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

Moses Finzi Lobo (Barbados 1834 - Philadelphia 1904) Background and Early Life in Barbados The eldest son of London-born Moses (Matthew) Lobo and Sarah Cohen D'Azevedo , was Daniel Moses Lobo, born on 24 August 1805 in Amsterdam. His younger brother Isaac, born in Suriname, was my maternal 3rd great-grandfather. Both brothers emigrated to the island of Barbados, British West Indies - now generally referred to as the Caribbean. When he was 22 years old, Daniel married his first cousin Leah Lobo on 31 October 1827 at the Nidhe Israel Synagogue, Barbados. Leah was born in St. Thomas, British Virgin Islands, and was the daughter of Matthew Lobo's brother David Lobo and his wife Rachel de Leon. On 20 September 1828, Leah and Daniel became parents of a daughter whom they named Leah Sarah. Sadly, baby Leah Sarah Lobo would never knew her mother. Barely a year after their marriage, Daniel Moses Lobo's wife Leah died on 8 October 1828 in Barbados, just eighteen days after giving birth to their child. Six years later, Daniel Moses Lobo married Sarah Finzi, born in Barbados on 9 June 1798. They were married at the Nidhe Israel Synagogue, Barbados on 5 January 1834 when Daniel was 29 years old. On 29 March 1834, Sarah's brother Abraham Finzi married Daniel's cousin, Judith D'Azevedo. That year was to be a most eventful one for the family, as on 6 December 1834, Daniel's wife Sarah gave birth to a son. They named him Moses Finzi Lobo - a half brother for six-year old Leah. My great-grandfather Daniel Lobo was Moses' younger first cousin. Moses Finzi's father Daniel Moses Lobo was a merchant and, like many other Sephardic Jews of that time in Barbados, settled with his wife and family in Swan Street, where they also traded. He operated a dry goods store on Swan Street, which was just around the corner from the Nidhe Israel Synogogue in Bridgetown. Daniel Moses Lobo took an active role in the Jewish community of Barbados, as did his Azevedo relatives. He was the Secretary of the Rebuilding Committee of the Nidhe Israel Synagogue that was badly damaged in the hurricane of 1831 and is recorded as D.M. Lobo in several of the minutes of the Mahamad. Young Moses Finzi no doubt attended the first Jewish religious school which was established, in January, 1844. It is recorded that his second cousin, Mrs. Judith Finzi was superintendent ("Occident," ii. 102). The Great Fire in Bridgetown On 3 February 1845 when Moses Finzi Lobo was just eleven years old, a great tragedy struck that no doubt impacted the course of his life. A severe fire broke out at the family's home and business place, No. 20 Swan Street. The fire ravaged his father's property and numerous houses and acres of Lower Bridgetown were burnt, becoming aptly known as Burnt District. The area was subsequently rebuilt, but three years later advertisements placed by John Montefiore appeared in the The Barbados Mercury & Bridgetown Gazette , offering the Lobo property for rent. There are also advertisements for an auction sale of all of D.M. Lobo's furniture and household articles as well as for his stock-in-trade . Sometime after the fire of 1845, Daniel Moses Lobo, his wife and children all emigrated to Philadelphia, USA, where they lived the rest of their lives as part of a steadily growing Jewish community there. Many other Jews emigrated from Barbados to America, mostly to Philadelphia and New York. In 1848 there were only 71 Jews left in Barbados, 38 of whom belonged to the congregation. Dwindling Jewish Community in Barbados Dr. Laura Liebman interviewed Barbadian historian Dr. Karl Watson in 2010. When asked about the size of the Jewish community at its peak, Dr. Watson replied: "By the middle of the nineteenth century, the minutes of the Mahamad openly lamented that the “ancient” Barbadian Jewish community was under the threat of extinction, fueled by the forces of migration and intermarriage with Christian families. In 1848, the shamash (warden), E.A. Moses, wrote poignantly to a friend about the declining fortunes of the Nidhe Israel community: “You are aware of the departure of my friend Lobo & family and also of S.E. Daniels & family for the United States. M. D’Azevedo and family will very soon follow. My anxieties & labour for our fallen Snoga (Snoga is the diminutive of esnoga, or synagogue) are necessarily increased. Heaven guard it. Amen.” Life and Career in Philadelphia Moses Finzi Lobo was a fifteen year old boy in Philadelphia when his father Daniel died in on 23 August 1849. It was the day before his forty-fourth birthday. His widowed mother Sarah lived another eighteen years, and their burials took place in Philadelphia. Young Moses Finzi grew up to be a well respected and prominent journalist with a flourishing career. He died on 17 December 1904 and is buried in the Mount Sinai Cemetery, Philadelphia. The following article was written about him by Charles J. Cohen and has been published by the American Jewish Historical Society: "Moses Finzi Lobo was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies, December 6, 1834, and died in Philadelphia November 17, 1904. He came to Philadelphia about 1845, and at twelve years of age attended the public schools, obtaining a good education, which was greatly added to in after years by close study, notwithstanding an active business career. About the year 1859 he entered the employ of the late Henry Cohen, importer of stationery in Philadelphia, and continued there until 1867, finding this position particularly attractive, as he had the privilege of the Sabbath and the holidays. Being devoted to his religious duties, he observed them with much care. After leaving Mr. Cohen's establishment he occupied several positions on different newspapers, being on the editorial staff of the North American and of the Age , and at the time of the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, through the influence of the late George W. Childs, he was appointed head of the Press Bureau established at that time, and did excellent work. His connection with the newspapers received the highest commendation, particularly from the late William W. Harding, of the Inquirer , and the Hon. Clayton McMichael, of the North American, both of Philadelphia. Mr. Lobo's knowledge of shorthand was exceptional, and he was frequently chosen to report scientific addresses, his knowledge of terms and scientific phraseology being superior to that possessed by many following the profession at that time. He was private secretary to the Superintendent of the Mint, resigning that position to engage in literary work, beginning with a complete concordance to the poetical works of Milton; this, however, was discontinued on finding that such a publication was already on the market. He wrote much on matters of local history, and was particularly interested in English grammar. In this connection it may be said he noticed that a comma had been misplaced in the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Writing to the Hon. Charles Sumner, the author of the amendment, regarding this error, he received in reply Mr. Sumner's statement that the criticism was justified, but that a greater object had been obtained, and that in his judgment it was unwise to again open the subject. Of a diffident, retiring nature he did not take that rank in communal affairs to which his abilities entitled him; many of his contributions to literature are not known, since they were published anonymously. He had a few close personal friends who esteemed him highly for his mental and moral worth. At the time of the Civil War he endeavored to enlist, but was prevented by physical disabilities; his pen and word, however, were always found on the side opposing slavery. In the year 1860 he became associated with the Congregation Mikveh Israel that had just removed on Seventh Street, above Arch Street, and remained a congregant until his death." Source for the above article: Author(s): Charles J. Cohen Source: Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society, No. 19 (1910), pp. 197-199 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43057861 Moses Finzi Lobo died on 17 November 1904 in 1524 North 8th Street, Philadelphia Pensylvania, U.S.A. and was buried on 20 November 1904. Inscription on his headstone at Mount Sinai Cemetery Philadelphia: MOSES FINZI LOBO BORN BARBADOS DECEMBER 5 1834 DIED NOVEMBER 17 1904 (Source: www.findagrave.com ) Genealogical information sourced in Holland, Barbados and Canada Other Reference sources: BARBADOS - Jewish Encylopedia Rediscovering an Important Link to American Jewish History: Field Notes from the Nidhe Israel Synagogue Complex in Barbados See also: BARUCH (BENTO) OSORIO THE LOBO & D'AZEVEDO FAMILIES

The Lobo Prayer Book This sacred book was first owned by my ancestor Isaac de Moses Lobo (1807–1850), who brought his Sephardic heritage from Suriname to Barbados. Upon his death, it was entrusted to his ten-year-old son, Daniel Lobo (1840–1903). Daniel was my maternal 3rd great-grandfather. It has been handed down by his son, my great-grandfather Isaac Clement Lobo. It is a multilingual Sephardic Machzor (festival prayer book), written in Hebrew, Ladino and English. Because Barbados was a British colony with deep ties to the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of London, these books were almost always printed by the Heshaim (the publishing arm of Bevis Marks in London) or in Amsterdam. They would have a formal, European aesthetic that contrasted with their later "weathered" appearance after decades in the Caribbean heat and humidity. By the mid-19th century, the once-flourishing Jewish community in Barbados was rapidly declining due to migration to Philadelphia and London. Because of this, I consider that this book is a rare primary historical record and artifact of one of the families that maintained Jewish life on the island during that period. It is testimony to the Sephardic heritage of the Barbados community where Isaac Lobo and his family lived and prayed. This prayer book has remained a cherished heirloom of the Lobo family for over five generations. The Cover and Inside Front Cover The cover of this Sephardic prayer book is a fine example of 19th-century craftsmanship. It is finished in paper designed with a marbled pattern over stiff board. The organic, swirling design features a base of grey and black with intricate veins of cream, orange, and yellow. This “Stone” style was a hallmark of high-quality bookbinding during the 1800s. Centered on the front is a rectangular black leather label bearing the name " ISAAC LOBO " embossed in elegant, serifed gold-leaf lettering. The label is framed by a double-lineborder - a solid outer line and a delicate "dotted" or "beaded" inner line. The inside cover and the facing page show significant signs of age, and frequent use. The inner "pastedown" (the paper that usually covers the inside of the boards) is almost entirely missing or has deteriorated, exposing the raw, light-brown cardboard or wood pulp beneath. There is visible "red