married on 25th June, 1881 at the Free Church of Scotland, St. Ann’s Road, Trinidad, B.W.I., of which Virginia's father Sebastien was a founding member. This was just months before Alfred's older brother Charles had married Mary Ellen Fisher in England. It was during February 1881, a few months before Alfred’s marriage, that the Canboulay Riots were staged by descendants of freed slaves in Trinidad & Tobago, against attempts by the British police to crack down on certain aspects of the celebration of Carnival. During this time, Carnival was often marred by clashes between groups of revelers carrying sticks and lighted torches. While the confrontations started in song duels between the chantwells, they often descended into physical violence. It has also been recorded that 1881, Trinidad’s police force clashed with revelers in Port of Spain who had banded together against the police. Sergeant Alfred Sheppard was a young officer of the British Constabulary contending with this social unrest in the British colony of Trinidad. One account states that policemen were armed only with cudgels and were severely beaten by rioters. Rioting was fierce in the southern cities of San Fernando and Princes Town during the carnival of 1884. This was followed by the infamous Hosay Massacre of October 30th 1884. That was the very year that Alfred and Virginia started their family. Alfred and Virginia's Children Alfred and Virginia’s first child was a son, born at 1.20 a.m. on Tuesday 8th January, 1884 in Mucurapo, Peru Estate. This was the area now called St. James, where the barracks were located. Their firstborn was named after his English father and grandfather - Alfred James. On Wednesday, October 21st the following year, another son arrived, and he was named Charles Sebastien Theodore . He was to become my grandfather. Charles, known as Charlie, was born in St. Joseph, Trinidad, and was probably named after his uncle Charles in England. His second name, Sebastien, was that of his Portuguese maternal grandfather, Sebastien de Freitas. Two years later, still in St. Joseph, a baby girl arrived. Alfred and Virginia called their daughter Amalia Elizabeth Sheppard . Amalia, affectionately called Amy, was born at 8 a.m. on Saturday 14th May, 1887. Her second name was that of her English grandmother, Elizabeth. In November of 1888 a third son was born to Alfred and Virginia: Arthur Wybrow de Freitas Sheppard. It is recorded that Captain Arthur Wybrow Baker was appointed Inspector Commandant of Trinidad’s Police Force in 1887. Alfred and Virginia's son was most certainly named after him. This indicates to me that the Commandant was much respected by Sgt. Sheppard, and might even have been a personal friend. Capt. Baker was known as "Brave Baker of the Bobbies". He was said to have been a militant man by nature and decisive in his actions. He was determined to end the Canboulay as a threat to public order. It was reported in the Port of Spain Gazette of 14 June 1917 that once, while outing with Captain Baker (the then Inspector-General), Alfred Sheppard received a severe injury which left a scar on his head for life. On Easter Sunday, 6th April 1890 at 11 a.m. yet another son was born to Alfred and Virginia, completing their family of five children. This baby was born in Princes Town, which is in south Trinidad. He was named Edward Albert James Sheppard. In those days, the Police Headquarters , completed in 1876, was situated at the corner of St. Vincent and Sackville Streets in Port of Spain. In 1881, the year Alfred and Virginia were married, the Police Headquarters was destroyed by fire which was caused by the kerosene oil lighting system. From the locations of the births of their children as recorded on their birth certificates, it is clear that Sergeant Major Alfred Sheppard and his wife lived wherever he, as an officer of the Police Force, had been posted in his line of duty. He sent photos of his two children Charles and Amalia to his family in Wem. These were also taken at George Adhar’s Studio, San Fernando - quite likely on the same day as his own portrait. The children look around 6 and 7 years old, and their little faces are so serious - or are they sad? Charlie is dressed as a miniature soldier or cadet, which was a common way for senior officers to dress their sons for formal portraits. His pillbox cap bears an insignia on the front. It appears to be a crown or a specific crest, likely mirroring the badge of the Trinidad Police Force. Amy is wearing her Sunday best. They are posed against a backdrop of tropical greenery and an ornate English Victorian "bobbin-leg" table, typical of those times. "Badly Taken" An amusing note at the back of the photograph! Despite the children looking impeccably dressed and disciplined to our modern eyes, Alfred clearly felt the photographer, George Adhar, didn't capture them at their best. Whether he meant the lighting, the background