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

My father wrote this entertaining little story at his home in Barbados on 2nd April, 1989, roughly a decade before there was the internet and ways to do any serious genealogy research. Other than entries in family Bibles, family genealogies were passed down through the generations as oral history. Often the stories were only partly correct, yet gave important clues upon which to find out more. My father's story was written from the heart, in the early hours of the morning when his pen would flow with memories from his youth and family background of which he was very proud. He has woven a much-told family tale into this sweet, romantic story. The basic thread of immigrants arriving on the shores of Trinidad from Madeira is factual, as are some other parts of the story. Certain names and dates are accurate and I have provided links to to pages on this site about them; others I now know to be incorrect, and others are still being researched. However, I have chosen to leave his story unedited and authentic as written in his own handwriting. I feel that this, too, forms history for Andrew's family. To me it shows a generational striving for identity that exists in the psyche of immigrants who never wish to forget their roots. Historian Jo-Anne Ferreira has pointed out to me that Dom is Portuguese for Don, and do Rei for de Roy. I therefore consider the following story to be mostly fiction, combined with oral tradition. Warmly, Valerie In Lisbon, Portugal, during the early years of the 19th Century, there lived a very wealthy man who owned and resided in one of his large mansions with his wife and daughter. His name was Don Pedro de Roy; de Roy signified that he was a close relative of the King of Portugal. “Don” is the Portuguese equivalent of Lord or Sir. In any event, he was a Knight of the Court of the King. Don Pedro was a first cousin to the King. His wife gave birth to an attractive black haired, blue-eyed daughter who was educated in all the arts and graces appropriate for a lady of such high stature in the society. Her name was Antoinette and she was particularly keen on horticulture, spending a great deal of time in the beautiful gardens surrounding their palatial residence. These extensive gardens were superbly maintained and improved by the gardener who was a Scotsman who hailed from the highlands of Scotland. Religious persecution had driven his parents and himself as well as hundreds of other faithful subjects of the United Kingdom to seek refuge in nearby Europe. Many of these refuges sought residence and employment in Portugal and Spain. Alexander was one of these unfortunate people. Alexander was in his mid-twenties when he obtained employment with Don Pedro. He was tall, 6’3”, and possessed a fine physique. He was also ruggedly handsome, with dark curly hair and green eyes, sheltered by bushy eyebrows. The very moment that Antoinette and Alexander saw each other, it was a biological fusion of looks of love at first sight. Yes, the daughter of the King’s cousin had fallen in love with the family’s gardener. As expected, Don Pedro was horrified that his only child and daughter had chosen as her lover a person of such low degree - a gardener - and a Scotsman to boot. Her mother, Maria, was also very disappointed in Antoinette's choice. All the dreams of her daughter being married to a Duke of the Realm were now shattered. The social status of Don Pedro was now in the balance. Either Antoinette give up this "infatuation" or she would be placed in a convent in France, there to languish indefinitely, for her folly. Rather than face such a fate, Alexander and Antoinette eloped and stayed in Madeira. Alexander, who carried the family name of McClean, had his name changed to Perreira, which name was rare in Madeira and which indicated that he was of good stock. Alex and Antoinette soon became parents of a beautiful daughter, whom they named Virginia. At that time, many Portuguese were leaving to reside in distant Brazil which was encouraging the emigration of Portuguese families to develop that vast country. Interested parties pooled their resources and obtained small ships and their crews to convey these adventurous people to the new land of promise in the West. Among the adventurers were Alex and Antoinette McClean Perreira and their baby daughter Virginia. They were accompanied by Alex's brother Luis, who was part-owner of the brig, a three-masted schooner measuring 98 feet, 26 feet wide. The "Santa Lucia" had a crew of eleven, including the Captain, Vernal de Silva, an old seafarer of some 25 years. He knew where Brazil was and let it be known to all 132 passengers on this small, frail craft that they need not fear. He would get them there. The prevailing winds carried their tight little schooner at a fair clip, until they encountered their first tropical storm, of such intensity that it ripped the mainsail and broke the aft mast which crushed two young sailors and injured a pregnant passenger. When the storm subsided, the crew were able to repair the mainsail but they were sailing without the rear mast and sails. This slowed their progress, apart from the inevitable shortages of food and water which were becoming apparent. Despite their privations and the heat which was oppressive in their confined quarters (basic sanitation was a constant problem) the optimism and natural cheerfulness of these new-world aspirants sustained them. They were all very religious people and were victims of religious persecution. The were Presbyterians of the Scottish following, their ancestors having flown from the tyranny of Oliver Cromwell and his intolerant regime and settled in Portugal and Madeira. Sickness and shortages of food and water, combined with a crippled ship, influenced the Captain to alter his course and he steered his cramped vessel towards Trinidad where they landed after an arduous voyage from Madeira lasting 82 days. With great relief, passengers and crew praised God that they had arrived on "terra firma", although it was not Brazil. Fifty percent of the passengers opted to remain in Trinidad, the remainder would continue the voyage to Brazil after the necessary repairs were done to the Santa Lucia and she was revictualed So here they were in Port of Spain, which had not yet become the capital. St. Joseph, eight miles to the east, was the capital city of Trinidad. However, the settlers decided to make their home in Port of Spain. The British authorities were sympathetic to their plight and welcomed them and gave their full cooperation and support. Fortunately, among their members, there were many artisans. Excellent masons who were experienced in working with stone which was abundantly available, carpenters, joiners who would make beautiful furniture for their eventual wooden homes with substantial stone walls and steps and pathways. Trinidad was a lush country with extensive areas of swamps, rivers and forests. The new settlers soon discovered that there were deer, manicou, agouti, wild pigs, all types of birds, etc. Food was no problem. Every plant grew healthily. Water everywhere. And the sea and rivers, fish, lobsters, shrimp in great abundance. This was indeed Paradise on earth. The population mainly comprised English military and merchants and their families, descendants of Spanish and French settlers and, of course, Caribs who chose to live in the middle of Trinidad - i.e. Arima and Couva and the negro slaves who were brought from Africa to work in the sugar cane plantations. They were liberated in 1831 and by 1836 were becoming assimilated into the commercial world in the labouring field. This newly arrived group from Madeira were the first Portuguese to settle in Trinidad. Among the names of these new Trinidadians were Gomez, de Freitas, de Silva, Pereira, Ferreira, Gonzales, de Souza, Fernandes, etc. Their descendants mostly remained in Trinidad and inter-married, thus creating a fairly large Portuguese community. The majority of the men found themselves in the business of importing and distributing basic food supplies and became known as provision merchants. Salted cod-fish, pig-tails and other parts, rice, peas, garlic, onions, potatoes and a host of other food items were imported mainly from Madeira and Portugal and South America. These businesses thrived and their owners soon became owners of cocoa-bearing land. They also branched out into the production and for importation of rum and wines which were marketed through their own outlets known as rum-shops which proliferated. General shops offered for sale all other items of food and general merchandise for the home. This group of Portuguese settlers quickly identified themselves as very hard workers who possessed natural ability to run their own businesses. Their contribution to the development of Trinidad was considerable. They formed their own social clubs and organised several activities to assist in the charitable work for which they became well known. Within their own society they separated the shop-keepers and provision merchants from the business executives, doctors, lawyers and other professionals by creating their own social clubs. The Portuguese Association occupied an attractive and substantial building in Richmond Street in Port of Spain, whose members were the provision traders, etc. and the other group created the Portuguese Club in St. Vincent Street, which was larger and even more posh than their counterpart, with miniature golf course, tennis courts, etc. Bridge clubs abounded and occasional balls were held. Members of both clubs did not have automatic entry to the other's dances or other festivities. invitations or membership were the only passports. Codes of behaviour and dress had to be strictly adhered to. In all of this development the lives of young Alexander and Antoinette McClean Pereira and their daughter Virginia truly became involved with the development of their new home, Trinidad. Alexander was versatile and used his knowledge of gardening and stone-masonry to great effect. Plans were drawn for the building of a church out of concrete and stone and it was built on St. Ann's road, later known as Charlotte Street, the first