rot" or leather decay along the spine edge, and a large section of the decorative black covering has peeled away. The worm-eaten damage throughout the book is typical of such old books in tropical Barbados. I can only imagine it must have been a handsome, personalized prayer book in its day. The page facing the cover contains the Kinnot (elegies) for the morning of Tisha B'Av. The text is set in a classic Hebrew square script with vowel markings (niqqud) and cantillation marks, indicating it was meant to be chanted. The paper is heavily foxed (brown spotting) and "thumbed" at the bottom right corner, suggesting this was a well-loved volume frequently held during long hours of prayer. The following photos show a few examples of its pages. Page 138 The content is “A Lamentation for Tisha B'Av”. This book is a fascinating linguistic artifact because it provides the service in three languages simultaneously. English: The text on page 138 is a "Portion from the Prophets for the Morning." It is a translation and commentary on Jeremiah 9:12–16, which is traditionally read on Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av), a solemn day of mourning for the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem. Hebrew (Right Page): The original sacred text used for the actual chanting and prayer. Spanish/Ladino: Beneath the Hebrew, there is a translation in archaic Spanish. The use of the abbreviation ".A." to represent the Name of God (Adonai) is a hallmark of Sephardic liturgical tradition, particularly among the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of the Western Diaspora (such as those in Barbados, London, and Amsterdam). The typography and "m m 2" signature at the bottom suggest this was printed in the early-to-mid 19th century, likely in London or Amsterdam, which were the primary hubs for supplying prayer books to the Caribbean. Page 141 These pages are for the morning service of the Ninth of Ab (in Hebrew, Tisha B'Av) . The service is uniquely solemn, featuring readings from the Book of Job and Lamentations to reflect themes of suffering and loss. The Hebrew text on the right includes the blessing for the Haftarah (prophetic reading). The English text on the left is a faithful translation of these prayers, including a plea for compassion upon and the restoration of the "House of David". Below the initial prayers, the text transitions into the Book of Job (Sefer Iyov). This is traditionally read on Tisha B'Av because its themes of suffering and loss align with the solemn nature of the day. Page 166 These pages are dedicated to the Afternoon Service for the Ninth Day of Ab (Tisha B'Av). The left page written in English includes directions for the service, stating: "Then put on the Taleeth and Tephillin, and say the usual Blessings...". The main text is a translation of Hosea 14:2–10. The Hebrew page on the right contains the corresponding original text for the same service. The Precious Handwritten Note Tucked within the pages of the prayer book is a small scrap of paper bearing a note handwritten in a blend of English, Hebrew and Ladino. To me it is a poignant gem because it bridges the gap between the formal liturgy of the Sephardic rite and the personal, lived experience of a community that was, at that time, facing a slow decline. Remarkably, the note has escaped the ravages of time within the weathered pages of Isaac Lobo's prayer book. My research shows that it must have been penned by my great-great-grandfather Daniel Lobo, who used the prayer book to worship at the Nidhe Israel Synagogue. I believe that this little note is testimony of his devotion and participation in worship at the Synagogue. It records an important, rare alignment of holy days on the Jewish calendar. This specific alignment happens only a few times a century. My understanding is that when these three events coincide, the synagogue service becomes more complex. As a congregant, or perhaps a prayer leader, Daniel’s note likely served as a guide and perhaps a bookmark. The key clue to researching the significance of this note was the date written in English: April 6. On Saturday, April 6, 1867 - just three years before he would leave the congregation - Daniel recorded the convergence of the Weekly Sabbath, the New Moon of Nissan, and Shabbat HaChodesh that occurred on that day: Santa dia del Sabat (Ladino) - 
The Holy Day of the Sabbath Rosh Hodesh Nissan (Hebrew) -
 the first day of the month of Nissan, (first month of the biblical year.) Yom Shabat Hodesh (Hebrew/Ladino) - 
The Sabbath of the Month: A special Shabbat (Shabbat HaChodesh) signaling the final preparation for Passover. Written in the Ladino of his ancestors and the Hebrew of his faith, the note about April 6 is a final snapshot of Daniel's life within the Sephardic community, as well as the deep connection to his Jewish roots. When Daniel was 30 years old, he chose as his wife a Christian woman named Frances Elizabeth Anne Stoute, thus forsaking his Jewish faith and social standing within the Sephardic community. A small, whimsical memento that Daniel must surely have treasured was also found tucked between the pages of this old and weathered prayer book. The fancy shoe motif on the paper-crafted souvenir was a popular Victorian symbol for "good luck" or "a prosperous journey." Photographs are provided by the kind courtesy of my cousin, Deborah (Jackson) Lauda, the current steward of this family heirloom. Valerie Sheppard - 26 March 2026 See also: LOBO & D'AZEVEDO FAMILIES MOSES FINZI LOBO

THE GOMEZ FAMILY Gomez Family, Trinidad Picture taken on the day of Elsie's engagement to Charles Sheppard - 1907 l/r: George, Edith, Elsie, Charlie Sheppard, Joseph, Audrey, Vincent. Centre: Joseph (Joe) Gomez & Christina (Pereira) Gomez Front: Ivy & William. The family photo shown above was sent to my grandmother Elsie Gomez by her uncle Joe Pereira, by way of a postcard. This is the back showing Elsie's address and a note from Joe. He was a photographer who owned and operated Pereira Studios in Tuscon, Arizona. Post stamps show it was mailed in Chicago 31 October 1907 and reached Trinidad 15 November 1907. Joseph Gomez was born on 13 October 1863 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. So far we haven't been able to confirm Joseph's parentage. His wife Christina Pereira was born in Trinidad on 8 April 1866, the eldest daughter of Presbyterian Portuguese immigrants. Her father was João (anglicized John) Pereira from Portugal, and her mother was Antonia Alexander, born in the island of Madeira. Joseph and Christina were my father's maternal grandparents, my great-grandparents. We are unsure of the date of their marriage. We keep searching and are hoping that we're getting closer! About Christina, we know that she was the eldest girl in a family of six children. Her siblings were (in chronological order) John, Mary, Andrew, George, and Joseph. Of these, only Andrew and her sister Mary remained in Trinidad, while the others emigrated. Mary Antoinette was also known as Marykin, and she married Albert Mendes. This was the start of a family relationship and close friendship with the Mendes family that developed even deeper throughout the years. In 1888, we find Joseph and Christina living in Arima, Trinidad where their first child was born on 26 May of that year. This baby girl was Elsie Mabel , who was to become my paternal grandmother and matriarch of the large Sheppard family. A land deed of 1887 in Joseph's name describes him as a Shopkeeper, Port of Spain; other documents throughout his life describe him as Clerk, Merchant, Manager and Draper. The Miller's Public Supply Stores was one of the largest emporiums in Port of Spain established around 1835, when Irishman John Miller left his employment at Wilsons (a large cocoa and sugar agent) and started a business of his own. The firm had a main building on Frederick Street, with branches in Princess Town and Arima. Our Joseph Gomez became the Manager of their Arima branch. Between 1888 and 1905 Joseph and Christina had four sons and five daughters, the youngest of whom died when she was a baby. It appears that Joseph and Christina moved from Arima to 12 Sorzanoville, Belmont, Laventille where their next three children - Audrey, Joseph and Edith were born. The family then returned to Arima around 1893 and where their home was on Guanapo Street. In July 1900 they lived in Queen Street, Arima. We know this from information on the birth certificates of their last four children. Though we have no photographs, their daughter Ivy wrote a nostalgic poem called "To Arima" that paints a vivid picture of her childhood home. This is in a book of poems called Roses in the Rain , published by Ivy in 1976 when she was seventy-nine years old. Joseph, Christina and their children all attended the joyful wedding of my grandmother Elsie to Charlie Sheppard in 1909. It seems that by then they had moved to nearby Sangre Grande where Joseph had started a business. But barely two years after that beautiful family wedding at the Mendes family home at Victoria Square, their lives would change irrevocably. The New Year 1912 dawned with the shocking news that Joseph had suffered a fatal stroke at his home. Sunday 1st January 1912 must surely have been the darkest day of their lives for Christina and her children. Joseph was just forty-seven years old and the widowed Christina was forty-five. The newspaper of 8 January describes the sad event. Sheppard Family Archive Here I must pause for a personal reflection on the adage "history repeats itself". Little did the widowed Christina know then that in 1931 her eldest daughter Elsie would also experience the unspeakable grief of losing of her husband Charlie when he was just forty-five. Nor did my grandmother Elsie know that this would also befall two of her granddaughters. In 1965, Kathleen Sheppard lost her husband suddenly when he was just twenty-eight, five days after the birth of their third daughter. My own husband died suddenly at forty-five, leaving me a young widow with five children in 1984. We know for sure that in times of grief and loss, it is our families who see us through the dark days - and so it must have been for our Christina over a hundred years ago. As the years went by, the younger children continued their schooling and life carried on. George, who was 15 years old when his father died, became an exceptional student, winning an Island Scholarship in 1916. World War 1 had been declared in 1914 and young George enlisted to serve before starting his university education. During those anxious war years the only communication was by letters that could take up to three months to arrive. This poignant note from mother to son was discovered at the back of a photo mailed by Christina to George while he was in India with the Devonshire Regiment. In years to come, Christina in Trinidad would also learn of the untimely death of this son, Dr. George Gomez , on the island of St. Kitts when he was only thirty-five. More heartbreak for her and the family. Christina's father had died in 1902, but her