or more likely the children's serious expressions, it shows that even in the 1890's parents were picky about their children's photos! Sadness in the family They were living in the south of Trinidad - possibly it was still Princes Town where the last two children were born when tragedy struck the family. In 1893 both of their youngest children became very sick with dysentery. Their baby boy, Albert Edward James Sheppard, just three years old, died at 4.00 on the morning of 11th June, 1893 of acute dysentery and was buried in the Presbyterian ground, Paradise Cemetery, San Fernando. Sadly, just two weeks later, on Sunday 25th June 1893 at 2.50 a.m. their four-year old Arthur also died of acute dysentery. It was the very day of Alfred and Virginia’s 12th Wedding Anniversary. Little Arthur Wybrow was laid to rest by the side of his baby brother Albert. One can only imagine the sleepless nights and anguish of their parents, and the sadness of their older siblings Alfred, Charlie, and Amy. To England for the Diamond Jubilee Years passed by, and in 1897 there were to be great celebrations in England for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee . Trinidad was a colony of England, and The Trinidad Police Force sent a contingent to London for the celebrations. As a senior officer of the Force, Alfred was among the contingent chosen to go. He was then 40 years old and his children Charles and Amalia were 12 and 10 at the time. There must have been great excitement in the family, as this was an historic occasion that Alfred was to be a part of. Though we have found no record of it, we believe that Alfred most probably visited some of his family in England on this occasion. Family life in Trinidad - 1905 to 1917 Back to Trinidad some years later, it appears that Alfred and Virginia had moved north and were living at 117 Edward Street, Port of Spain. Owing to ill-health, he resigned from active duty as a Sergeant in 1905, after serving in both the Imperial Army and Trinidad Police Force for 31 years. He then assumed an administrative position as Staff Clerk and Paymaster of the Trinidad Constabulary. In an era where many police officers were illiterate, Alfred’s literacy, excellent handwriting and reputation as a man trained in details (as demonstrated in the 1882 Wupperman Prahl & Co. court case ) would have positioned him perfectly to take charge of the Constabulary’s logistics. In 1909, Alfred and Virginia attended the wedding of their son Charles to Elsie Mabel Gomez. It was a big, happy family occasion, celebrated in style at the lovely residence of Albert Mendes, at the corner of Shine Street and Victoria Square, Port-of-Spain. Albert's wife was Mary Pereira, Elsie's aunt, and Albert was also Elsie's godfather. Albert was the brother of Alfred Mendes Snr., great-grandfather of the British Academy award winner, Sir Samuel Alexander (Sam) Mendes CBE. Sadly, just one year after the beautiful wedding celebration, the family was once again plunged into sadness and deep grief. Alfred and Virginia's eldest son, Alfred James, succumbed to bronchitis on 19th January at 7.20 p.m., when he was just barely 25 years old. His bereaved father recorded in the Family Bible that he purchased a 12 x 10 grave for his son at Lapeyrouse Cemetery, for which he paid $40.00 on 21st January, 1910. In years to come, this grave plot would become the Sheppard family burial place, and remains so to this day. Alfred and his wife Virginia at the wedding of their son Charles Sheppard to Elsie Gomez - 20th January 1909 This image was cropped from the large group wedding photo, and enhanced using AI tools. It is the last known photograph of the couple. Alfred's health continued to decline, leading to his death on 12 June, 1917 when he was 60 years old. He was laid to rest alongside his son and namesake, Alfred James, in the burial place he had purchased seven years earlier. The newspaper report about him and his funeral indicates that he was a highly respected man, much loved by his family and colleagues. Three years after his death, there was once again a happy event to celebrate, when on 18th January 1913, Alfred and Virginia's daughter Amalia married Edward Oswald Mendes. His wife Virginia lived on for many more years, and passed away at 4 Shine Street, Port of Spain, when she was 74 years old. Alfred lived long enough to have known six of his grandchildren before he passed away, but never knew the extent of the large family he and Virginia started.
 
 Judging from the wonderful Family Bible he left behind, Alfred Sheppard appeared to have been a man who valued his family deeply and paid great attention to detail, recording even the exact time of births and deaths, indicative of his military and police training. It is curious, though, that about himself he only wrote that he was born ‘in England’ on 22nd August, 1857. It has taken years of research to trace his early beginnings. 