Presbyterian Church, St. Ann's Church of Scotland. Alexander was the architect and builder. All of the stone work was quarried, transported and made into this magnificent building by the Portuguese community. The woodwork was all hewed and formed by their own carpenters and the benches and other accoutrements were all fashioned from local wood. The beautiful stained glass window was installed by Scottish experts. The pipe organ was imported and installed by Scottish engineers. It was truly a work of love and dedication and even today, nearly 200 years later, St. Ann's Church of Scotland stands beautiful and proud as a symbol of faith and courage. The members of the Church were mainly Portuguese, including families like Gomez, Perreira, Ferreira, de Silva, de Freitas, Jardine, Mendes, Govia, Viera. and incongruously, the name Sheppard appeared on the list of members. How this happened is because Virginia McClean Pereira fell in love with a British Army Officer of the Royal Sussex Regiment stationed in Trinidad, Alfred James Sheppard , whose rank was Sergeant Major. This interesting couple were joined in holy matrimony at the Free Church as St. Ann's was then known. The marriage took place on 25th June 1897. Children of this union were Charles Sebastian Theodore Sheppard, born 21st October 1885 and Amalia Elizabeth Sheppard , born 14th May, 1887. They were preceded by Alfred Sheppard born 8th January 1884 and followed by Arthur Wybrow de Freitas Sheppard, born 6th November 1888 and Albert Edward James Sheppard, born 6th April, 1890. Both Albert and his brother Arthur died 14 days apart on 11th June and 25th June 1873, both of acute dysentery. At that time their father Alfred James Sheppard was a Trinidad Police Inspector in charge of the San Fernando Station. This terrible grief sadly affected Alfred and Virginia. When the Royal Sussex Regiment left Trinidad to return to England, Alfred accepted a commission in the Police Force. The eldest son of Alfred and Virginia, Charles Sebastian Theodore Sheppard was married to another member of the Free Church - Elsie Mabel Gomez , whose father was Albert Gomez and her mother, the former Christine Pereira. The marriage took place at St. Ann's Free Church on 30th January, 1909. They were blessed by 13 children, the youngest of whom died a baby of 8 months, he was Arthur. The rest of the children, six boys and six girls were all married and have produced 58 children. Only one son died at 44, George. His son, Stanley, died at 38. Another sad loss was that of David Gibbon, whose mother was Sybil Sheppard and father Patrick Gibbon. David was killed while riding his racing bicycle on a highway, hit by a truck. Elsie Mabel's parents had a son George, who was a brilliant Trinidad scholar who graduated fron Edinburgh University in Scotland with highest honours. He volunteered for service with the Medical Corps and was sent to India with the British Army in 1915. He eventually went to Nevis as the solitary surgeon and died while directing his own operation (with the aid of mirrors) to have a highly infected appendix removed. He died on the operating theatre table of peritonitis in 1931. A large marble memorial was erected over his grave by public subscription because of his contributions to the public of Nevis and St. Kitts. Elsie's mother also had two brothers who had qualified as surgeons at Edinburgh University and who practised at Harley Street in London. The union of Alexander and Antoinette produced many talented Trinidadians who became famous doctors, surgeons, business executives, politicians, military officers, accountants, competent musicians and good citizens. Love conquered all. Don Pedro's loss was our gain. Long live Alexander and Antoinette. Virginia and Alfred are my great-grandparents, Sebastian is my great-great grandfather. The story as told by other family members Notes made by Andrew's sister Audrey Clarke, which were attached to his handwritten story Andrew's sister Sybil Gibbon wrote the following in an email to a niece in May 2012 "The tale about the gardener etc. is as follows given to me by my sister Jessie who got it from Aunt Ivy . Don Pedro du Roi was some sort of Royalty in Portugal and he had a beautiful daughter, Antoinette, who fell in love with the young gardener who came from Scotland to work on the palace grounds. The papa said he would disinherit her if the continued with the romance - she en mind -- and she and the gentleman, Alexander, eloped and went to Madeira and came down to Trinidad with the group of people who were running away from religious persecution - all protestants. In Trinidad they had a daughter - Antonia - who married John Pereira. They were the parents of Grandma Christine Pereira, Marikin who married Alfred Mendes and Dr. George Pereira who settled in England and did brilliantly. Christine got married to Joseph Gomez and they had Elsie Mabel and all her brothers and sisters. So I think that the family originally started from Portugal and then all the children married maybe offsprings from the families who came from Madeira. Now Grandpa Alfred Sheppard came from England to work in the Police Department in St.Joseph Trinidad. He settled in Trini and married Virginia de Freitas . They had Charles (my papa) and Amy who married Oswald Mendes. Dr. Pereira had a son who became a doctor in England and two daughters - so they must have some family still around. Family Bible passed on from Elsie Sheppard to her daughter Sybil Notes made by George Dornier Gomez and given to me when I visited him in Trinidad in 2009 Four generations - Trinidadian ancestors of Portuguese descent, circa 1911. l/r: My Great-great grandma Antonia Pereira née Alexander, great-grandma Christina Gomez née Pereira and standing is my grandmother Elsie Sheppard née Gomez. The girl Jessie is her first child of 12, my father's eldest sister.

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. This story was told to us by Jessie (Mendes) Rooks who pointed out her grandfather Alfred Sheppard in the photo. She has the original Westerly issue in which the story appears.. 1897 - Trinidad's colonial contingent for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee police officers on right. Trinidad’s The Westerly is an Independent Community News and Views Magazine (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

Frances Elizabeth (Betty) St. Hill (1925 - 2024) Wife of Andrew Desmond Sheppard Betty at "Sweet Sixteen" Our Mother Introduction As I begin to write this on 8 June, 2021, my Barbadian-born mother, Betty, is in her 96th year. E verything that I know about her has been rela ted to me by her during her long life. She speaks of a very happy childhood growing up in a family of five, and loves to recall those times. Barbados w as a Briti sh colony back then, and life for her was simple, filled with special family occasions, home-cooked meals, and always, always - music. School days segued into working days and then into a marriage which would take her to live in the neighbouring island of Trinidad and away from her parents and Bajan way of life for the first time. Betty and all her siblings came into this world at their family home "Ypres", 1st Avenue, Belleville, in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados. She was born on 16 September 1925 to Esmée Ione D'Azevedo (Lobo) St. Hill and Henry Garnet St. Hill. Betty was the fourth of their five children and bears the names of both of her great-grandmothers - Elizabeth Frances Stoute and Elizabeth Frances (Amey) Tryhane. Her older sisters were Thelma (St. Hill) Burns (1915-2009), Clem (St. Hill) Mosher (1917-2000) who married Canadians in the forties and moved to Canada. Her older brother was Harry St.Hill (1921-1993) and her youngest brother was Louis St. Hill (1931-1992). Louis and his Barbadian wife Sylvia Boxill eventually settled in Canada, and Harry in St. Vincent with his Vincentian wife, Agnes Fraser. Betty was the only one who remained in Barbados for most of her long life. Childhood and Teenage Years Like her mother and sisters, (and up to a certain age her brothers) Betty's schooling was at the Ursuline Convent in Collymore Rock, which was just a short walk away from their home. In our mother's case, it was more of a hop, skip and jump down 1st Avenue, Belleville! She recalls being told by one of the nuns that it was not befitting of a young lady to be frolicking in the street, and one afternoon she was watched by one of the nuns from the window of the convent to make sure that she walked every step home like a proper young lady. . . (or else!) Young Betty was bright and distinctly musica l. She took lead parts in all the school plays and concerts, starting when she was just four years old. Not only did she tap-dance, she played the musical saw and the piano. She was first taught piano lessons by Miss Adele Barnes, and later Miss Alice Armstrong, a popular pianist who played at parties, dance schools and musical productions. Miss Armstrong wasn't a music teacher, but Betty begged her to teach her the swinging stride style and chord progression that she loved - and she did! Similarly, Mum saw Mr. Ben Gibson perform at a concert and was mesmerized watching him play the saw. She asked him to teach her and so said, so done. He would come to their home in Belleville to teach her how to play the saw. Like most middle class homes of that time, the piano was a central feature of family life in the St. Hill's drawing room. From a very young age, she took part in shows organized to raise funds for deserving causes in Barbados, such as the Girl’s Industrial Union, The Girls’ Friendly Society, The Old Gentleman’s Home and Madam Ifil’s Baby Crèche. It was at those concerts that she met Miss Armstrong and Mr. Gibson who were also performing, and she asked them to teach her. Our mother became accomplished at playing the musical saw and performed on stage with this unusual instrument. Hers was an ordinary carpenter's saw, and she never used a handle (as is used nowadays) to bend it, she just held the end of the saw firmly with her fingers. That technique of playing the saw requires a strong hand and a perfect ear for music. I remember being amazed at how she held