mother Antonia lived to be eighty-one. Having contracted pneumonia, she passed away at her home in Sangre Grande on 26 August, 1922. A large number of family and friends attended her funeral, as reported in the Port of Spain Gazette of August 29, 1922. Sadness enveloped the family once more that year when my grandmother's sister Audrey died in childbirth with her second child just two months after Antonia's death. Courage, faith and the support of family saw them through the awful tragedy. In her golden years, Grandma Christina Gomez lived in Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. Her youngest daughter Ivy never married, neither did her son Vincent. Vin and his sister Ivy, though they were both deaf, owned and operated The Rite Photo Studio, also in Wrightson Road. Ivy lived with their mother and together they raised Audrey's son Wilfred. Grandma Christina Gomez lived to be eighty-three and knew several of her grandchildren. Hers was a loving, motherly life of resilience. FOUR GENERATIONS -circa 1911 l/r The Matriarch Antonia (Alexandre) Pereira, born in Porto Moniz, Madeira, Portugal, 1840 Jessie (Sheppard) Brash, her great-grandaughter Christina (Pereira) Gomez, her daughter, Elsie (Gomez) Sheppard her granddaughter, my grandmother The two widows are wearing dresses of traditional black, Christina having recently lost her husband Christina Gomez née Pereira Two Gomez sisters Audrey (left) and Edith. Centre is Edith's husband, Thomas McCartney The Children of Joseph & Christina Many Thanks to Jessie (Hendry) Tamas , Brian Franco, Jenny (Franco) McNamara and other family members for their valued contributions to this story. ~ Valerie Sheppard 1 August, 2021

Lobo & St. Hill Families - Barbados ~ A Memoir ~ Lobo and St. Hill families, circa 1925 l/r back row: Colin Lobo, Garnet St.Hill, Isaac Clement Milton Lobo, Frank Lobo, Arthur Lobo. l/r middle row: Carmen Lobo (seated), behind her Freida Lobo, Esmee (Lobo) St. Hill with baby Betty St. Hill, Lillian (Boyle) Lobo, Hilda Lobo, Thelma St. Hill l/r front: Clem St. Hill, Harry St. Hill Penned by Jimmy Lawless July 8, 2011 This story was sent to me by Elizabeth Cole née Lawless, who lives in Barbados. It was written by her uncle Jimmy Lawless. Elizabeth's family and the St. Hill and Lobo family shared many family occasions, as is described in this affectionately written memoir. Dolly Lawless née Atkinson was Elizabeth's grandmother. Ivy was one of Dolly's sisters. Our families also share another connection not mentioned: Elizabeth's aunt Sylvia Boxill married my uncle Louis St. Hill, my mother's brother. Colin Lobo was my great-uncle, my maternal grandmother's brother. Dolly (Kathleen) Lawless’ sister, Ivy Atkinson, married Colin Lobo in the early 1930’s and so the Lawless and Lobo families were brought together by marriage. Colin and Ivy Lobo - 25 Nov 1933 The Lobo's home "Raeburn" is the large yellow house. Below is a photo of it from the roadside. Unfortunately, this lovely Bajan family home that held so many memories was sold has since been demolished. The Lobos lived at “Raeburn” on the sea-side of the Hastings Road about 200 yards west of the Hastings Rocks. From memory, the family consisted of the parents, Mr.& Mrs. Lobo and several children. The names I remember are: Colin, Frank and Arthur (better known as “Shortie” or “Pepper”) and Esmee, Freida, Hilda and Carmen. They were all of an out-going and friendly character and all enjoyed a good party. Their love of a good party was regularly satisfied by parties given by Colin and Ivy at their home “Windmark” in Harts Gap. There was always a Christmas dinner with a large table filling the drawing room from which all the furniture had been removed to accommodate the very large table at which the Lobo, St.Hill and Lawless families were seated. There were other parties during the year which did not involve a sit-down meal, but were what were called “cocktail” parties. The guests were drawn from a wide spectrum of Colin’s friends. These included many of the horse-racing fraternity, including some of the English jockeys who were then the elite jockeys in Barbados. These included Edgar Crossley and his wife who were regular, and Thirkell. My mother, Betty St. Hill at 15 with her cousin Denis Hart and his fiancée Gloria The drinks flowed freely, and the “itals” were the best bouchees, patties, stuffed eggs, sandwiches and other goodies which were standard fare at the best cocktail parties. I do not remember (my brother) David being at these parties and I believe he stayed with Miss Edith Hutson while Tony and I were allowed to tag along. We did our fair share of gorging on the eats! Harry St.Hill and his cousin, Norman Hart, who were teenagers, used to cheat and hit a few of the cocktails before the butlers left the kitchen area with the trays of drinks! They were not supposed to drink any alcoholic drinks, but somehow they sometimes became somewhat unsteady on their feet before the party was over. After the Christmas dinner was over, the music started. It was then that the musical talent of the Lobo and St.Hill families became evident. All had good voices. Of the Lobos, Arthur had a good tenor voice, and the ladies could give a good rendition of the carols and other popular songs which were sung. But the musicians of particular note were from the St.Hill family. The father, Garnet, impressed me immensely. He not only had a very strong tenor/baritone voice but excelled in making music on unusual instruments. First, he played the “bones”. These consisted of two pairs of actual bones about four or five inches long which were placed between the fingers of both hands and made a loud noise when the hands were shaken. Garnet used these bones as a percussion instrument and the effect was outstanding. He also played the musical bottles. A series of bottles with varying amounts of water in them were struck by a implement which produced a particular note depending on which bottle was struck. The bottles were “tuned” to produce the correct notes, and Garnet could play tunes on them. Both he and Betty played the musical saw. The handle of an ordinary carpenter’s saw was held between the knees and a violin bow was drawn across the edge of the saw which did not have teeth. This produced a musical sound which was varied by the flexing of the saw with the left hand. Betty St.Hill was a musical prodigy and would have gone far in the musical world if she had been born in some big country away from Barbados. She used to tap-dance and sing as well as to play the piano and saw. The musical talent which Betty had in abundance has been transmitted to her children, the Sheppards, who continue to play a significant part in the musical scene in Barbados. They obviously enjoyed playing their music and the pleasure it gave to those of us who shared their exuberance. It taught me that music was something to be enjoyed and appreciated. Apart from the musical talents of the St.Hill family, my own life has been greatly affected by two members of that family. The first one to have an influence on my life was Mr. St.Hill himself. Garnet St.Hill was a kite enthusiast. I too was a kite enthusiast and every Easter kite season I would make several kites. They consisted of 3-stick small kites, 4-stick round kites with one round-head and one bull, “Umbrella” kites which had the sticks bent back so as to look like an umbrella, and “Singing Angel” kites which had bulls all around the kite. But Mr. St.Hill had other kites which were not flat kites like the ones I made. Some of his kites were made of cloth instead of paper, and were in more than one dimension, not flat one-dimension kites like mine. In particular he had a four-foot box kite which he flew at a spot where the Canadian Embassy now stands. There were no houses between Bishop’s Court and Pine Hill in those days. That whole stretch of land was where the Belleville people went to fly kites at Easter-time. The box kite which Mr. St.Hill had was a very powerful thing and he had to use thick marlin and gloves to fly it. He taught me the secret of the ratios of the lengths of the sticks, the spacing between sticks, and the area of cloth necessary to make this very unlikely looking object into something which would fly like a kite. I used his formula to make a half-size box kite and subsequently made one in Antigua which caused a sensation there in 1943 as no one there had ever seen a box that would fly! I have also made one here in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and have flown it in the Central Park here. I will always be grateful to Garnet St.Hill for his tuition in kite making. Garnet St. Hill with his prize winning kite - Barbados Independence, 1966 Photographed by his grandson Peter A. Sheppard Harry St. Hill The other member of the St.Hill family who materially directed the course of my life was Harry St.Hill . This he did without ever knowing the role he played in the direction my life took. Harry had joined Cable & Wireless (West Indies) Ltd. and trained as a wireless operator and had been transferred to Antigua. He and Colin Bynoe were the two operators from Barbados who manned the only means of communication which Antigua had with the world. Antigua was one of the few islands in what was then the British West Indies which did not have a cable connection with any other island or territory. Harry never wanted to go to Antigua in the first place and asked the Divisional Manager, Mr. Douglas, how long was he going to be in Antigua. The DM told him “about a year”. When Harry had been in Antigua one year and there was no sign of a replacement for him to return to Barbados, Harry became upset. He soon developed a sickness. The DM received a message from the Officer-in-Charge of Antigua that Harry had been certified as unfit for duty and should be repatriated as soon as possible. The sickness Harry was diagnosed as having was “bilharzia”, which is usually known as “hook-worm”. This is a parasitic worm which lives in rivers and gets into the body when people bathe or wade in rivers. There are no rivers in Antigua, and none in Barbados, so Harry must have done something very strange to contract this sickness. At the time I was training to be a cable operator in a batch of probationers which included Charlie Warren. Vincent Johnson and Vernon Pilgrim. Mr. A. M. Wilson, a retired C & W man, was our teacher. Mr. Douglas came to him and asked who of his batch of probationers would he choose to learn to be a wireless operator. Mr. Wilson said, “Lawless”. Mr. Douglas told me to report to the Reef Wireless Station the next day to learn to be a wireless operator. So I became a wireless operator and was transferred to Antigua, January 1943, to replace Harry St.Hill. If Harry had not created a crisis in Antigua, I would never have had two wonderful years in Antigua and would never have gotten into the technical stream at C & W which shaped the whole of my working career. SEE ALSO: LOBO & D'AZEVEDO FAMILY