 This Family Bible had been passed down to his daughter Amalia (affectionally called Amy) and then to her daughter Jessie Rooks Mendes, who is still in possession of it. Thanks to the Mendes family who had it beautifully restored in Holland, and in particular to Jessie for sharing this gem, we were able to use those valuable handwritten details in our genealogy research. 
 From Alfred Sheppard and his wife Virginia, descended all the Sheppard and Mendes families from Trinidad. Thanks to the digitization of old newspapers, this article describing Alfred's funeral has been discovered in the Port of Spain Gazette of June 14, 1917. I have transcribed the article - click here or on the image below to read it. Several family members mentioned on this website were in attendance. Click here to see how the story of Alfred Sheppard led to my participation in a series called Descendants, produced and broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on 11 June, 2021. (All original 19th century images have been cleaned and restored by me, using AI) SEE ALSO: VIRGINIA DE FREITAS QUEEN VICTORIA'S JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS TRINIDAD POLICE vs. WUPPERMANN, PRAHL & CO.

Welcome to my site Years ago I embarked on a journey of research and discovery in writing the stories of my family through the use of oral tradition and genealogical research. I consider myself a family historian, though I am not a professional genealogist nor am I an academic. I try to provide photographs to accompany the stories, helping to bring the humanity of our ancestors alive as I attempt to document their lives. My goal is to create a legacy for future generations, recognizing the importance of knowing the people we come from, and understanding their struggles and achievements in the context of their era. The menu above will lead you to seventy-four lovingly compiled pages of family stories, photos and videos. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy creating them. Each section contains the title story plus several others in the drop-down menu under the title. Just toggle and click. You may also use the Search tab to easily find the people or story of interest to you. Read More THE ENGLISH SHEPPARDS INTRODUCTION This is a tale of a two brothers who came from the large family of James and Elizabeth Shepherd in Sussex, England. Their family story has been pieced together by researching many official records, and with the help of photos and personal records in a family Bible. The lives of these brothers took completely different directions, and left many descendants who would become scattered far and wide. We have followed the family in censuses which were done every ten years. Interestingly, the earlier records show the family surname as Shepherd, but as we know for sure, the brothers Alfred and Charles wrote their name Sheppard. My great-great grandfather James Shepherd (Sheppard), born abt. 1823 in Chichester, Sussex, England The handwritten identification on the back of James' photo provided a vital clue in tracing the English Sheppard family line JAMES AND ELIZABETH SHEPHERD (SHEPPARD) Our story starts in 1851, during the reign of Queen Victoria, when a Census of England, Scotland and Wales was taken. James and Elizabeth Ann Shepherd née Cole were a young married couple, living with their family at St Pancras Street, in the parish of Saint Pancras, Chichester, Susex, England. James, born in Chichester and the head of the household, was 28 years old, and his occupation was listed as Gardener. Elizabeth, 25 years old, was also born in Chichester. They were already the parents of four children: Walter (6), Harriette (5), James (3) and one-year old William. In 1861, the Census records that the family had moved to St. Martins Court, St. Martin, Chichester, in the county of Sussex, England. Ten years had passed, and four more children had been born. They were Charles (7), Alfred (5), Edward (3) and the baby Harry (1). At the time of the Census, James and Elizabeth were 38 and 36 respectively, and lived at this address with their family of 8 children. By now, the oldest child, Walter, was 15 years old, and his occupation was "Best Of Shoe Paster Apprentice". What exactly that was, one can only guess. Harriett, now 14, was the only girl of the eight children. James, at only 12 years old, was also a Best of Shoe Apprentice. All of the children after James, with the exception of one year old Harry, were 'scholars' - what we would call 'students' nowadays. During this period, James Shepherd’s occupation as recorded in the Census was Gardener/Journeyman. The word journeyman comes from the French word journée, which means a period of one day. Essentially, that meant that he had finished his learning period or apprenticeship (most youngsters were apprenticed in those days to learn a trade) and had gone onto the stage of being relatively independent. He could travel around and offer his services for a daily rate; but he had not yet reached the stage