the wooden handle of the saw between her knees and, while pulling the bow at the S-bend of the saw to make the note, one of her legs was creating the vibration to produce the ethereal sound. It was captivating. Her parents had a green cloth case for her saw custom-made for her. It was the exact shape of the saw with a pocket to hold the violin bow and another little pocket to carry blocks of rosin that she would rub up and down the strings of the bow. Her name "Betty" in her father's ornate handwriting was embroidered in red by her mother on the front of it. One of her favourite songs to play was "The Moon of Manikoora" - a 1943 hit. How I wish we had a recording of Mum on the saw. Betty in costume for a school play Our mother's Lobo grandparents lived at "Raeburn", Hastings . It was a large, traditional Bajan home on the south coast, situated on the beach, very close to the Ocean View Hotel. Her grandfather, Isaac Clement Lobo was of Sephardic Jewish descent and worked in the shipping business. Her recent childhood recollections of visiting her grandparents, in her own words: "Grandad Lobo would dress up with gold studs, straw hat and his cane, and with Grannie we would go down to the Ice House in Bridgetown. Victor Goddard was the eldest one*, he was in charge then and there was the grocery on the basement. And then there was the cold storage counter where they had plums and grapes. He would say 'Bring Betty over let her choose something.' He would slide back the door and say 'What would you like, dear? Have a plum or an apple or a peach'. Victor and his wife - that’s the old Goddard parents - were very friendly with V.B.C Hart." * (of the Goddard family who owned The Ice House on Broad Street, Bridgetown.) V.B.C. Hart was Vivian Bertram Clyde Hart, who was married to Millicent Louise Boyle (Millie). Millie was my mother's great-aunt, sister of her grandmother Lillian Lobo. He was the Proprietor of Chelston Lime Works on Culloden Road, a member of St. Michael's Vestry and, for a time, Churchwarden. He was also an officer of the Barbados Volunteer Force for over twenty years. They lived at a house called 'The Shrubbery' in Collymore Rock. My mother often visited her and went to stay with Aunt Millie for a couple of months. She fondly recalls one of her treasured dishes that belonged to Aunt Millie - a heart-shaped dish for serving stuffed eggs. "Millie loved anything at all that had a heart, all her linen was embroidered with V.B.C. and a heart. Aunt Millie was very ah … well in those days… I wouldn’t say she was wealthy but she was well-to-do. She had a car and a chauffeur to drive her out at night and she would put on a Spanish shawl. She lived in 'The Shrubbery' - as you came out of George Street. It was a real sin when that beautiful property was demolished in the middle of the night to make way for some commercial enterprise." l/r Betty, her cousin Denis Hart, and fiancee Gloria Melizan (Denis was one of her Great-aunt Millie's sons) Betty's father Garnet St. Hill had a fine tenor voice, and was himself a well-known entertainer on the local amateur stage. He was a talented bones player - a skill he taught my brother Peter. He gave of his talents in shows at the Empire Theatre and at other fundraising events for charity. His parents were Henry Graham St. Hill and Annie Wall Bourne. My mother recalled that her Grandma Annie was also musical, she played the piccolo, as did Betty's father. She was short lady, always dressed in long skirts and boots, Mum remembered. We wondered how the ladies of that generation ever managed to wear such attire in the warm Caribbean! Working Days in Barbados After leaving school, Betty got a job as an operator at Cable & Wireless. This is where she was working when she first met my father. She recalled: "The wireless station was in F ontabelle near Mannings. I used to have to work at three places - Dover whe re the cables came in, Bridgetown office where the cables and wires were received and sent out, and the wireless station where the wireless was received and sent on if it had to go by wire. I didn’t do wireless, I did the cable line at the wireless station. I was only 16 and working with big men like Louis Weatherhead (Peter's father), and Harold Bowen - all big grown married men. I got the job through Uncle Colin.* He was the Officer in charge of the town office and was friendly with Mr. Douglas who was the General Manager for Cable & Wireless. Minnie Alleyne and me - her father was the Officer in charge of Dover. I worked the Port of Spain circuit at Dover." * Uncle Colin Lobo was Betty's mother's brother. British West Indies Airways (BWIA) was established in Trinidad and began operating on November 27, 1940 flying between Trinidad and Barbados. Their agents in Barbados were S.P. Musson & Co. Ltd. located on the Bridgetown wharf. In early 1943, seventeen-year-old Betty joined the small BWIA operations staff. She remembers those early days in detail: "The Manager was Percy Taylor, the Accountant Mr. Parkinson, and an old lady called Annie Bayne who was Mr Taylor’s secretary. There was Mr. Medford - the operations man who saw about the airport and so on. Three of us worked at the front desk: Barbara Farmer, a young fellow called Gibbs and myself. The two messengers were King and Austin. BWIA operations were in a small place before they opened their office in Cavans Lane. We had to book reservations. In those days a lot of workers were going down to Trinidad. We had to arrange for Dears Garage to pick them up at such and such a time. It was like a little travel agency. We had to see about their ticket and give them their receipt to go on the taxi when it came." Courtship and Marriage World War II was declared on 3 September 1939, and Andrew Sheppard , the tenth child in a family of 12 children in Port of Spain, Trinidad, enlisted to serve in the army. He became a Lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Engineers, Trinidad. In 1942 he went on a short vacation to Barbados. The friend with whom he was staying took him to the YMPC to see a rehearsal for an upcoming variety show to be performed at the Empire Theatre in Bridgetown. It was there that he first laid eyes on seventeen year old Betty St. Hill who was practicing her tap dance routine for the show. He always said that he was struck b y her shapely legs and vivaciousness. As cliché as it may sound, it was simply love at first sight. They were introduced and later that week Betty asked her mother if she could invite him to a party they were having at her grandmother's beach house "Kalcachima", which was next door to where is now the Accra Beach Hotel on the south coast. And so the romance started. A brief courtship by letters and a couple more visits ensued. On July 16, 1943, 20 year-old Andrew wrote to Betty's father, "Dear Mr. St.Hill . . ." declaring his undying love for his daughter and asking for her hand in marriage. In the beautifully penned letter which our mother kept all these years, he expressed the uncertainty of the times: “We must all appreciate the glaring fact that the destiny of this World and its peoples is being decided in what undoubtedly is the most widespread and horrible War the World has ever known, and we must also accept conditions as they are, making the best of everything and improving them when possible.” 
 He also wrote a touching letter to Betty's mother. "You know that all Bets and I want now is each other, and until we are permanently together we will never know real happiness. I honestly do not feel that I could continue without Betty’s constant love and companionship, which means life to me.” Neither Andrew nor Betty had yet reached the legal age of consent when they were wed at St. Pat rick's Church Barbados on 31 July 1943. Our father had given the St. Hills two weeks notice to prepare for the wedding. He had won them over with his sincerity and charm. Not only had Betty fallen in love with this handsome young man, but so had all of her family. "Quiet Wedding" - Barbados Advocate, 4th August 1943 (transcribed from the social column "" Caribbean Calling") A quiet but picturesque wedding took place on Saturday afternoon last at the St. Patricks R.C. Church when Miss Betty St. Hill of Ypres, 1st Avenue, Belleville was married to Lieutanant Andrew Sheppard son of Mrs. Elsie Sheppard of Trinidad. The ceremony was performed by Father Shorrocks, and a reception was afterwards held at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. St. Hill. The bride, who looked very attractive and charming, wore white organdie over satin and was attended by her sister Miss Clem St. Hill, whose costume was gold, with hat and shoes to match. Mr. Leighton Yearwood performed the duties of Bestman and Mr. Harry St. Hill was usher. They were the recipients of many useful presents and after the reception they left to spend their honeymoon at Powell Spring, Bathsheba. Lieut. and Mrs. Sheppard leave today by plane for Trinidad. Betty and Andrew started off ma r ried life at Mrs. Rappard's Boarding House in Port of Spain, Trinidad. They didn't have much, but they had each other. They were young and mad ly in love. Betty found Trinidad to be an exciting place, very different from her home, and quickly adapted to a new way of life. She found the Sheppard family warm and welcoming and couldn't get over how beautiful all her sisters-in-law were. Dad wrote in his memoirs: "It was war-time and everything was in short supply but we were grateful for the availability of certain consumables from the NAAFI (British Navy, Army & Airforce Institute) and the US Army Post Exchange." In later years they would reminisce about those happy days, and tell us about the batman assigned to Dad when he was in the Army. He would proudly show us all his army buttons and badges that he kept in the same leather gun holster he used, and we all knew the heavy khaki-coloured "army blanket" that would come out to cover us when we were sick. In May 1944 Betty and Andrew moved south to San Fernando, where our father got a job in the Personnel Department of Trinidad Leaseholds Ltd. in Pointe-à-Pierre. It was there, at the Pointe-à-Pierre Hospital, that their first three children were born: Stephen, born on 20 November 1944, then in 1945 a little girl who sadly, only lived one day. They were living in Vistabella, San Fernando, when I was born on 10 September of 1947. By 1949 they had moved to Barbados, where their next child Peter was born. Andrew got into the life insurance business and became a very successful salesman for Confederation Life and later for Crown Life. But he was restless, and this was to be just the first of many moves and several jobs as we lived between the two islands, Trinidad and Barbados After a gap of seven years, their next child Lillian was born in Trinidad, where we lived at 9E Hart Street, Mon Repos, San Fernando. My father managed the San Fernando branch of the Singer Sewing Machine Company there. In the fifties they moved back to Barbados where Frances (1958) and Alan (1962) were born, then back to Trinidad where their youngest child Audrey-Mae was born in May of 1964. It was in Barbados that we finally settled and where they made their permanent home. We could say we lived the typical expat life, only that it was limited to two neighbouring Caribbean islands. Through all of the uprooting and moves, our mother was good natured, supportive and happy. She totally believed in our father and loved him endlessly. He was her everything. Dad and Mum loved to dance, and during the days when my brother Alan was the lead singer with Spice & Co., and when my sister Audrey-Mae danced in the show, they could often be seen on the dance floor at the popular Plantation Spectacular run by Joyce Straker. Neither of them had real hobbies to speak of, as their family of seven children took up all their time. Betty was artistically gifted, and sewed all her own dresses and clothes for all her daughters. She made all our school uniforms. costumes and wedding gowns for me and for my sister Audrey. She taught me how to sew my own clothes, and how to do embroidery - skills I used to make baby clothes when my children came along. Mum would knit woollen baby booties in her own special design whenever a new grandchild or great-grandchild came along. Dad collected music records, we always had the latest. And we almost always had a piano. Those were their simple pleasures, as Betty played the piano at home every single day, well into her nineties. Every family party or visit became a sing-along around the piano. In later years, Mum played the piano at the Ocean View Hotel in Hastings, and for those memorable afternoon teas at the Casuarina Hotel in Dover, run by our friend Bonnie (Western) Cole. Sandals Resorts now stands on the site of the once beautiful Casuarina Hotel. Perhaps Betty Sheppard is best remembered by hundreds of locals and visitors who enjoyed the lavish Sunday Planter’s Buffet lunches at Fisherpond Plantation House, St. Joseph, run by John and Rain Chandler. There “Birdie” as she is affectionately called, became the sweetheart of everyone, playing special requests of oldies and goldies in her own sweet style. She played by ear and had the gift of smoothly segueing from one tune to the next, guided by her heart. She never prepared a set-list, but had a huge repertoire, and her own signature start to every session. Mum continued to play lunchtime gigs at Fisherpond up until she was 87 years old. Betty was always gentle, polite and gracious in her manner, and this endeared her to everyone who knew her. Those who knew her well enjoyed her sharp sense of humour which could often diffuse a sticky situation! I cannot remember our mother being really sick or being hospitalized, except for her stays in the maternity ward. She loved to go walking and in later years enjoyed going to aquacise with her friends. But Dad developed heart disease, starting in 1966 and ending tragically in 1991. The unspeakable happened in Venezuela, where we had arranged for him to be seen by a cardiology surgeon there. He had suffered a heart attack in Barbados and was languishing at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital I.C.U. with no improvement. So we made arrangements for him to go by air ambulance for treatment in Caracas, accompanied by our brother Peter who speaks Spanish fluently. Sadly he suffered another heart attack upon arrival at the hospital, and that one was fatal. His beloved Betty was waiting for her flight from Barbados to Caracas to join him when she received the news of his death. She was devastated. The love of her life, gone at age 68 after 47 years of marriage. Her Andy was like the song she loved to play - "Unforgettable". Betty was crushed with grief, but continued on bravely without her soul mate. However, just two years later, she again suffered the loss of her eldest child Stephen, who died in January 1993 at just 48 years old. Again, she bore her pain with grace, always surrounded by her other six children and family, and always with her faith and her music to comfort her. I know how much her heart and soul endured and her capacity for unconditional love and forgiveness has set an example we can only just strive towards. The union of Andrew Sheppard and Betty St. Hill in 1943 produced a family of seven children, 23 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren who are spread across the world. Our beloved mother, Frances Elizabeth (Betty) Sheppard, affectionately called Bird, "Birdie", Granny Bird, peacefully slipped away to her eternal rest in her 99th year, on Thursday 25 January, 2024. She was surrounded by all of her children, in person and virtually for those who live abroad, as we bid her one last goodbye. This kind and gentle soul who touched the lives of many through her joyous music and gentle manner knew how much she was loved and cherished. Valerie Sheppard Friday 26 January, 2024 On 8th February 2024 a Service of Thanksgiving for her life was held at St. Dominic's Church, Maxwell, and afterwards she was laid to rest beside her very own Andy at the Military Cemetery. Mum has left us with a song in our hearts As part of a musical tribute to her during her Service of Thanksgiving - our brother Alan's rendition of "Smile" - a song she loved. It captures her beautiful spirit. Smile Alan Sheppard 00:00 / 03:59 "When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." - Kahlil Gibran Betty at Fisherpond Plantation House with great-granddaughters Mahlea and Kayla Archer See also: St. Hill Family Barbados St. Hill & Lobo Families Forever in my heart, my mother

Trinidad Police Force vs. Messrs. Wuppermann, Prahl & Co. Capt. Arthur Wybrow Baker Inspector Commandant of the Trinidad Police Sgt. Major Alfred Sheppard Trinidad Police Force, from 1880 - 1905 Introduction I came across an article in a 19th century Trinidad newspaper report and was fascinated by the story. I quickly realized that my great-grandfather was a key witness in an important court case. His evidence in the case was reported verbatim. Alfred Sheppard sworn: "I am a Sergeant of Police, and clerk in the Inspector’s Office in Port of Spain. I issue - that is - make out Permits for the Commandant’s signature on applications to remove gunpowder. " It's not every day that one gets a first hand peep into a day of one's ancestor's work life, unless that ancestor is a famous person. This was just a young English policeman doing his duty in the British colony of Trinidad. I could almost hear his voice and visualize him as he recalls exactly his role in each of the three charges brought against the defendants. The newspaper report dated Saturday, August 5 1882 inspired me to write the followin g short story. To see the actual article in the digital Supplement to the Port of Spain Gazette, Saturday 5 August, 1882. Click here. I have transcribed the entire newspaper article for easy reading. Click here It is early Monday morning in Trinidad, on the last day of a humid July in 1882. Sergeant Alfred Sheppard, a 27 year-old English officer of the British Constabulary is getting ready for work, but he knows this is no ordinary working day. As he carefully combs his dark hair and makes sure his uniform is impeccable, he’s tense and focussed. He is a man trained in details and precision. He had served with his Regiment in Sussex since he was 19, was sent to Trinidad as a Colour Sergeant when he was 23, and had left the army to join the Trinidad Police Force as Supt. Sergeant in 1880 when he was 25. Alfred's duty on this day is to appear in the Police Court in Port of Spain to give key evidence at a trial that has had the merchant community and influential white elite of Port of Spain buzzing for weeks. He would be the first witness called to give evidence for the Prosecution. The highly respectable family firm of Messrs. Wupperman Prahl & Co. was facing a Police charge of illegally removing gunpowder from the Powder Magazine, with three separate offenses contrary to the Ordinance No. 2 that had been passed in 1880. They were alleged to have been committed on the 11th, 20th and 21st of July 1882. On this day, they would face trial. By 1882 Trinidad had become a land of immigrants under Victorian British rule. One of the partners in the accused firm, Adolpho Wupperman, was married to Miss Marie Adele Ganteaume de Monteau - a young lady from a Trinidad upper-class French creole family. There must have been an air of anxious anticipation, as connected and concerned family members - German, French and British - colleagues and compatriates from the business community- filled the seats of the Police Court. The Port of Spain Gazette of Saturday, August 5 1882 published a full transcript of the proceedings. Among the several newspapers published in those days, The Port of Spain Gazette catered mostly to the planter and upper class of Trinidad. They reported that “The respectability of the Defendants, no doubt, was the reason for the large audience present at the trial - unquestionably, the enquiry was of considerable importance.” As he entered the courtroom filled with the "Who's Who" of the community, the Inspector Commandant, Capt. Arthur Wybrow Baker must have struck quite an imposing figure. The Englishman, then 39 years old, was already well known throughout Trinidad for his decisiveness and skilled leadership as Chief of Police. These were times of social unrest. Baker had led