Charles Sebastian Theodore Sheppard (1885 - 1931) Original image restored from black and white and enhanced using AI MY GRANDFATHER Charles , who was more often called Charlie by his friends and family, was born on 21st October, 1885 in the historic town of St. Joseph, Trinidad. He was the second child in a family of five children. His parents were Alfred Sheppard , an Englishman from Sussex, and Virginia de Freitas - daughter of Madeiran immigrants seeking a new life in the West Indies. Little is known of Grandpa Charlie's early childhood, other than he was the son of a police sergeant with the Colonial Police Force in Trinidad, who was in active duty at a time when there were at least three violent social uprisings in Trinidad. The year before Charles was born, The Hosay Massacre (also known as the Hosay riots or the Jahaji massacre) took place on 30 October 1884 in San Fernando, Trinidad when the British colonial authorities fired on participants in the annual Hosay procession. Charles' first years were spent in St. Joseph, where his father was working as a policeman and where his sister Amalia was also born. The family moved to Princes Town where Sergeant Alfred Sheppard had been posted after the riots, and where his two younger siblings were born. Charlie experienced the sad loss of both of his baby brothers when he was a 9 year old boy. Both little brothers were buried side by side in the Presbyterian section of the Paradise Cemetery, San Fernando. Next, we know for sure that Grandpa Charlie was living in Port of Spain as a 20 year old. By then he had already caught sight of the strikingly beautiful, blue-eyed brunette Elsie Gomez , a young lady whose grandparents were Portuguese. A courtship had started and Elsie's description of their rendezvous and first kiss at Carnival time recalls all the excitement and romance of the moment. Grandma Elsie wrote in her memoirs: "The wall was high, so a contrivance was made by placing a barrel and a box raised to the height of the barrel that my family and friends could stand on so that the masqueraders could be seen from over the wall. I was just sixteen years old and no one could stop me from being first to be standing there because I knew that my dear boyfriend would also be coming. I lived with my grandmother so naturally had my chores to do even though it was the Carnival Day, so early I got up and finished everything in time. Much too early for the crowds but not too soon for him to come. He and I sat on the board and talked so shyly to each other, then we would jump up to see some foolish disguised person or band of revelers go by. After a while I was tired and the heat of the sun was fiercely burning on the wall, so I decided to jump off the wall, stand and found myself right in the arms of my darling who immediately kissed me for the first time. I was so astonished and too excited for words so what do you think? I just flew into the house and rushed like mad to the piano and played as I never did before. He sat on a chair next to me and accompanied me with chords. My grandmother and sister came out of their rooms and made signs to each other. From then I knew that no obstacle could ever separate my darling from me. Two young lovers with a long journey to go. My story goes on to say that the happy boy and girl always loved each other until a marriage took place among a very happy home and family and continued happiness reigned with the young people enjoying the many good wishes of so many friends and relatives." At the time of their marriage in 1909, Charlie was employed as a clerk at the department store Wilsons Limited in Port of Spain, Trinidad. In 1930 Wilsons was taken over by Salvatori, Scott & Co. Ltd. Charles became a partner and Accountant in that firm where he worked for the rest of his life. Elsie wrote in her memoirs that her husband's business was going well, and as their family increased, he was able to purchase a beautiful, large home at #30 Richmond Street , Port of Spain. Charlie played the mandolin and piano, and there was always a piano in their home. Elsie's memoirs describe a happy home and holidays spent by the seaside where "the children enjoyed to their fullest all the bathing, fishing, etc. Their father always saw that other children joined his in their happiness." "The home in which my children grew up was very beautiful and surrounded by a setting of golden Buttercups, Bougainvillea bursting out its glorious branches of purple and red and even rusty shades, Poinsettias, and the gracious plumes of the Queen of Flowers. Music pervaded the air, father and children being the musicians." According to oral history, Charles and Elsie traveled to England on holiday regularly. Sadly, on the last trip they made, they were to get the heartbreaking news that their baby son Arthur had died on 1st September, 1928. He was just four months old. According to my cousin, George Gonsalves: "Grandpa used to take Grandma to England every other year as soon as the latest baby was weaned. That year, Jessie, who was in her 19th year, was included in the travel plans. My mother (Madge ) was left in charge and was assisted by Bertha . Diphtheria was rampant in Port of Spain at the time. One had to be careful and to avoid families where it was present. Mum said the disease would take out whole lots of siblings. It was not unusual to see the names of four or five children on the gravestones in the cemetery, the result of an infestation of diphtheria. Not long after the travellers left, Arthur began exhibiting signs of an illness. The doctor was called and after awhile it was determined that he had diphtheria. It is not certain where he got it from, but they used to go out for walks with the baby in the pram." Charles Sheppard’s journey—from the son of a police sergeant amidst social unrest to a partner in a leading firm—is a quintessentially Trinidadian story. Sadly, our dear Grandpa Charlie's health deteriorated in the years that followed. He passed away three years after the death of baby Arthur, when he was just 45 years old. Their union lasted 23 years, during which they had produced a family of thirteen children. Elsie never remarried, but continued bravely to successfully raise their large family. She lived to be 80 years old, and enjoyed a full life, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Photo restoration by Gemini AI, April 2026 Charles Sheppard at 44 years old This is the last known image of our grandfather. Above: Wilsons Limited in Port of Spain, Trinidad where Grandpa Charlie Sheppard was working at the time of his marriage in 1909. Wilsons changed hands and became Salvatori, Scott & Co. Ltd.. By 1917 the business became The Trinidad Stores. He was a Director and Accountant with that firm up to the time of his death in 1931. My Grandparents - Charles Sheppard and Elsie Gomez at the Manse of St. Ann's Church of Scotland, Port of Spain, 20 January 1909 The marriage of Charles Sebastian Theodore Sheppard and Elsie Mabel Gomez took place on 20th January, 1909 at the Presbyterian Church, St. Ann's Church of Scotland, St. Ann's Road, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. We examined the marriage record and took the above photo of the register in the Trinidad archives, but were scolded that it was forbidden! Too late! From the register we find that at the time of his marriage at age 23, Charles was still living at his parents' home at 117 Edward Street, Port of Spain. Elsie was 20 years old, and her address was 4, Zampty Lane, Erthic Road, Belmont. The Minister who conducted their marriage ceremony was Mr. P. Simpson, and their witnesses who signed the Marriage Register were Joseph Cabral and Elsie's sister, Audrey Gomez. Elsie Mabel was born on 26 May, 1888, in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Her parents, Joseph Gomez and Christina Pereira, were both of Portuguese descent. Elsie was the eldest of their nine children. Both of her parents were present at her wedding; however, her father Joseph passed away just two years later, on 31 Dec 1910 - at age 47. Charles' oldest brother Alfred who had also attended their wedding, died in the January of 1910, succumbing to bronchitis, when he was just 25. Two very sad losses for the family in the same year. Elsie's mother, Christina, lived to be 83, and was able to enjoy many of her grandchildren born to Charles and Elsie. Charlie's father Alfred died just 8 years after the wedding, but his mother Virginia lived till 1936 and knew all of her grandchildren. The wedding reception was held at the home of Mr. Albert Mendes, at the corner of Shine Street & Park Street on Victoria Square, Port-of- Spain. Albert's wife was Mary Pereira, Elsie's aunt, and Albert was also Elsie's godfather. It appears that Charlie and Elsie were close to Albert and Mary, as in later years, Albert appointed Charlie to be one of the Administrators of his Estate, in which he bequeathed $500.00 to Elsie. Albert was the brother of Alfred Mendes Snr., great-grandfather of the British Academy award winner, Sam Mendes. News of the marriage appeared in the newspaper's social column, giving a lovely description of the occasion. The couple spent their honeymoon at the Santa Carlotta Estate - a cocoa plantation near the coast which was owned by Alfred Mendes Snr. Alfred was an Elder of St. Ann's Free Church and a good friend of the family. By 1924, Charles and Elsie had 11 children, pictured below. Elsie Mabel recorded details of her Wedding Day in her Bible, now passed down to her daughter Sybil. She wrote:- Bestman: Joseph Cabral Chief Bridesmaid: Audrey Gomez ; Edith Gomez; Alice Mendes Flower girls: Laurie, Phyllis and Birdie Peake, Thelma Fereira, Ivy Gomez and Ida Mendes Memories: A very happy wedding held at the home of my Godfather, Mr. Albert Mendes, Victoria Square. Many young people and children attended. In this wonderful wedding photo, we see the bride and groom Charles and Elsie with their family and friends, standing in front of Albert and Mary Mendes' residence, where the reception was held. The boy standing front left is Willie Gomez, the bride's brother. I understand that the little flower-girls next to him are all of the Peake family, not relatives, but children of Mr. Peake, the gentleman in the white tunic, a policeman who came from England along with Alfred, and remained good friends Charles' mother Virginia is standing next to her son, and behind her to the left is his father Alfred. The flower girl standing next to the bride on the right side is Ivy Gomez , the bride's sister. Immediately behind her, his face partly hidden, is Sebastien de Freitas, the groom's grandfather. The gentleman standing between the bride and groom in the next row is Elsie's father, Joseph Gomez, and her mother Christina can be seen just to the right of Elsie. Charles and Elsie Sheppard with their family in 1928 Taken on the same day in 1928, in the backyard of their home on #30 Richmond Street l/r Elsie with baby Arthur, Florence (Flo) , Audrey , Andrew , Sybil , Robert , George , John , Bertie , Ida , Joseph (Boysie) , Madge, Jessie All of the children got married and had families of their own. Click here for their wedding photos.