of master or head gardener. Ten years later, in the 1871 Census, we discover that James Shepherd and his family were back at their original address – St. Pancras Street, Chichester. At the time of the census, James was 47 years old, and Elizabeth 44. Their family had grown even larger with the addition of two more children. There were two more boys - Ernest who was then 9 years old, and a new baby called Stephen - just 8 months old. Those were the only two children living at home with them. Although their older brothers Charles and Alfred were just 16 and 14, they were not listed in the household; however, so far, we are unable to find them listed at any other residence. Elizabeth Shepherd’s occupation is never mentioned, but it is clear that she was a housewife all her adult life. She would have had her first child when she was 21, and her last child when she was 46 - occupation enough! By 1881 we find the Shepherd family living at 6, Guilden Road, Oving, Sussex. James Shepherd, the gardener, was now 58 years old and his wife 55. The only child living with them was their youngest son Stephen, 10 years old - a scholar. I guess Stephen was what we would call in Trinidad their "lagniappe"! At their home at the time of this Census, there was also a lady called Jane Brenner, a widow of 55 years old, who was a 'lodger' or boarder. She was a ‘needlewoman’ from Hampshire. We don't know her connection, if any, with the family, but are curious to find out why she was living with them. The final Census in which we find James Shepherd and his wife Elizabeth, was recorded in 1891; James and his wife Elizabeth were living at 2 Kingshame Terrace, Basin Road, Chichester. James was still a Gardener. Their youngest son, twenty-year old Stephen, was ‘Drapers Assistant’ and was living at this address with his parents in their golden years. From notations on the back of a photo of the brothers Charles and Stephen, we believe that James and Elizabeth had thirteen children in all; but so far we have only been able to find ten of them. Left is Charles Sheppard born 1853 and his youngest brother Stephen, born in 1862. The handwriting on the back of the photo is that of Charles' daughter Nellie, born in 189 1. This story continues with only two of James' and Elizabeth’s offspring – the middle children: Charles , who remained in England, and the brother who came right after him, Alfred Sheppard . Alfred's life would take him to the island of Trinidad. There he would marry and make Trinidad his permanent home. He became my great-grandfather and that of all the Trinidad Sheppard/Mendes families of my generation.

Ivy May Gomez Although I never knew my grandmother’s sister, Ivy May Gomez , I had often heard loving recollections about her from my father. Aunt Ivy seemed to have been a very special person who was not only extraordinarily kind and thoughtful, but also very talented. She was born to Joseph and Christina Pereira in 1897, the sixth child in the family of nine. Ivy was born in Queen's Street, in the town of Arima, Trinidad. At the time, her father Joseph worked at Millers Stores Ltd. as a clerk, according to her birth certificate. Later, the family moved to Sangre Grande. Sadly, Ivy lost her father when she had just turned 13 years old. According to the records, Joseph Gomez died of Cerebral Apoplexy (Stroke) at his home in Sangre Grande on the 31st December, 1910. He was only 47 years old, leaving Christina a widow at the young age of 44. I can only imagine the terrible shock and loss his children and wife suffered. The funeral left from the residence of Alfred Mendes, where just a year earlier the whole family had been celebrating the marriage of Ivy's sister Elsie Mabel to Charles Sheppard . Twelve years later, tragedy and sadness once again struck the Gomez family. On 6th October 1922, Ivy's older sister, Audrey died in Grenada at the young age of 33, during childbirth with her son George. Left alone with a four-and-a-half year old boy and an infant son to raise, her husband Louis Franco sent George's older brother Wilfred to his aunt Ivy in Trinidad. By then, Ivy lived in Port of Spain with her widowed mother Christina Gomez, and together they provided a loving home and motherly care for Wilfred. George was sent to his father's maiden sister, Louise Franco, in Grenada who also lovingly raised the young boy at the home where she lived with her parents, John and Clementine Franco. His grandfather John Franco was a successful wine merchant and lived above his shop on Halifax Street in St. Georges, where he owned several other properties. From the records we know that Ivy accompanied her sister-in-law, Jessie Gomez, (George's wife) on a trip to Scotland after the birth of their second child, also named Joseph. Her travel dates were 29th July 1927 - 11th November 1927 and on her return voyage, her occupation was listed as Cashier. "Perhaps she was once again helping to look after the children," suggests Jessie Tamas Hendry, Ivy's great-niece. Ivy and Jessie's