his force on horseback, with unflinting bravery through the difficult, tumultuous Carnival Canboulay Riots of the previous year. He has been described as a fine figure of a man, over 6 ft. tall, well-built, with dark black hair and mustache, with striking eyes. Most importantly, he was to conduct the prosecution himself. No wonder the trial attracted such a large audience. Adolpho Wupperman’s business partner, Fritz Prahl, came from Lubeck, Germany. He had first set up business in Cuidad Bolivar, Venezuela. Prahl’s wife was Adolpho’s sister, Antonia Wupperman. She and her brother were born in Angostura, Venezuela, but their father hailed from Barmen, on the banks of the Wupper river (hence their surname). Through family connections, Adolpho had first come to Trinidad in 1861 as a young man to join the firm of German immigrants Urich & Feez. Then in 1880 the brothers-in-law Adolpho Wupperman and Fritz Prahl formed their business partnership. Their retail store was located on Almond Walk, Port of Spain, a few doors down from The Caracas Hotel. It was there that an observant and curious Police Constable Brady, who happened to be on the beat near the Gunpowder Magazine, became suspicious of irregularities when he saw three deliveries of unmarked cases leave the building and be offloaded at the hotel. It appears that acting upon this, a warrant was issued and there was what we would call in today's world "a bust". The bold Irish Sergeant-Major Briefly gave testimony that, armed with the warrant, he went to the Caracas Hotel to investigate. In his statements he revealed that quantities of gunpowder were discovered in a trunk in a room in the hotel. He described in great detail what he found and seized. Despite the Defendants' pleas of Not Guilty to each of the charges, the evidence of their infringement of the law was damning enough for the Judge to find them Guilty on all three charges. The audience went home stunned and the Defendants disappointed. The Police had won their case that day. It is not known what became of the appeal filed on their behalf by their lawyer, but the firm of Wuppermann, Prahl & Co. was dissolved the following year. Fritz Prahl and his family returned to Germa ny. Inspector John N. Brierley 1871 From an historical point of view the newspaper report is valuable, as the strict regulations and system in place for removal of gunpowder from the Police Gunpowder Magazine in Trinidad under British Colonial rule are set out. Alfred Sheppard's duties in giving permission for this as a Sergeant and clerk in the Inspector Commandant’s office are explained by him. To understand why the case drew such a large audience, I researched the company involved and wanted to know more about the social atmosphere in Trinidad in that era. My sources were chiefly: "The Germans in Trinidad" and "The Years of Revolt by historian Fr. Anthony de Verteuil Caribbean History Archives by historian Gerard A. Besson Valerie Sheppard 7 January, 2023

Charles Sheppard Otiginal image restored using AI My great-grandfather's brother, Charles Sheppard born in 1853 in Chichester, Sussex, England Pictured above at 20 years old Charles Sheppard was born on 26 August 1853, the fifth child of James and Elizabeth Sheppard (Shepherd). My great-grandfather Alfred was born two years later on 22 August, 1955. Both brothers would have military careers. St. Paul's Church, Chichester, Sussex, where Charles was baptised on 18 Sep 1853 As a 7 year old school boy, Charles was living with his family at St. Martins Court, St. Martin, Chichester, in the county of Sussex, England. Charles enlisted with the The King's Shropshire Light Infantry at a young age, as military records show that he was honoured for his service in the Afgan War ( 1878-80). In 1882, when he was 29 years old, he married 17 year-old Ellen Mary Fisher in Fullum, London. Their first child, Cyril Charles was born in Woolwich in 1886. By 1887 he was posted with his regiment at Curragh Camp in Kildare, Ireland. This was where their daughter Ivy was born. Charles and Ellen's next two children were born in Cork, Ireland - they were Nellie, born on 1 March 1991, and Charles Alec born in 1893. Charles and Ellen Mary (Fisher) Sh eppard's children right: Cyril and Nell left: Charles and Ivy After his service with the British military in Ireland, Charles and his family returned to England and settled in Wem, Shropshire. There he joined the Wem Company of the Shropshire Rifle Volunteers. The Curator of the Shropshire Regimental Museum sent us the following photo, with a note: "I attach a photo of the Wem Company of the Shropshire Rifle Volunteers in the late 1890s. This photo contains Sheppard on the front row - though we are not quite sure which one he is. The man in front, second from right is Lieut. Corke; we THINK the man to his right (as viewed) is the Regimental Sergt Major and we THINK the man to his left (as viewed) is Sergt. Major Sheppard. All three sergeants wear the Afghan medal. Which ever of those three he is - one of the three IS him !" Charles and Mary Ellen (Fisher) Sheppard lived with their family at 68 Aston Street, Wem, Shropshire. In 1911, Charles was 58 years old and had already been discharged from the military. As head of the household, he was described in the Census of that year as an army pensioner and coal merchant. His 18 year old son Charles Alec worked with him in the coal business. Both of the daughters, Ivy and Nellie, then 23 and 20 respectively, were unmarried and lived with them in the family home. Ivy was an elementary school teacher, Nell was described as a 'domestic' - she took care of the home. Their eldest son, Cyril, was no longer living with them. We have ascertained that Cyril had followed in his father's footsteps and had started a career in the military. In 1935, Charles was honoured to receive this prestigious invitation to an event that would no doubt be the crowning highlight of his life in the military for the eighty-two year old veteran and his family: Ex-R.S.M. Steward and Charles Sheppard were the two surviving seniors who “marched out the Old Colours" at The Quarry, Shewsbury, on 25th April, 1935 When the new Colours were presented to the 2nd Battalion KSLI by H.R.H. The Duke of York (Prince Albert, (Albert Frederick Arthur George - soon to be George VI) in 1935, he handed them to RSM Sheppard. This was indeed a grand occasion and honour for Charles. Unfortunately, the Curator of the Shropshire Regimental Museum has informed us that there is no photo of that part of the ceremony. An excerpt from The Regimental Journal for 1935 reads : The Commanding Officer, in his reply, on behalf of the Battalion, spoke as follows : "I thank Your Royal Highness for coming here to-day to present these Colours and also for the kind remarks you have made. You may assure His Majesty that the honour of the Colours will be fully upheld by all ranks and that the spirit of the Regiment is as proud to-day as it has ever been and should the occasion arise that this Battalion should be called upon to serve, the young soldiers you see here now wiU acquit themselves as nobly as the veterans to whom we owe the Honours already inscribed on our Colours." The New Colours were then accorded a Royal Salute as they were marched back to their position, in slow time, to the National Anthem, and the Battalion, having reformed line, marched past H.R.H., the band playing the Regimental Quick March, "The Daughter of the Regiment." The Presentation Ceremony then concluded with the Advance in Review Order, followed by three hearty cheers for H.R.H. Two thousand Old Comrades of the Regiment were next marshaled on the Parade Ground, in eight ranks, under the command of Brigader R. J. Bridgford, and H.R.H. made a tour of inspection and presented the Meritorious Service Medal to ex-R.S.M. I. Stewart. The Old Comrades were turned about to face the Battalion and the Old Colours were handed over to ex-R.S.M. C. Sheppard, ex-R.S.M. I. Stewart and Ex-Colour Sgt. E. Logan, all of whom were on parade when they were presented in 1877, who in turn gave them to ex.-R.S.M's. J. Evans, M.C., W. Griffiths, D.C.M., J. Threagd, D.C.M., G. Moore, M.C., J. Griffiths and F. Thompson, who were to escort them to the Depot Barracks. The Battlion, headed by the Bugles, left the Parade Ground flowed by the Old Comrades, with the Band. Pictured in 1936 - Charles Sheppard (rt.) with his friend and fellow member of the Old Comrades, ex-R.S.M. J. Griffiths, mentioned in the Regimental Journal of 1935 above. Evidence of Charles Sheppard's distinguished career in the military are his medals (Afghan War, 1878-80, Long Service and Good Conduct medal, Meritorious Service medal), named to him. They are on display in the Shropshire Regimental Museum at Shewsbury Castle. His NCOs peaked forage cap of c. 1890 is also on display. We have been informed by the curator of the museum that these items had been donated to the collection as long ago as 1961. SEE ALSO: Family of Charles Sheppard and Mary Ellen Fisher