Descendants of Alfred Sheppard and Virginia de Freitas THE SHEPPARD FAMILY - Trinidad circa 1928 Back standing: l/r: Joseph Alfred (Boysie) , Mary Marjorie (Madge) , Charles Albert (Bertie) , John Herbert Middle seated: l/r George Havelock , Ida Amelia , Charles Sebastian , (father), Elsie Mabel née Gomez (mother) with baby Arthur Vincent, Jessie Mabel with Edith Florence (Flo) , Robert Louis Front seated: Audrey Ethel , Andrew Desmond (my father), and Sybil Elsie THE MENDEZ FAMILY - Trinidad 1942 Back: l/r Frederick Herbert (Freddie), Malcolm Arthur, Oswald (Osy), Leonard Alfred, Charles Gilbert (Charlie) Front: l/r: Olga, Oswald Antonio (father), Amalia Elizabeth néeSheppard (mother), Jessie Amelia Sheppard Family Archive TODAY'S MATRIARCHS - FIRST COUSINS On Sunday 11 September 2016 in the grounds of St. Ann's Church of Scotland where their forefathers were founding members Jessie Amalia Mendes Rooks (left) (pictured in the Mendes family photo seated far right) and Sybil Elsie Sheppard Gibbon (pictured in the Sheppard family photo seated far right) (Photo credit: Sybil's daughter Jennifer MacLean.) Click on the blue links to read more about the Sheppard, Gomez and Mendes families.

Mary Marjorie (Madge) Gonsalves née Sheppard This story of Madge was lovingly written in her memory by her eldest child, George Gonsalves Our mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, Mary Marjorie Gonsalves, née Sheppard (“Madge”), was born on 28 December 1910. She was the second child and second daughter of Elsie Mabel Sheppard , née Gomez, and Charles Sebastian Theodore Sheppard. She was born in Port of Spain into a very talented musical family, but she inherited none of those talents. She could not play an instrument and was unable to carry a tune vocally. As a child growing up, she remembered Sundays as being quite difficult. Her father was a wonderful mandolin player and her siblings mastered other instruments. In early days, the family observed strict sabbath laws. The day began with a cold breakfast, a walk to St. Ann’s Church , a couple of hours of church service and listening to a fire and brimstone sermon, then a walk back home to a cold lunch. The afternoon was spent singing hymns. Mum usually felt left out, since she could play no instruments and her voice did not add to the melodies of the hymns being sung. After tea, they would walk back to the church for Vespers. Then came Monday and school. Mum disliked school in her early years. She appears to have had some learning difficulties and was not treated sympathetically by her teachers. One teacher, however, took her under her wing and helped her with her penmanship. Her handwriting was beautiful. Mum, however, had buck teeth, a cause for derision by her schoolmates. Her protruding front teeth made her extremely self conscious. Her father, our Grandpa, took great pity of her. One day he spoke to a Venezuelan dentist who said he could put Mum in braces. The dentist demanded a huge sum of money in advance plus he said he needed a large number of gold sovereigns with which he was going to make the braces. Grandpa complied and Mum was fitted with the braces. A couple of weeks later, Mum’s mouth became septic and it was discovered that the braces were made of brass, not of gold. Gold could never be used to make braces. The unscrupulous dentist fled to Venezuela where, it was said, he perished in an automobile accident. In order to combat the sepsis, Mum’s entire top teeth had to be removed as well as her palate. She suffered excruciating pain and spent months in recovery. She grew very thin and was fed mainly liquids. For the rest of her life, she had to wear a false palate as well as false teeth. Mum recovered from her ailments, nurtured by what was a most caring and loving family. She also developed a very close bond with her father, who, one could say, spoilt her for the rest of his life. When she was 20 years old, she was alone in the house with Grandpa, when he had a an attack of phlebitis. His doctor came in to attend to him and gave him a shot of adrenaline. After the doctor left, the adrenaline precipitated a coronary thrombosis and Grandpa died in my mother’s arms. Years before this unfortunate event, whenever the siblings came down with mumps, measles, chickenpox or similar diseases, it was found that Mum was immune to them. She, therefore, assisted with looking after the sick ones. Later, when her parents were in England and her little brother, Arthur, developed diphtheria, it was Mum who cared for him until his sad demise. These experiences developed in Mum a profound interest in nursing and medical care. She studied nursing at the Colonial Hospital in Port of Spain, Trinidad and later became interested in midwifery. Her profession took her through all areas of Port of Spain, and she was well respected. In February, 1937, a passenger ship made an emergency stop in Port of Spain with a sick wealthy man on board. He was a Mr. Hussey whose wife had a connection with the Pillsbury Corporation. Those were very politically incorrect days and the call came for a white nurse. Mum appears to have been the only one to fill the bill and so she answered the call. The remuneration was good and the appeal of adventure was attractive, so she agreed to nurse Mr. Hussey back to Boston, It was her first trip outside of Trinidad and so she was very excited. The family treated Mum very well once they arrived in Boston and she lived a very opulent life until the return passage to Trinidad was arranged. She was shown around Boston and even lent a mink coat for a trip to New York to see a cousin who was there. History repeated itself in April the very next year when another ship docked in Port of Spain seeking a white nurse, this time for a Mr. Lord of Lord and Taylor in New York. Here too she looked after him all the way to New York and was very well treated. She was able to explore New York before her passage home was arranged, I believe there were several displaced persons on the ship and Mum must have met Mr. Wolf and informed him about Grandma’s boarding house. I found her name on this ship’s registry also. In 1936, my father had gone to board at our grandmother’s boarding house. There he met my mother and they were married in 1940. Mum brought many of her nieces and nephews into the world. Joan, Betty Helen, Bernard, Charles, Patricia, Marjorie and Stanley, she considered them to be her babies. Vin and Madge - Trinidad, 14 September, 1940

Hurricane Janet, Barbados 22nd September 1953 My great-grandmother's account My great-grandmother was Lillian Lobo, wife of Isaac Clement Lobo. She lived on the south coast of Barbados in a house called "Raeburn", now demolished. She wrote to her youngest daughter about Hurricane Janet. In the letter she tells that Frank, her son who lived in Trinidad, came to visit and help her. She tells her about how her granddaughter Marylin is affected by the hurricane. Marylin is her son Frank's daughter who was staying with her at the time. Raeburn, Hastings Nov 6th 1955 My dear Freida, This is a very long overdue letter but I know you will understand, I have been through such a terrible ordeal for my age, what with the storm and a few days after we had a downpour of rain and the roof poured like a tap turned on. I lost my nerve and had a hearty cry. The hoods to the windows blew off and broke the Everite of the roof and glass window. They went in Miss Chandler’s yard. Crowds of shingles blew off, gutter-heads, down pipes all blew down and broke. The downstairs door - the break water iron and big stones dashed against the door and broke it open and the sea all came in. We did not have light for eleven days, only 2 lamps and torches. No telephone, the well to the toilets all filled up with sand and choked one. I had to pay $15.00 to 2 men to clear it. I had to put on 16 bundles of shingles. I had 3 workmen for 4 weeks from one thing to the other, but it could have been worse. The church got hit the hardest, I believe 5 out of every 6 houses were flat, thousands are homeless. Plenty of nice new houses in Marine Gardens the roofs came off and the people had to run for shelter. You remember Kenneth and Reyland Davis’s house Santa Neta opposite The Rocks, well that has only the 4 walls standing. They had to run next door, lost everything. Frank came over to see what had happened to us 2 days after, because no planes were flying during that time. He stood a day and a half and brought over plenty groceries for me knowing we may have been short and he said the water came to his eyes coming over the island to see the houses flat. He would not even go any further he said his nerves wouldn’t stand it. All the beautiful trees blown down and the leaves scorched. We are all bare now. If it had have lasted 1/2 hour longer our gallery roof started to lift. The wind was 125 miles an hour. Outside sounded just like a lot of cats howling. Poor little Marilyn threw up 3 times for the day. And then trees across the streets, telephone posts . . . Kenneth and Reyland Davis’s house "Santa Neta" opposite The Rocks