grandmother stayed in touch through letters. Jessie said that she knows from one of Ivy's letters to her Grandma that she was interested in our family history. In one letter of February 1973 Ivy wrote: "I hope one day to try to find out Grandma Pereira's maiden name if the books have not been damaged in the riot of 1908. Not all of them were. But the Red House is another dangerous spot and the administration is awful. The greatest carelessness exists and documents are being sold on or left lying about in a neglected way." (Photo courtesy Brian Franco) Wilfred (about 11), Ivy, their pet Jinks and Grandma Christina Gomez née Pereira taken in their garden around 1928/1929. The chimney in the background was located on the Port of Spain wharf. Ivy would have been about 32 and her mother about 63. (Photo courtesy Brian Franco) The home Ivy shared with her mother and nephew Wilfred at 64 A Wrightson Road, Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad. During her lifetime, Ivy wrote well over a hundred poems, several of which she had published in a book in 1972. In a letter to her sister-in-law Jessie Gomez dated 5th July, 1973, she wrote about what must have truly been one of the highlights of her life: "Two days ago a soirée was arranged for me to have my poems read by tape-recording at St. Ann’s Church Hall. Mr. Cameron, so good, had set them to soft background music of an orchestra of 101 strings. That is a wonderful record. People of both St. Ann’s and Greyfriars churches were invited and poor little Ivy feeling like if it was her wedding day set off with an elegant hairdo. I wanted to sit sideways but Mr. Cameron said he would like me to take a bow before they start, as some may not know me, and another bow at the end. But Miss Rawle, the lady in charge, would not let me move from the front but sit facing the audience near a little table. The function was well attended and got off to a start with Mr. Cameron playing all suitable poems to suit the audience. Many of the Geddes Grant family attended. Sir Lindsay Grant, K.I., O.B.E. T.C. and Lady Grant. His sister, Mrs. Forbes and sister-in-law Mrs. Willard Grant. I said a few words while taking a bow. 'Thanks so much for coming. I may say like the erstwhile abdicated King Edward of England that at long last I am giving you some poems. My heart the violin - and my lips the bow.” Well, they were all thrilled with the poems and Sir Lindsay was very, very impressed and gave a long note of thanks. When it was over, all the ladies and Maurice Brash and Boysie deluged me with kisses. I could not wash my face that night." Ivy gave an autographed copy of her book of poems "Roses in the Rain" to her nephew George Franco who lived in Grenada. The book was passed down to George's daughter Jenny, who has kindly shared its precious pages. Particularly touching is her poem " Farewell to the Sangre Grande Train". The Trinidad Government Railway existed between 1876 and 28 December 1968 and was originally built to connect Port of Spain with Arima. After the railways shut down permanently in 1968, Ivy wrote this poignant poem which was was published in the Trinidad Guardian on 1st January, 1969. The poem recalls her sadness when, as an eight year old, she had to wave goodbye to her mother from the platform when she returned to their home in Sangre Grande, leaving her behind in Port of Spain for schooling. “Mother goodby”, my heart did cry, For I could only stand and sigh While whistle’s hoot did bear her home And I wished soon again, she’d come You see, for then I was aged eight Not grown to womanhood’s estate To go to school in town I must Though for this cause my heart was crushed.” This, and several other poems describe her surroundings, experiences and feelings, growing up in Trinidad in a gentler era, now bygone. She recalls tender memories of her father and childhood home. Her writings and observations are, in fact, a wonderful time capsule as seen through her eyes. Click on the cover below to open the book and step back in time into Ivy's world through her poetic expressions. "Roses in the Rain" A collection of Poems by Ivy Gomez Ivy stayed abreast of current affairs and was inspired to write poems on memorable occasions. On 9 -11 February 1966, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited Trinidad & Tobago. Ivy wrote a poem of welcome for them, and the following article appeared in the Trinidad Mirror newspaper on 13 March, 1966. This article about her "Poem to an Emperor" was published the following month in "Evening Hours" dated 15th April, 1966. Ivy May Gomez "Taken in the early 1970's. Aunt Ivy came to Grenada to attend the wedding of Jennifer Hosten , who was Miss World 1970. The picture was taken in the backyard of the Great House in L'anse Aux Epines. She was all dolled up for the wedding. Jennifer had previously paid a visit to Trinidad and Aunt Ivy managed to get through the crowd and presented her with a poem I think it was, so she was then invited to the wedding." - Jenny