Genealogy and family ANDREW DESMOND SHEPPARD MY FATHER (26 September, 1922 - 20 May, 1991) An Appreciation written by Andrew’s children delivered at his Service of Thanksgiving, by his brother-in-law, Harry St. Hill A LOVER - He loved life; he loved people A FIGHTER – He fought for what he believed in A FRIEND – Nothing was too much for him to do for you A HUSBAND – Faithful, devoted A FATHER – We thank God for giving him to us Not a sportsman, not a wealthy entrepreneur, but an entertainer whose stage was life; an artist of living beings – brimming with love and sympathy. His presence brought warmth and the glow of sunshine. He made his influence felt. Andy was genial, positive, confident and the eternal optimist. As a handsome young officer of The Royal Engineer Corps of The British Army in Trinidad, Andy came to Barbados in 1942 on vacation. He was affectionately nicknamed “Tyrone” because he bore a striking resemblance to the movie idol of the day, Tyrone Power. On that occasion, he met 16 year old Betty St. Hill, who was rehearsing her tap-dance routine for a Sky High show. Love at first sight it was, not only for Betty and Andy, but for the entire St. Hill family who welcomed him warmly as both son and brother. It was the start of a life-long romance, for the following year they were married and their union of 48 years produced seven children and 17 grandchildren. As a father and husband, he could not possibly have provided a more secure and safe home for his children to grow up in. Never did we have to worry about Andy and Betty falling apart; the thought never crossed our minds. This was the cornerstone of the foundation of the house that Andrew built. A house of honesty. We have never known a more honest man. He respected the law and his integrity was unquestioned. He was a Christian in the truest sense as he was kind and generous to a fault. He always went over and above his call of duty to go the extra mile, often to the detriment of his health. In 1984 he was appointed the Honorary Consul for Peru – a post which he considered a great honour and accepted with much pride. Growing up as the tenth child in a family of twelve taught Andy many lessons about the value of family life. He held the greatest love and respect for “Mama” , his mother who was widowed when he was only eight, yet held her large family of six boys and six girls together with amazing fortitude. He adopted his mother’s philosophy which were words of wisdom from the Bible . . . “and it came to pass”. This meant “bear with it – things will get better”. Andy was a charmer – a gentleman in every sense of the word, and always the life of the party with his unforgettable repertoire of jokes. In his younger days and even at his 60th birthday party, Andy liked to perform his famous party trick. This was a handstand done on a chair which was balanced precariously on four Coca-Cola bottles. He went through life like that – always balancing and amazingly making it – despite the odds. Andy was a man of great emotion - very passionate. He felt things to the bottom of his soul. He passed that on to his children. He loved music and took pride in fostering his children’s and grandchildren’s abilities, talents and ambitions. His constant source of joy was to listen to his Bets play the piano. We will always think of him as “The Leader of the Band.” Andrew Sheppard was so brave, so positive – we never truly understood how serious was his condition and how deep his pain. He put on his best face and smiled as he left us – unsure of the future yet true to character, hoping for the best. He felt secure in the knowledge that he had a strong and united family. A family he loved so deeply and a family who loved him so very, very much. His passion for life will live on and he will be deeply missed by everyone upon whose life he touched. Andrew's Musings & Memoirs My father was the tenth child in the Sheppard family of twelve children. His father died when he was just 8 years old, so for the most part, he grew up being nurtured by his mother, older siblings and their beloved Bertha . The most important thing in his life was his family. Anyone who knew Andrew Sheppard would remember that he was quite the raconteur, and seemed to have an endless supply of jokes to tell, imitating all kinds of accents in the most amusing way. His effervescent personality and joie de vivre endeared him to everyone he met. What we didn't realize until after he was gone, was his gift for writing. We discovered a folder full of beautifully handwritten stories, penned between October 1986 and August 1990 - just nine months before his untimely passing. Daddy wrote as he lived - from the heart and with passion. His tributes to his mother and siblings overflow with love and respect. We are so grateful that he recorded his early life and background, as well as his thoughts and deep feelings on current affairs in his beloved islands of Trinidad and Barbados during those years. I, too, often write stories early in the morning. Like my father, I’m an early riser and love the peace and quiet before the day unfolds. Reflection time, a sacred time, a private space for appreciation while sipping my first cup of coffee. He called it “The Miracle of Morning” in a beautiful poem he wrote in the seventies. Dad wrote reams in the early morning. It was when he expressed his innermost feelings and recollections. When I transcribe his handwritten stories, I feel very close to him. His handwriting was as unique as he was. I remember his voice, the way he told jokes and lots of other little details. He would never leave the house unless his shoes were spotlessly clean, shone to brilliance with Nugget Shoe Polish. He liked to look smart and well dressed, his army training no doubt influenced that. Gobs of Brylcream kept every strand of his straight, fine black hair in place and shiny, the way movie stars of his day styled theirs. I don’t remember ever seeing him look disheveled or untidy, come to think of it. He always kept a little comb in his back pocket and a clean white handkerchief was a must. I still remember the way he stood in front of the sink, his face lathered white with shaving cream, and watching him shave with the silver Gillette razor, twisting his mouth from side to side as he got the cleanest shave he could. A few brisk pats with some Bay Rum or Limacol, or maybe some aftershave lotion given to him, and he would be all set. Sunday afternoon family drives were our weekend entertainment. We always had to dress in our Sunday Best and never knew where we were going. But Dad couldn’t just drive off when we were all ready and sitting in the car, having first had a mini-squabble on who would be getting the window seats in the back. We would sit and wait patiently as he polished the windscreen, and wiped the long iridescent green 50’s Chevy to its full glory. Cars weren’t air-conditioned back then, and since I was the one who could get carsick, I would whine to claim the window “in case”. I don’t remember having a radio in the car, because long drives were also occasions for singing together and games like “I spy spy with my little eye something beginning with a…..” Sometimes we would stop off for ice cream and always for freshly baked, hot loaves of bread. Some of those hot hops breads never made it home! Dad loved Extra Strongs, and would stop at the parlour (as little shops in Trinidad are called) to buy little brown paper bags full of them. To this day, the taste of peppermints remind me of Dad. Oh, another thought just crossed my mind - Daddy never used foul language, I never heard him utter a nasty curse word, and he didn't permit it either! As I write this, it is Father’s Day 2021. My childhood memories in Trinidad have been triggered. What would we be doing as a family? I'm remembering the time when there were only 3 of us, that later grew to 7. We children would have made our own cards for him, he would be playing the music he loved on his treasured Grundig radiogram while a nice Sunday lunch was being prepared, starting with callaloo and crab. Among his LP’s were Stanley Black's "Cuban Moonlight", Mantovani, James Last, Mario Lanza, Glen Miller & his Orchestra and every Broadway show that he could get his hands on, not to forget his favourite Trini Winnifred Atwell. Especially for us there was "Peter and the Wolf" - etched in our memories. Or perhaps after a long drive for a day at Maracas Bay he would be making us children proud to have the only father on the entire beach who did a perfect handstand, then walked all the way into the sea on his hands, ending with a flourish as he entered the shallow surf. This special man we were blessed to call our father, the one who made us feel safe and protected. He has coloured our world beyond measure. Between the lines of these yellow foolscap pages filled with his handwritten stories, we have the gift of a lifetime, and we are so grateful for this legacy. These are some of our treasured pages, and more will be added as I continue to transcribe them. My father labelled the folder of his writings: "TALES OF ANDREW" October 1986 Bertha, A Saint January 1988 Elsie Mabel, Our Mother January 1988 Look Out! February 1988 No. 30 Richmond Street, Port of Spain July 1988 "Morne Jaloux" - Grenada July 1988 Times of our Lives July 1988 "Belmont" - Barbados October 1988 Vin (In Memoriam - George Vincent Gonsalves) March 1989 Respect April 1989 Don Pedro de Roy - from Portugal to Trinidad April 1989 The Late Great Bridgetown July 1989 From Portugal to Trinidad - Part 1 August 1989 Boysie (In Memoriam -Joseph Alfred Sheppard) October 1989 June Stand By - October All Over? October 1989 Bertie (In Memoriam - Charles Albert Sheppard) January 1990 Hello, Look Who's Here - Welcome! August 1990 Lest We Forget - Trinidad Undated Consul-Ad-Honorem Lt. Andrew D. Sheppard and Frances Elizabeth (Betty) St. Hill 31 July, 1943 - Barbados Betty and Andrew - newlyweds in Trinidad Andrew - my Father-giver On the entrance of St. Patricks Cathedral, Barbados 16 July, 1965 - Barbados Video memories of Andrew captured on Super 8 Film and digitized Maracas Bay, Trinidad - around 1964 Andrew about to walk into the sea on his hands to amaze and amuse his children (Photo by his son Peter Sheppard) My father's burial place is fittingly at the Military Cemetery, Barbados . SEE ALSO: BETTY (ST. HILL) SHEPPARD "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future." ~ Alex Haley