Some Childhood Memories Growing up in the British West Indies Valerie in Ursuline Convent school uniform at "Norgate" in Barbados - 1958 The first memory I have of my Bajan grandparents, Esmée and Garnet St. Hill, was when they lived in a three-bedroom bungalow called “Norgate” on Dayrells Road, just before the corner of Navy Gardens, in the southern parish of Christ Church, Barbados. They had already sold the family home "Ypres" at the corner of 1st Avenue and Pine Road in Belleville, where my mother and all her siblings were born and raised. When they bought their new home it was called "Mins Court". Why they renamed it "Norgate" I never knew. Cousins Helen St. Hill and David Mosher believe they did that that after their visit to Canada where they stayed in Norgate, the area in which their daughters Thelma and Clem lived with their Canadian husbands and families in the fifties. My grandparents' home "Norgate" was next door to the corner house, “Macneath”. Every home in Barbados seemed to have a name of particular significance to the family who owned it. Just before my 11th birthday in September of 1958, I came over from Trinidad with my mother, as I was going to start school at the Ursuline Convent in Barbados and stay with my grandparents during term time. New uniforms, new surroundings, and a totally new way of life from what I had been accustomed to at our home in San Fernando, Trinidad. Mummy went back to Trinidad, and I settled in with Granny and Pop. I had a nice bedroom, clean and neat as a pin, cream painted furniture, a washbasin in the corner. There was a little cream-painted desk by the windows where I did my homework and wrote weekly letters to my parents in Trinidad. I loved the lined writing pads that always had glamorous screen stars on the covers. Sometimes I used blue postage pre-paid aerograms. On my bed was a blue and white candlewick bedspread. Over the bed on the wall hung a print of an angel carrying a small child over a bridge on a stormy night, a turbulent river surging below. That always fascinated me and must have made an impression as 65 years later I still vividly remember it! My first impression when I arrived in Barbados was how clean and orderly everything was. The drive from Seawell Airport along the south coast was magical as the bright turquoise sea glistened alongside the road. With the windows rolled down (no airconditioned cars in those days) you could hear the waves and smell the ocean. I remember passing a sort of billboard of a huge, colourful macaw somewhere near Oistins, I believe it was an advertisement for Doorley's Rum. I was surprised that my grandparents never closed the windows at night, they stayed wide open with the breeze blowing in, and there were no burglar bars. Granny St. Hill was a housekeeper of note. She kept an exercise book with all of the maid’s daily duties and time-table written down in her clear, rounded handwriting. There were also pages that laid out weekly and monthly duties, such as cleaning the brass, silverware, windows, polishing the mahogany furniture etc. There was a strict routine, and their house rules were “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” I was told that I was to take off my school uniform as soon as I came home from school, hang it neatly on a hanger “to air” and that I could use 3 clean shirts and one tunic per week. Navy blue tunic, white shirt, brown laced up shoes, white socks turned down to the ankle, and a navy blue beret with the school badge bearing the motto "Serviam", to be worn while out on the road. There were penalties to be paid at school if you were seen not wearing your school beret on the road! To me, it was a completely different world from my Trinidad home. Everything was routine and scheduled at my Bajan grandparents' home. I had been accustomed to more spontaneous and rather chaotic home life with my siblings (there were just three of us at the time.) Unplanned drives with my parents and dropping in unexpectedly to visit friends was normal in Trinidad. "Stay and have something to eat, nah". . . grown-ups drank and chatted, the kids played and ran wild till late. We often went to the movies with our parents - "Matinee show", with hot channa in brown paper cones bought from a vendor outside the cinema. We sometimes stopped to buy rotis from East Indian roadside vendors, watching them flip the roti skins on to the hot coalpots. Best rotis ever! Fresh hops breads from the "parlours" and Charlie's black pudding - there was none of that in this totally different Barbados world. Two islands close to each other, yet so different. Unlike in Trinidad, maids were called by their surnames only. In Trinidad, our helper was Laura, in Barbados, Granny’s maid was called Scott. Back then, household helpers were called servants. I never knew Scott's first name. I remember that Scott turned up for work each day in her morning uniform, and had to wear a green cap and apron at all times. She lived nearby so would knock off for an hour or so after serving lunch and cleaning up the kitchen, then reappear in the afternoon donning her white cap and apron, perfectly starched and laundered. Scott called me “Miss Valerie” and my grandparents were addressed as Master and Mistress. To my young Trini ears, that sounded strange and somehow quaint. In Trinidad, Mummy was Madam and Daddy was "Suh" or "Mistah Sheppad". Bajan maids also had a peculiar habit of saying “yes please” or “no please” when asked a question. That also sounded very odd to me. Never yes or no without “please” added on. Granny St. Hill kept an exercise book in which she wrote her grocery lists. The telephone table with the black rotary-dial telephone, number 7224, was next to the window in the dining room, and a mahogany cane-bottomed chair ready. There she sat and called in her grocery order from Alleyne, Arthur & Co. and was told when to expect the delivery. On the appointed day, a horn would blow at the back entrance to the house which was in a narrow alley-way on the east side of the house that connected through to Navy Gardens. "Granny, the Alleyne Arthur van is here!" I loved to watch the delivery of groceries - something I had never seen before in Trinidad. You see, my grandparents did not own a car, so that was also a huge difference. I loved to take the Route 15 bus sometimes, what a thrill that was for a little Trini girl that had never been in a bus before. Sometimes I would catch the open-sided bus and go to the Museum by the Garrison, all by myself. The bus fare was 15 cents. In Trinidad, Daddy drove a sleek iridescent green Chevy in which he took us everywhere. My grandparents at their home with Helen St. Hill, their eldest granddaughter, 1954. Scott had just brought the evening cocktails to them in the verandah at "Norgate". On the back of the photo is a Christmas message to my parents in Trinidad, written by my grandfather. On grocery delivery day, the door set in the outside wall at "Norgate" would be opened, and the Alleyne Arthur boy would bring the cardboard box with goods and set it on the red formica kitchen counter. Right next to it was the red metal kitchen scale with the brass tray and iron weights arranged in a stack, the smallest on top. There he would unpack each item, and Granny would tick it off against the bill and her list. I think sometimes she would even check the weights of, say the potatoes or sugar that came in brown paper bags! She would do the same for drugstore items, and had accounts with Knights Ltd. and Collins Ltd. in Bridgetown. I don’t recall ever seeing her write a cheque, so I guess payments were made in cash. She kept her housekeeping money in a large cigar box that had compartments. Pop used to enjoy an after-dinner cigar. Granny kept all the groceries under lock and key in the kitchen cupboards, and had a rather large bunch of keys to everything in the house that had a lock on it. Each morning, she would “put out” the ingredients for Scott to cook lunch, and lock the cupboards again. All of this was like watching a movie to me, having come from Trinidad where I went to HiLo with my mother, and often to the San Fernando markets to buy vegetables, fruit, a live chicken with its feet tied together, and big, live blue crabs for the Sunday callaloo! It also struck me that I didn’t see East Indians, Chinese, Syrians and other mixtures of those people that I had become accustomed to in Trinidad. There, the vendors would always give a little “lagniappe” when Mum bought produce. I can still smell the freshness of the chadon beni, hot red peppers and other seasonings in the San Fernando market. Mum would carry a big handmade basket for market shopping - the same one that went on picnics to Mayaro when we were children. 

 Sunday Lunch at home, 1954 - Hart Street, San Fernando, Trinidad. My parents Andrew, Betty and their children Stephen and Peter and Valerie. Another fascinating thing for me in Barbados were the hucksters that walked in the street outside selling their wares. The women who sold flying fish carried them in a wooden tray on their head, and the tray was covered with some kind of cloth to keep them clean, I suppose. Sometimes they would also be carrying a basket with fresh seasonings of thyme, marjoram, chives and hot peppers, and a small variety of vegetables. We would hear the cry “FLYING FEEEESH” - and the going price - “12 a bit” if they were plentiful. Granny would send me to run outside and stop the huckster, which I would do by clapping my hands and gesturing her that we wanted her to come to the house. She would come to the same back door, and Granny would send Scott out to buy the fish. She took an enamel bowl to place them in. Well, that was another whole new experience to watch! Unlike today when fish are bought ready to be cooked and Bajan green seasoning comes in a jar from the supermarket, these were flying fish fresh from the sea, complete with wings, scales guts and bones. Granny took great pride in preparing them herself and she had it down to a fine art. She set about scaling and boning each one with her special well-worn boning knife, and I was amazed at her dexterity as she transformed each fish into a perfectly filleted one. Not a single stray bone could dare hang around and worse yet, reach my grandfather’s plate! Next, she prepared the Bajan green seasoning from scratch, chop-chop-chopping fresh thyme, marjoram, onions and peppers on her board. The dipping in beaten eggs and home made breadcrumbs came next, then the moment in the frying pan when they became the sizzling golden brown delicacy that graced the meticulously set dinner table. She would always give me one to sample in the kitchen, piping hot, fresh out of the pan. I still think they were the best flying fish I’ve ever eaten. The "ground provisions man" came around every week in his donkey cart. We could hear the cart and donkey clanking along, and he would call out “Get ya sweet putaaatahs, eddas, yaaaams. . . “ My grandfather would open the front gate to Dayrells Road and allow him to drive his cart into the front yard. This was another thing I’d never experienced before, and had never been that close to a donkey in my life. He weighed everything on a scale that looked like the Scales of Justice on the back of his wooden cart, but smaller and rustier. He was a small, wizened fellow, and wore a felt cap and baggy clothes that were sort of khaki colored. He would hop down from the cart to sell and weigh everything, and he wore no shoes. I’ll never forget one day my grandfather said to him teasingly, “Tell me, are you a little old man or a little old woman?” He politely grinned, bowed his head and said “I'z a little ole man, please." Scott always came out to take part in the purchasing and to carry the good ‘ground provisions’ into the kitchen. That night there would be a big dish of hot mashed yam, with dollops of golden butter on it served with flying fish. Often there would be string beans and fried plantain on the side. Heaven! 