McNamara Franco Vincent Gomez Ivy's brother Vincent Gomez, taken at the Pereira Studio in Tuscon, Arizona In her later years, Ivy shared a home with her brother Vincent Gomez at 132 Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. There the siblings ran a photo studio named The Rite Studio. Vin had previously spent considerable time with his two uncles John and Joseph Pereira who had immigrated to America and had a well-known photography business - Pereira Studios - in Tuscon Arizona. It was there that young Vin developed his love for photography and received training in the business. Vin worked as a photographer with Pereira Studios for several years, In 1932 he became a naturalized American citizen in Tuscon, Arizona where he continued to work in the family's photography business, as Pereira Studios continued to operate even after the death of his uncle, Joseph Pereira, in 1936. Records show that having first left Trinidad for the USA in 1913 when he was just 19 years old, he finally returned to his island home from America in 1951 when he was 58 years old. Several family members of my generation recall childhood memories of having their photos taken by Uncle Vin at the Rite Studio. Said Jenny McNamara: "Uncle Vin had a tripod with a cloth. He would go under the cloth then come out and jump up and down to make us smile." Unfortunately, both Ivy and Vin became deaf in their latter years. Vincent died on 14 November 1963 when he was 70 years old and Ivy passed away in 1976 at age 78. Neither of them married and left behind no children. Ivy lived a life of caring for others, and we are grateful for the memories left behind in her very own words of poetry. Her story needed to be told. I wish I'd known Aunt Ivy and Uncle Vin - what stories they could have told. Many Thanks to Jessie Tamas Hendry, Brian Franco, Jenny McNamara Franco and other family members for their valued contributions to this story. ~ Valerie Sheppard 30 September, 2020

"Descendants" - BBC Radio 4 "Descendants looks into our lives and our pasts and asks how we are connected to slavery. And, in turn, who does that mean our lives are connected to?" - BBC Radio 4 An unexpected opportunity to participate in this radio programme came my way in 2021 when I received an email from BBC Radio 4. The story of my great-grandfather Alfred Sheppard led to this experience. I consider it an honour to have been among those selected to contribute to these important and timely stories. The series of seven episodes was aired each Friday from 28 May until 9 July, 2021. An introductory Zoom call and further exchanges of emails with the producer explained the project. CLICK TO SEE THE BBC RADIO 4 PROMOTIONAL VIDEO 'DESCENDANTS' The series is now available as podcasts that can be downloaded. Listened to in sequence, the stories are poignantly revealing. I find it fascinating to see all the links and connections that people all over the world share. The home page for the entire programme of seven episodes is Descendants . I was featured in Episode 3 , which was broadcast on Friday 11 June, 2021. My husband Meindert is a documenter/editor and filmed me during the Zoom interviews with producer Candace Wilson. He has added video to the portion of the program where I speak, preceded by the story of the evolvement of the steelpan as a musical instrument in Trinidad Carnival (for which there's no video). It is a shortened version of the episode. I might add that I did not know beforehand what specifically I would be asked, and so my answers were unrehearsed. You may wonder about the pile of books with the iPhone on top. That’s because I needed to place it at mouth level in order to record myself. That audio recording was used by the BBC. In listening to the stories on Descendants, I realize that the common thread running through the lives of all of the contributors is the absence of knowledge of their forefathers' lives. I've received several reactions that encourage me to continue writing and exploring our past, and to put into context the world in which our ancestors lived. My great-grandfather Alfred Sheppard was a man of his times, performing his duties as Sergeant-Major with the Colonial Police during an important turning point in Trinidad history. He was a family man, adapting to life in a foreign country, raising his family and being involved with social activities, particularly those held by the Portuguese community in Trinidad. His careful documentation in our family Bible has enabled us to know our genealogical history; delving into those times gives us a better understanding of the circumstances of his life. Below are four of the reactions I received from people in different parts of the world. "I’m so proud you’ve participated in conversations like this! I think it’s a big step especially for your generation to actually own and acknowledge the educational erasure during your upbringing and the general amnesia towards the past. I think there’s an interesting contrast with the young black