June, too soon October, all over? Written on 25 October, 1989 by my father, Andrew D. Sheppard (Transcribed from personal family memorabilia) Hugo's path in the Caribbean - September 1989 We should not wait to give thanks to God for all of his blessings by going to church on Saturday or Sunday. We should do it now. Almighty God in His Divine Mercy has spared the inhabitants of this blessed land of Barbados, while our island neighbours have received the brunt of the powers of two of the most devastating hurricanes in known history - but Barbados has been spared. Can anyone really imagine where we would be today if Hugo had hit us like it did Montserrat ? Population 13,000 versus our 250,000, plus an undetermined number of visitors. Add to this our pretty little and big houses, hotels, smart condominiums, shopping centres and malls, our water and electricity supplies, telephones, fax, telex and our inadequate drainage - all of these things taken for granted. And in one fell swoop all could have disappeared. All of our top soil would have been washed away, putting an end to our sugar and other crops. Most of our tourist accommodations would have been flattened and casualties would have been enormous. Recovery would have cost billions of dollars and we could have lost our largest dollar-earner, the visitor or tourist, who might have gone elsewhere and liked it as well or better than Barbados. But what do we do? We complain and quarrel and bad-talk our neighbours. We have exhibited a total lack of care for those less fortunate than ourselves, with few exceptions. Apart from the traditional sources of organised charity, the general public of Barbados has not demonstrated real concern for our poor deprived and desolate fellow human beings. It was pathetic. Poor Doug Hoyte and his team of dedicated volunteer helpers and entertainers did their best. They set a goal of $200,000 and fell short of pledges by $85,000, less than the cost of a Crown or Mercedes car. So we ride off into the night in our air-conditioned chariots, numbed by the sounds of our stereos. Too bad for you, Montserrat, Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Thomas. Instead of thanksgiving, our sense of gratitude has turned to our very considerable concern about the serious spate of automobile accidents on our roads and highways. This carnage has to stop. The police presence on our roads must increase and our drivers must be made to feel more responsible. All of this reflects a lack of care for other human beings. But then again, most vehicles being driven today are death traps. Their design and construction are deplorable and generally offer no protection for their occupants. And, their cost is prohibitive. Illegal drugs provide the media with endless information. This scourge on our society appears to be gaining ground despite the anti-drug propaganda and the efforts of our efficient police and security forces. The addicts, pushers and suppliers just do not care. The suppliers and traffickers beome richer and are not ashamed to exhibit their rapidly earned wealth with extravagance in housing and transportation. Lack of respect for authority has become obvious in all areas of human relationships, but particularly among the guardians of the law, who should set the example for others to follow. When policemen can boo their Deputy Prime Minister at a meeting to which he was invited. When the Governor General's mobile escort and mounted police refused to report for duty at the Independence Day Parade and get away scot-free because they reported "sick". When Magistrates' lives are threatened and resignation and retirement are the answers. When a school teacher can walk the streets of Bridgetown telling everyone what a horrible place Lodge School is because he feels peeved that his status as a teacher is unclear. And what about the behaviour of school children in the streets, buses and other public places? There was a time when school children wore their uniforms with pride and there was "Esprit de Corps". Not anymore. And now a 13 year old boy shoots a 14 year fellow student in his nose during school hours. Common courtesy is almost a thing of the past. Too much materialism, and now, too little money to keep up the life style. The prospect is frightening. Our unemployment is growing and will become worse with the recession in our economy. Let us be sensible and do not allow the obvious evils which have permeated our society to grow, but rather curb and stop the nefarious practices of the selfish few who are ruining our happy and prosperous future. This is an appeal to the heads of all religious bodies to get together now and arrange an Ecumenical Prayer Meeting at the Garrison or the Stadium and invite and exhort all Christians and other residents of different religious persuasions to come and pray together. To thank God for our precious lives and all the good things that we enjoy and take for granted. By the way, CNN news just showed us an angry storm and potential hurricane headed for Bermuda and its thriving tourist industry. And poor San Francisco is expecting another bad earth quake within two weeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wednesday 25th October 1989 - 7.00 a.m. Think. Andrew Sheppard

Sgt. Major Alfred Sheppard (1855 - 1917) My great-grandfather In this remarkable photograph of my great-grandfather, Alfred Sheppard, we see details consistent 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. As I hold the original photo as shown above in the palm of my hand, I am acutely aware of the historical and sentimental value of this precious family artifact. I have enhanced it using AI so as to show the intricate details and signifance of his appearance and attire. 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 worn by officers of senior ranks in the Trinidad Police. Historical photos of Capt. Arthur Wybrow Baker, Inspector Commandant of the Trinidad Police to whom Alfred reported, show him wearing the same style tunic. It signifies their senior positions. The visible silver chain across his chest (attached to his pocket watch) was a common personal accessory 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 helped shape 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 (Anglican) Church, Sussex on 30 September 1855. 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), could explain 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 in 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 Royal Regiment. 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. 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. Alfred's birth year is confirmed to be 1885, as indicated by his birth and baptism records. However, on close examination it appears that he wrote 1855 in the Bible, but at some point, this year was altered, changing the last digit to 7. The reason for this rtemains unclear. 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 119 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. A closer look at the handwritten entry shows that he had originally written his year of birth as 1855, which was later amended to 1857. It has taken years of research to trace his early beginnings and documents obtained prove that 1855 was his correct year of birth. The reason for the amendment is so far unknown, and may never be known, only assumed. 
 This Family Bible had been passed down to his daughter Amalia (affectionally called Amy) and then to her daughter Jessie (Mendes) Rooks , 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 on page 10 of the Port of Spain Gazette of June 14, 1917. Several family members mentioned on this website were in attendance. Transcription of Alfred Sheppard's Obituary We regret to announce the passing away of Mr Alfred Sheppard, ex-Staff Clerk and Paymaster of the Trinidad Constabulary, at his late residence, No 119 Edward Street, on Tuesday last, at 3 a.m. at the age of sixty years. Mr Sheppard was born in 1857 in Sussex, England, and enlisted in 1874 in the 2nd Brigade King's Own. He arrived here with his regiment four years later as Colour Sergeant. As the Police Force required in 1880 two Supt. Sergeants both he and Sergeant Lynch were allowed to resign the army to join it with that rank. Mr Sheppard had considerable experience of the days of the Canboulay and once, while outing with Captain Baker (the then Inspector-General), he received a severe injury which left a scar on his head for life. Owing to ill-health he resigned in 1905, after serving in both the Imperial Army and Local Police Force for 31 years. He leaves a widow, son (Mr Charles Sheppard of "The Trinidad Stores"), daughter (Mrs E. O. Mendes), eight grandchildren, and three brothers (in England) to mourn their loss, to whom we offer deep sympathy in their bereavement. The funeral rites were conducted at the deceased's late residence by the Rev Gibson (Methodist), and the body interred in Lapeyrouse Cemetery. The bearers were: Messrs Daniel Goveia, John de Nobriga, (snr.) Alfred Mendes, Arthur Robinson, Frank J Mendes and Antonio Gregorio. The mourners included Mr and Mrs Charles Sheppard, M E O Mendes, the deceased's grandchildren (2) and his nurse. Amongst those who followed were 25 men of the Constabulary, under Supt. Sergeant Semper, Mr and Mrs Joseph Gomes, Mrs G Gomes, Miss Ivy Gomes, Mr W Gregorio, Mr O Robinson, Mr and Mrs J de Nobriga (jnr), Mrs J de Nobriga (snr), Misses de Nobriga (2), Mr S de Sousa, Mr Pitman, Mr W Macnamara, Mr and Mrs C N Henry, Misses Henry (2), Mr V Henry, Mrs Watson, Mrs Peake, Misses Peake (2), Miss Coille, Miss Alice Vieira, Miss M. Mendes, Mrs Alfred Mendes, Miss Mendes, Mrs R Vieira Mendes, Mrs and Miss Pereira, Miss and Miss Lewis, Miss G Marques, Mrs. R. Vieira, Miss Joseph Vieira, Mrs D Goveia, Miss E de Silva, Mrs Elson, Mrs Salvatori, Miss Olivieri, Miss L Farthe, Mrs Evans, Mrs Joaquim Marques, Mrs G Robinson, Miss Robinson, Mr Robert Mendes, Mrs W E Gomes, Mr Earl Dean, Mr Geo Cabral, Mr John Cabral and Mr L David Acham. Wreaths were sent by Mrs Sheppard (wife), Mr and Mrs Charles Sheppard, Mr and Mrs E O Mendes and deceased's grandchildren, "The Trinidad Stores," Heads of Department and Office Hands of the Trinidad Stores, Mr and Mrs J de Nobriga and family, Mr and Mrs D Goveia, Mr and Mrs J. de Nobriga, (Jnr), Mr Francis Mendes and Miss I. Mendes, Mr and Mrs C. N. Henry and family, Sergeant Major and Mrs. Peake and family, Mr and Mrs Joseph Gomes, Mrs O Gomes, Mr and Mrs Alfred Mendes, Mr Albert Mendes, Mr J R Cummings, and Mrs R de Freitas. The Late Alfred Sheppard A detail to note in the obituary: Alfred's year of birth was in fact 1855, he was 61 years old when he died, two months short of his 62nd birthday. St. Pancras Church, Sussex Photographed June 2018 My husband Meindert and I traveled to Alfred Sheppard's birthplace in Sussex, Chichester in June 2018. We visited the The West Sussex Records Office and found him in the register of Baptisms in the parish of St. Pancras. Afterwards we visited the the little Church of England church where he was baptised on 30 September 1855 - a month after his birth. 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.