 In 1957 there was no television in Barbados yet. My grandparents had Rediffusion which broadcast daily soaps like "Portia Faces Life". My grandmother would sit in her rocking chair and listen. I loved the Saturday morning Children's Programme with Alfred Pragnell and Doris Provençal. When I was a little older I often sang on that programme. On weekends, I was allowed to walk alone through Navy Gardens, Marine Gardens to Hastings where my Lobo great-grandmother and great-aunts lived. Granny forbade me to wear shorts on the street, so I had to obey and wear a skirt. I would spend long hours on the beach and in the sea by the Ocean View hotel, sometimes with a friend. That independence and freedom at a young age was good. Nobody worried about safety back then. All I had to remember was Granny's heeding to keep to the side of the road and look up and down carefully before crossing. Granny made the best lemon-meringue pies and for special occasions she made a dessert called "Spanish Cream", also the best rum trifle. On ordinary nights, there would be red Jell-O with canned fruit set in it for dessert. I remember her making eats for the evenings she expected guests - they were little meat patties, egg sandwiches, rolled asparagus sandwiches, stuffed eggs, and prunes stuffed with peanut butter. A must were the cubes of yellow cheese with either a small cocktail onion or maraschino cherry on toothpicks stuck into a large grapefruit for serving. I don't know whether tins of peanuts were available then, but Granny would shell bags of peanuts and prepare her own delicious salted cocktail peanuts in the oven. 

 Granny St. Hill pampered and catered to her husband. When I lived with them to go to school, he was still working at Robert’s Manufacturing Co. as their Secretary/Accountant. He left early in the morning, and would be picked up and dropped by Maurice Foster who lived in nearby Rockley New Road and also worked at Roberts. Every morning, Granny would lay out his clothes on the bed. He wore white shirts with detachable collars, and those were kept in a circular tin that toffees or sweet biscuits had come in. The collars were starched stiff and sparkling white. The shirts didn’t have buttons, instead they were buttoned with little gold studs, which Granny would place in each button hole, just ready to be secured by him on the other side. She also placed his gold cuff links in the cuffs of the long sleeves. He always wore a gold fob pocket watch and suspenders. One of Scott’s duties was to clean his shoes. I also remember my grandmother making a large glass of eggnog topped with grated nutmeg, and had it ready for him when he came back home from work in the afternoon. I never remember seeing Pop do any washing up or housework - ever. He was a kite maker - he called himself a “kite-ologist” and Granny’s job was to cut and strip cloth into varying sizes for him to make the tapered tails for his kites. Pop loved plants and gardening and tending to that was his clearly established domain. They had a Cocker Spaniel dog named Freckles who had his own dog bed that looked like a miniature cradle, also painted cream like the bedroom furniture. During my time of staying with my Bajan grandparents I would fly back home by BWIA for school holidays. Mum and Dad were waiting for me at the old Piarco airport, and back home I would quickly have to adjust to not being the only child in the house! Looking back, I was very fortunate to have experienced childhood in the two very different Caribbean islands, and life with grandparents who were born in the 1890's. 
 Those were Colonial times and Barbados was decidedly more British in customs and culture than Trinidad was. The Ursuline Convent was run by nuns, many of whom were British. My early childhood upbringing taught me adaptability and gave me awareness of the importance of and respect for family, in particular for elders. Looking back, my solo visits to the Barbados Museum at 10 years old must have triggered my love for historical things, people and places. I would stare at the Penny-farthing and the huge mahogany four poster bed with the little steps. The story of the Tamarind Seed in the shape of a slave-man's head impressed me. Over the years my West Indian accent became a Trini-Baje one, and that's quite okay with me. These recollections show that children are like sponges, soaking in everything around them. Memories are subjective. These ramblings of mine are to recall a past era, one without television, smart phones or computers. To my grandchildren: I hope ValVal's memories amuse you! To be continued . . .
 May 2022

Sheppard Family from Trinidad visit relatives in Wem, Shropshire My great-grandfather, Alfred Sheppard was born in Chichester, Sussex, but went to Trinidad with his regiment as a young man, in the British military. He married Virginia de Freitas , a young lady of Portuguese parentage, and made Trinidad his permanent home. In this picture, he and Virginia, together with Virginia's father and daughter, are in Wem, Shropshire visiting his brother Charles and family. The picture has been handed down by Charles' daughter Nell to her Trinidadian cousin John Sheppard who immigrated to England. This is a restored version of a unique, undated vintage photograph. We know it is no later than 1916, the year in which Sebastian (Sebastião) de Freitas (centre) died. The seniors are all seated in front, while the younger generation stands behind. Here's a "Who's Who" of the photo: 1. Charles A. Sheppard , son of #11 and #8, brother of #2, #4, #6, brother-in-law of #3, cousin of #5 2. Cyril Sheppard , husband of #3, son of #11 and #8, brother of #1, #4, #6, cousin of #5. Cyril and his wife Gertrude were married in 1921, so I assume they were engaged here. 3. Gertrude Annie Sheppard née Williams, wife of #2, sister-in-law of #1, #4, #6, daughter-in-law of #8 and #11 4. Ivy Enid Sheppard , daughter of #8 and #11, sister of #1, #2, #6. 5. Amalia Amy Sheppard (Trinidad born) , daughter of #7 and #10. Cousin of #1, #2, #4, #6. 6. Nellie Fisher Sheppard , daughter of #11 and #8, sister of #1, #2, #4. Sister-in-law of #3, cousin of #5 7. Sgt. Maj. Alfred Sheppard (my great-grandfather), husband of #10, father of #5, son-in-law of #9 - all visiting from Trinidad. Brother of #11, Uncle of #1, #2, #4, #6. 8. Ellen Mary Sheppard née Fisher, wife of #11, mother of #1, #2, #4, #6, mother-in-law of #3, sister-in-law of #7 9. Sebastien (Sebastião) de Freitas (my great-great grandfather ) father of #10, grandfather of #5, father-in-law of #7. 10. Virginia Sheppard née de Freitas (Trinidad born - my great-grandmother ), wife of #7, daughter of #9, mother of #5 11. Sgt. Charles Sheppard , brother of #7, father of #1, #2, #4, #6, father-in-law of #3, uncle of #5

Click on the buttons to watch the videos Remembering Audrey Video Tribute by Audrey's granddaughter, Laila van der Meulen Photos provided by Clark and van der Meulen families Video clips provided by Meindert van der Meulen Swing on Down Audrey's daughters Lola and Susan, along with Susan's son-in-law Donavon Frankenreiter and her son Michael, performing at her Memorial Service on October 16,2016 - San Clemente, California. This video was made by Meindert for the Memorial Service of Audrey's husband, Don Clark. Don passed away in San Clemente, California in 2009 when he was 93. Audrey was my father's sister, the sibling who came next after him. They grew up together and and he loved her dearly. Dad would wake early in the morning and write about his childhood memories. I found this sweet recollection about Audrey among his various writings. Daddy passed away when he was only 68, but his beloved sister lived on until she was 92 and I was able to share this with her a few years ago. "AUDREY" by Andrew Sheppard . When I was just a little lad Born 1922 in Trinidad I had a little sister named Audrey Who was so very, very pretty. Audrey was blonde and blue-eyed too And was the envy of all who Had the pleasure of her company Who was a delight to hear and see Especially when she felt happy. She sang and danced both day and night A real treat to behold, that’s right! When Audrey tapped her toes in tune Many a boy was apt to swoon And when she sang those beautiful blues She all but sent you through your shoes! When once there was a contest for a prize For beauty and talent to be apprised T’was between a Chinese-creole named Thora And little Audrey, each of a different colour T’was counted from the number of newspaper clippings The public sent for their choice from their siblings And though we tried so hard to collect The clippings fell short with great regret The result was not fair and was judged By who could buy the most papers with pictures severed The total of each pretty face was counted in favour Of she whose presence on paper exceeded the other. Unfortunately and in universal dismay The result threw our family in great disarray To think that one so absolutely beautiful and gifted Should lose through insufficient pictures counted. From then until this very day, I’ll always feel That popularity can never be decided From the sale of newspapers so guided The Queen of the local Trinidad scene Remained our dear, sweet Audrey supreme. The years went by, and as you guessed Sweet Audrey’s lovely attitude was blessed With thoughts of others of only the best. She met in Trinidad and married a young man Who was a qualified engineer and an American. Don Clark was the name of this affable gent Who met, mixed with and blended his accent With those of our family of La Belle Trinidad And all else whom he met he thought “not bad”. But sorry to say, there came that sad day When Audrey and Don and Susan their daughter Packed bags and left us for the great U.S.A. Taking with them the cause of happy laughter. Don and Audrey were married in March forty-three Still loving and caring for others and each other What a wonderful spirit our Audrey has Optimism rules her every thought and deed. 18 March, 1943 St. Ann's Church of Scotland, Port of Spain, Trinidad Audrey was the 11th child in the Sheppard Family. In this family photo, she is the blonde girl on the far left, holding her baby sister Flo's hand. Next to her is my father, Andrew.