man from the UK, like spheres of life that usually wouldn’t cross over being presented and shared in this way.” Kayla Archer (Granddaughter, Barbados) University of Leiden, Den Haag, Netherlands (BA International Studies) "I listened, last week, to the whole series of ‘Descendants’ which is the most fascinating and shocking series of our history that should be broadcasted in every school worldwide . I was so surprised and happy to hear your voice relating yet another interesting piece of your family history. I realise that how much we just carry on , without really considering what we know and why we know it and whether it’s correct or needs revising. Like you , I learnt ‘British History 1700 to 1945 at Grammar School but my mother always pointed out that my History text books were exceedingly blinkered and should be renamed as ‘English History’ as there was absolutely no reference to the Scottish Enlightenment or the plight of Scots or Welsh or Irish to maintain their identities so the rest of the world only existed if ‘we’ ( the English!?) went to war with them . I hope that all people , slowly but surely can find their own two feet and be whoever they feel they are and not be told who they are. Congratulations on your fascinating and eloquent story on Radio 4..." Much love and admiration, Susan - (Scottish-born Artist, The Netherlands) "Fascinating and refreshingly honest." - Liz (United Kingdom) "I thought the program was fascinating and I’m delighted that you were part of it. It is true that the interviewer collapses history in a rather efficient way that is not exactly accurate, suggesting that somehow the carnival started after emancipation, when history shows it to have it begun well before. There were a few other generalizations of that misleading kind that often tend to happen when history is collapsed into sound bites. I thought your role was fascinating and that you handled it beautifully and answered the questions in a really informed and thoughtful way. I was particularly interested in the big house aspect of your interview. Certainly those estate houses are beautiful and played a major role in the histories of both Barbados and Trinidad. I think it also useful that cross-links are being established through ancestral histories that show the interconnection of different races and different people with the history of enslavement. That is one of the best features of this project!" Milla C. Riggio James J Goodwin Professor of English, emerita Trinity College Hartford, CT, USA Milla Cozart Riggio has focused her research and much of her pedagogy since 1995 on Trinidad Carnival and the plays of Shakespeare. She has coordinated world conferences on Carnival, and served as a frequent consultant for the Trinidad and Tobago National Carnival Commission. She currently coordinates the Trinity-in-Trinidad Global Learning site, an exchange program that brings students from institutions in the U.S. to study in Trinidad each year. Among her books are included an edited volume entitled Teaching Shakespeare through Performance, as well as three books she edited or co-edited on Trinidad Carnival. She co-edited In Trinidad, a book of photographs by Trinity Professor Pablo Delano, published in 2008 by Ian Randle Publishers. These videos tell the story of Sunbury, referred to in Episode 3 and Episode 4 of "Descendants". The Dining Room at Sunbury Table ready for a private dinner party I attended, hosted by the then owners of Sunbury, Keith & Angela Melville "People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them." ~ James Baldwin

Virginia de Freitas wife of Alfred Sheppard My great-grandmother 24 January 1862 - 21 September 1936 The Register of Births in the Town of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, for the Year 1862 The entry for Virginia de Freitas is second from the bottom of the page My great-grandmother Virginia de Freitas was born at 15 A Sussex Street, Port of Spain, on 24 January 1862. Her parents were Sebastien (also written Sebastiano and Sebastião) and Maria de Freitas née Cairus.* She was the older sister of Charlotte de Freitas, born about 1865. Records indicate that Sebastião had arrived in Trinidad from Madeira 16 years earlier with his family when he was just an eleven year-old boy. According to Trinidadian historian, Dr. Jo-Anne S. Ferreira: "The first group of 197 refugees traveled on the ship William, from Glasgow, having arrived in Port-of-Spain (the capital of Trinidad) on September 16, 1846, just 4 months after the arrival of the first Madeiran immigrants. More than two thousand left Madeira for Trinidad, St. Kitts, Antigua and St. Vincent. In Trinidad, also mostly Catholic at the time, but where freedom of worship and religious tolerance were recognised, the Church of Scotland, small but growing, welcomed them. However, they could not escape their compatriots - they faced other Madeirans who had previously settled in Trinidad and had to deal with the same prejudices they thought they had left behind