JOSEPH GOMEZ and his wife CAROLINE GWENDELINE FRANCO Joseph Gomez was my grandmother Elsie's brother, the eldest son of Joseph Gomez and Christina Pereira . He was born on 22 July 1891 at their home in Belmont, Laventille, Trinidad. Joseph married Caroline on 10 August 1916 in her hometown of St. George's, Grenada. Caroline, a Grenadian, was born on 10 October 1894, the daughter of John Franco and Clementine Pace. Her father John Franco was a well-established wine merchant in Grenada, considered one of the wealthiest businessmen there at the time. Just two months before their marriage, Joseph had performed the duties of bestman at his sister Audrey's wedding in Trinidad, as she had married Caroline's brother Louis Franco. Audrey settled down to married life in her husband's Grenada, while Joseph and his Grenadian bride Caroline made their home in Trinidad. This photo of Joseph and Caroline was sent by Joseph's mother Christina (Pereira) Gomez to his brother George Gomez who was at the time in India. George had enlisted to serve in World War I and left Trinidad in 1916, the same year as his brother Joseph and sister Audrey were married. In October 1922, Joe was working at T. Geddes Grant Ltd., as mentioned in Audrey's death announcement in the newspaper. By 1922, Joseph and Caroline were living at 33 Victoria Square, Port of Spain. We know this because of a newspaper article about the funeral of Joseph's grandmother Antonia Pereira. “The funeral took place at 5 o’clock Sunday afternoon from the residence of Mr. Joseph Gomez at No. 33 Victoria Square to Lapeyrouse Cemetery.” Joseph was one of the bearers. When Joe's mother Christina died on 13 July 1949 the newspaper article about her funeral mentioned that wreaths were received from The Directors and Staff of T. Geddes Grant Ltd, and from Mr. and Mrs. Willard Grant - suggesting that Joe was still employed by that firm in 1949 when he was fifty-eight years old. In 2012 when I visited Trinidad, the old Gomez home was still there. The number 33 on the front porch made it easily identifiable and strangely exuded a cozy warmth to me. How many tales those walls could tell! Between 1918 and 1931 Joseph and Caroline had had nine chidren - four daughters and three sons. One of them, Peter, died when he was only four years old - we're not yet sure what happened, but how sad it must have been. All the others grew up to be married and have children, some of whom left the shores of Trinidad and settled in abroad. Joseph with his eldest son Joseph Darrell (Darrell) Gomez circa 1921 Joseph and Caroline (Franco) Gomez and their family - 1948 Back l/r: Darrel Gomez, Elmo Flintom, Jean (Gomez) Flintom, John Boyce, Barbara (Gomez) Boyce, Bill Adams, Jocelyn (Gomez) Adams, George Dornier Gomez Middle: Caroline (Franco) Gomez, Grandma Christina (Pereira) Gomez, Joseph Gomez Children: Mary Adams, Margaret Boyce, Nancy Boyce, Paul Boyce, Pat Boyce, Donald Boyce To the rest of the family, they were affectionately known as Uncle Joe and Aunt Carrie. Uncle Joe passed away in 1958 when he was 66, but Aunt Carrie lived to the ripe old age of ninety. Visit Uncle Joe's and Aunt Carrie's gravesites by clicking on their names here: Joseph and Caroline

The Late Great Bridgetown Written on 19th April, 1989 by my father ANDREW DESMOND SHEPPARD (1922 - 1991) (transcribed from personal family memorabilia) Oh! Bustling, busy, affluent, happy city of Bridgetown - where are you now? We yearn for your natural, native charm. This has all but disappeared. Why? and where have all the things that made this old city gone? In a word, Barbadians have become an automotive society - one car per person - almost. See them driving down Bay Street, Belmont Road and Spring Garden all headed for Bridgetown and in most cars, only the driver may be found. Parking has become a serious problem. You may call it pride of ownership, privacy or whatever - but the fact is that we have become a selfish society. Car pools do not exist. See them pouring out of Regency Park, Sheraton Park, Navy Gardens, Rockley, St. James, every morning all heading and hoping for a space of 16' x 6' to park and spend the day, basking in the tropical sun. The occupants of these thousands of cars simply melt into the offices and banks which proliferate - there to get cool in air-conditioned comfort and stare at their computers and count their intransit cash. A far cry from those "bad" old days of bicycles, open windows and paper weights. No more time for idle talk and pleasant conversation. In spite of all the modern facilities and equipment and, we hope, improved efficiency of the population, we as a community are in danger of losing our fine sense of human compassion and our identities. Materialism and selfish greed are now imbued in most of our citizens, who are the young and growing. Pleasure and noisy music have replaced peace and serenity. Friendship is measured by your ability to spend good, hard-earned money on entertainment. Smiling has become a false effort. You have to be seriously taught to smile. Whither Bridgetown? Let us stroll down Bay Street towards Bridgetown, starting at the gap leading to the Hilton and Grand Barbados. We pass a small mall and a soft drinks factory, an old decadent club, tyre-repair shop and gas station. Janitorial service, exclusive boutique, restored old house where Captain Thorne ran his private school, other small businesses, a night snack bar - the defunct "Boys Club" and now Government Offices. Information, Prime Minister, Cabinet Office, Government Printery, and opposite, the beautiful Esplanade with its pretty band stand. Then a run of restored buildings, a large vacant spot where there existed an ice factory, now piled with building rubble - ugly. A semi-private club, gas-station, nursing home, doctors' office, tourist facility, old house, more Government offices, Child Care opposite to Family Planning and preceded by National Assistance and opposite to these, the Jemmots Lane Health and Education complex and, in the centre - St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral. And now the Red Light District on both sides, interrupted by some offices, another gas station, another office building, an abandoned, derelict old home (the Innisses lived here), more old buildings, the Boat Yard, automobile dealer, vacant sugar warehouse, another automobile dealer, and importer-distributor of food and alcoholic products, a vacant burnt out lot opposite to old church, renovated building (now stores and offices and a club), customs broker, fast food, hardware, shipping office, record shop. Opposite to all of this and facing Independence car park is Manning's large building. The arch and bridge is faced by restaurants, boutiques, travel agents. The road leading to the left takes you to the Coast Guard Headquarters. No longer does the Swing Bridge swing. It is as stiff as an old lady. The schooners, small inter-island vessels, fishing boats have been replaced by tourist-employed marine equipment, i.e. fishing and cruising vessels, all stocked with cool and hot drinks, snacks and temporary cordiality. A great job has been done to cleaning of the Public Buildings and restoration of the Clock - thanks to Her Majesty's visit. Lord Nelson needs a good cleaning. He is turning green with envy of our clean Public Buildings and nearby fountain. The ever present taxis who remind one of the war-time cliché - "They also serve who sit and wait" - wheels were meant for moving! How truly wonderful it would be if these gracious gentlemen could think of taking people to and from work just like those enterprising mini-bus drivers. There must be over 200 taxis. If each one would convey groups of 5 passengers to and from Bridgetown every morning and evening, they would be relieving about 500 drivers of the frustrating experience of fighting traffic to get to and from work. For this convenience, the grateful passengers could pay up to $5.00 each for such a service. What they would have to pay for a car park or car-wash per day. And think of the saving on gasoline and wear and tear on engines and tyres, not to mention the damage done to the paint-work of the cars. They would remain in the cool comfort of their domestic car-port awaiting the return of their relaxed owners. This concept would provide sorely needed income for the patient taxi drivers, the cost of their getting to and from Bridgetown would not change - the rest is solid profit. This would also engender friendships and the participants would feel the happiness of sharing. Most importantly, the awful traffic situation would be eased in a dramatic way. Let us think about it and try it. The taxis could still "sit and wait" or drive our welcome visitors around. But what is most perplexing is the almost complete change which has taken place in Bridgetown. Walk with me up High Street, past Royal Bank, when we meet James Street corner with Roebuck Street. Empty buildings. Closed doors everywhere. Thomas Herbert Hardware is no more. Carter's Wildey now handles their business and Carters might close and consolidate at Wildey's. Big, imposing Barclays Bank building, almost empty, adjoined by at least three previously active businesses - all closed. Kay's House opposite and the rest of the Complex including Bajan Mall. On the ground floor, fewer than ten retail outlets have moved or closed down. Keep moving and you will see building after building closed and with more to come. Looking down on all of this is our large white building, the Central Bank, most of whose office space is vacant. Where are the drivers of all of these cars parked along the road and in any available car park? You might find most of them in insurance offices or more likely, in legal offices - one car, one person. Roebuck street is longing for those hustling bustling days of lorries and jitneys filled with sacks of flour, onions, potatoes, saltfish, liquor. Only one left and barely busy. S.E. Cole, R.L. Seale, Perkins, M.E. Bourne, Alleyne Arthur, etc. etc. all gone, all gone elsewhere, amalgamated or shut down. That street had atmosphere - and smells, but now, like the swing-bridge, it does not swing any more. Our problem is that we have more educated people than we know what to do with. More lawyers than the law should allow. More computer operators than we have computers. More boutiques and beauty shops than we can afford. Electronic gadgets and video shops abound. Idleness and "pleasure" encouraged at every turn. Let us have a long look at our system of education . . . Unedited video footage of Bridgetown, Barbados - Filmed in 1968 Captured with Super 8 film and digitized in Amsterdam in 2010. Original footage owned by the family of Andrew D. Sheppard, Barbados.