in Madeira. Like their impoverished compatriots who had come in search of a better life, many Presbyterian refugees arrived in Trinidad in a state of destitution. After experiencing difficulties in finding employment - some having been forced to work under contract upon their arrival - Presbyterians were also able to take on a new life by starting small businesses." "In Trinidad, after being helped and welcomed by the community of the Greyfriars Church on Frederick Street in Port-of-Spain, they built their own church in 1854 under the leadership of Reverend Henrique Vieira. The church was called the "Scottish Church of St. Anne" (because of its location on the corner of St. Ann/St. Anne Street, now Charlotte Street, and Oxford Street). It was generally identified as the “Portuguese Church” because the Portuguese language and Portuguese Bibles and hymns were still in use 27 years after the arrival of the first refugees." Sebastião (Sebastien) de Freitas It is recorded that our Sebastião and his father Antonio were among these earliest Portuguese Presbyterian refugees in Trinidad who, despite their poverty, contributed to the building fund of St. Anns's Church of Scotland . On Virginia's birth record in the Trinidad registry, her father's occupation is "Labourer". The record shows that he registered the birth himself on 30 January, 1862. As the informant, Sebastien, was required to sign his name. Since he could not write, he put "X" next to his name, which was witnessed by William Henry Cazabon. Family stories relate that Virginia's mother Maria was a Portuguese/English interpreter for the Courts, though that has not yet been proven. We have been told by our elders that our great-grandfather, Alfred Sheppard , was looking for a church to go to when he arrived in Trinidad. One of his colleagues told him about the Presbyterian church Greyfriars. He went there but was not accepted because he was non-conformist. Somebody else told him to try the Free Church of Scotland, which was not so "stuffy". This he did, and was warmly accepted into their fold. It was there that he met Sebastien and Maria's daughter Virginia de Freitas, and it was there that they became man and wife. Virginia was nineteen years old when she tied the knot with 26 year old Alfred Sheppard from Sussex on 25 June 1881. Thus started her life as a the wife of a policeman, which was no doubt fraught with many moments of worry for his safety. The handwritten entry in the Sheppard family Bible states that Virginia's father died on 24 February, 1916. Her husband Alfred passed away the following year, leaving her a widow at fifty-five years old. They had been married for thirty-six years, and had known the anguish of burying three of their children. Virginia lived to be 74 years old and died at her home in Shine Street, Port of Spain on 21 September 1936. My great-grandparents Virginia (de Freitas) and Sergeant Major Alfred Sheppard with Virginia's elderly father, Sebastien de Freitas (my great-great grandfather) They all traveled from Trinidad to England where they visited the Sheppard family in Wem, Shropshire . * The de Freitas surname originates in Portugal. The names of Virginia's parents are recorded in the Registers of Trinidad as Sebastien, and her surname as Cairus. However, we sometimes find clerical spelling errors made at the time of registration, and we wonder about the accuracy of the surname Cairus, as it is not a recognizable Portuguese name. Could it be that the clerk entering the data in the registry misunderstood "de Caires" and wrote, "Carius"? We have also seen her father's name recorded as Sebastiano, Sebastien and Sebastian (the anglicized version).

Jessie Mendes wife of John Rooks and Matriarch of the Mendes Family Jessie Rooks née Mendes on her 95th Birthday Jessie, now 96, is a Sheppard descendant Jessie's parents were Edward Oswald Mendes and Amalia (Amy) Sheppard . Amy was my great-grandfather's sister. She was the youngest of their eight children, born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on 14 October 1927. On the social page "Carib Calling" in The Barbados Advocate of January 4, 1950 there was a small article headed "Trinidad Engagements". In it was the announcement of the Christmas Eve engagement in Trinidad between Mr. John Rooks, son of Major and Mrs. Courtenay Rooks and Miss Jessie Mendes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oswald Mendes of Port of Spain. The couple were married eight months later, on 26 August 1950. Jessie and Johnny Rooks enjoyed 51 years of marriage before John passed away in 2001. Their children are Richard, Ian and Gordon Rooks of Trinidad. This webpage is dedicated to Jessie in appreciation for her beautiful singing voice. In her youth she was a well known singer and performed at many functions and weddings. In 1958, her brother Malcolm recorded her on tape in his living room. These beautiful audio recordings from an era long gone are dearly treasured by our families. Valerie Sheppard 7 May 2024