"Belmont" Written on 26th July, 1988 by my father, Andrew Desmond Sheppard (transcribed from personal family memorabilia) Sketch of "Belmont" by my brother Peter when we lived there in 1960. Peter was then 11 years old. It was during the early sixties that my dear wife Betty and I decided to avail ourselves of an excellent opportunity. An English-styled mansion named “Belmont” in the beautiful parish of St. John became available for rent. It belonged to the family of the late Dr. Hanschell, whose son Michael occupied the property, where he lived with his family. Michael was an Agricultural Scientist and he had recently been transferred or accepted an appointment to Belize. He was in the Colonial Service. Belmont was spacious, with seven bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs. Downstairs contained a front patio which overlooked the beautiful valley and beyond; a large living room and a large dining room. At the west side entrance there was the hall reception area and in the back was the large kitchen and buttery, etc. The house was fully furnished in antique mahogany. In the front patio at Belmont overlooking the valley - early 1960 l/r Valerie, Betty, Andrew, Winifred Sheppard who was visiting, on her lap my sister Frances, standing far right is my brother Peter. Two of the children in the back row were boarders and one a visiting friend. Outside in the front was a sunken garden with a variety of flower-bearing plants. On the western side there was an open clay-tiled patio with a building which was used as the doctor’s office and clinic. A pitch-covered roadway separated the house from the enclosed fruit and vegetable garden within which area was housing for poultry and animals such as sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, etc. Behind the house was an area of land with breadfruit and other large trees. On the eastern side of the house there was a well-kept lawn. A wall of stone surrounded the property. A large evergreen tree shaded the house from the afternoon sun. The monthly rental was $160.00. Why move from Navy Gardens to this out-of-the-way place? Our family was becoming larger and space was at a premium, Also, the prospect of living in the countryside afforded our five children (at the time) to enjoy the fresh air and wide open spaces. There was, too, the opportunity of accommodating some boarders for the nearby schools of Presentation College and Codrington High School. The Brothers of the college were very pleased and introduced six boys to us for board, lodging and discipline. One from Trinidad, three from St. Vincent, one Venezuelan, one American. Miss Carter, the Headmistress of Codrington High School, sent three girls to us. One from England one from Canada, one from St. Vincent. Apart from these very interesting children, we further obliged the Presentation Brothers to look after little Jones who arrived penniless by air from Venezuela with a note to the Brothers promising future financial and other arrangements. His parents were American and he worked in the oilfields in Venezuela. We adopted Jones. Very intelligent, good looking, cocky and ten years old. No clothing but what he wore, There were Sonsoles and Carmen, two beauties who were stranded at the Ursuline Convent at Christmas time and whose mother deserted them. She was a Spanish Countess and a divorcee who seemed to travel constantly. We also adopted Sonsoles and Carmen. So here we were, properly ensconced in this lovely old house, the only outer sounds being from birds and breeze. Truly heavenly and so peaceful. Andy and Betty and their five children, eldest 15, youngest 2, six boys and four girls from overseas. All had to be provided with beds, including clean linen, all to be served with breakfast, lunch boxes all filled, tea and dinner. With us two adults, the number of us seated for meals was 14. Just as well I was brought up in a family of 12 children plus 2 parents and 6 boarders. A piece of cake! Poor Betty. I arranged with the owner of a Volkswagen bus to take the children to Presentation College and Codrington. He was very reliable and was a driver in my company when I was a Lieutenant, Royal Engineers, in Trinidad during the war - Mr. Gill. Lawrence, the old chauffeur of the Hanschells, drove my Vauxhall car with our children to the Convent in Bridgetown. I, as Sales Manager of the Barbados Bottling Co. Ltd., had to be at Roebuck Street in Bridgetown at 7.30 a.m. Yes, we did it, but not without the usual problems and worries attending such a challenge. It took much planning, thinking and patience, coupled with love and forbearance. Here was this group of young children, far away from home, the youngest being 8 and the eldest 15. The eldest girl 15, Rachel* , plain, crafty and intelligent, was considered by Codrington to be a misfit. She was English and her father, well placed with Shell Oil in Trinidad, pleaded with us to accommodate and look after her, as the school could not tolerate her as a boarder. After a period of teasing by the boys and living with such a large family, Susan blended with everyone and became quite popular. She even improved in her school work. She is now on the English stage. Annie * was special. Father American, mother Bajan. Lived in Venezuela and USA. Spoilt but quite pleasant with the others. Got married eventually and has her own family in the USA. Little Rosa*. Her father was Barbadian and was a Judge in the High Court in St. Vincent. She was a lovely child, well brought up. No problem. Selena *, pretty, blonde and Spanish, age 10, very talented in singing and dancing. She and her younger sister Aurasita* were very affectionate and helpful. Pity was that their mother did not care enough to even send pocket money and the nuns would not keep them because no money was forthcoming. Likewise, Smith . His parents never communicated with us. Just left this poor little human being out on a limb, at the mercy of the world. We loved him, cared and understood him, but he soon became problematical. A Venezuelan boy from Presentation, much older, tried to persuade him to leave us and go with him. He was wild. I had to enlist the aid of the US Embassy here to contact his father and we had to send Jones back to where he belonged, in Venezuela. We never knew his parents. Financially, a total loss. Then there were the boys. Foremost was Henry* , a model student, pure boy, athletic, with a good sense of humour. He was Betty’s nephew and was a good example to the other children. Rob *, a dreamer - Trinidadian mother and American father, who worked in the oil industry in Venezuela. pleasant fellow who produced some peculiar tales. Roberto* , Venezuelan. Father, General Manager of Ford of Venezuela. Best Scout, good boy, bad temper. Difficult to handle because of language problems. Also, he had difficulty in getting along with others. Last time I saw him, he was a Colonel in the Venezuelan army, visiting Barbados with his family. Manuel* - always a nice person. From St. Vincent, of Trinidadian parents. His dad was an old friend of mine. Cooperative, pleasant, good student. Real boy. Sam *. Unhappy child. From St. Vincent of Vincentian father and Trinidadian mother. Father a wealthy planter. Never liked to study. Smoked too many cigarettes. Hard to reach. Generally very withdrawn. A very sad case. He never improved. Got worse and worse. Returned to live in St. Vincent and became very involved in heavy illegal drugs. One night his father shot him dead. What a waste of humanity - very sad indeed. His father was exonerated on the charge of murder as he shot John who attacked his mother for money to buy drugs. Most important was our family who must have found it very confusing to see all of these strange children invading their privacy. God bless them all. They must have understood because they got along very well with their new-found friends. For entertainment, I hired or borrowed a film projector and films from either the Empire Cinema, Pan American Airways or the Government Information Service, and with a large screen placed at the side of the lawn we showed our young friends a variety of amusing and interesting films. We always invited teachers and children from the nearby boarding houses. Hot dogs, Coca-Cola and impromptu concerts rounded off the night. This was for Saturdays only. Occasionally we would play music by gramophone and dance and sing, always with other company. Betty was at the centre of all this, being musical director and dance instructress. Sundays we went to Church. Roman Catholics to nearby Verdun, next to Presentation College and Anglicans to Codrington High School Chapel. Imagine the laundry, bathing arrangements, shoe-cleaning, gardening, cleaning. I arranged with Mr. Branch, a planter from Claybury, that he would send to cut my grass for his animals and he would give us yams, eddoes and sweet potatoes. Good deal. Robert Nurse from the tenantry next door became our gardener. He was a field labourer but worked for us in his off hours. He still works for us. On Sundays after Church I would drive them all to Bathsheba or Bath in the tray of the Coca-Cola van which was loaned to me by the Company. This we all enjoyed. Got back in time for lunch and afternoon rest. Some Saturdays I would take the “family” to Drive-In and would reverse the van to the screen. Some special nights they would charge $2.00 per car load. They did not specify VAN-load so I was able to entertain at least 12 children for $2.00. Not bad at all. Entertaining "Superman" at Belmont One of the greatest nights was when I brought “Superman” home. His real name was Hector Fares. He was Argentinian and was a professional wrestler and strong-man. A man of immense strength. We of Barbados Bottling Co., Bottlers of Coca-Cola, employed Superman in conjunction with the Coca-Cola Company, to promote Coke in Barbados. I, as new Sales Manager, undertook the project, hired the Kensington Oval for the biggest show ever staged there, and entertained our large, strong and pleasant visitor. He spoke no English so I acted as his interpreter. I speak and read Spanish. So, after the show I had a large party for Superman at Belmont. We invited many influential people and lots of youngsters. The children, as well as the adults, were thrilled to meet Superman. The party was a roaring success. Susan fell in love with Superman. At the Oval, to a crowd of over 10,000, Superman performed the following stunts:- 1) Pulled a Coca-Cola truck fully laden with 300 cases of King Size Coke with a leather bit in his mouth attached to chains which were attached to the from chassis of the truck, he leaning and walking backwards. 2) Ripped a large American Telephone Directory to shreds with his bare hands. 3) Nailed 2 thick pieces of wood (3” pine) with his bare hand using a 6” galvanized iron nail, then pulled it out with his teeth. 4) Had 4 powerful motorcycles connected to his neck and arms with strong ropes and the experienced cyclists failed to move him from a standing position. 5) Two x 4-wheeled jeeps tried to move him by the same method but failed. 6) The strongest man in Barbados smashed a large stone on his chest with a sledge hammer. Many other stunts were performed by our genial giant, who consumed 12 eggs and 1 lb. bacon plus 1 sandwich loaf and a jug of coffee for breakfast, 4 large steaks and large quantities of other food items for lunch and at dinner similar amounts of food and drink. He needed it, poor fellow. I met him years later in Trinidad and again I sponsored him and his team of large international wrestlers. He was manager and referee. A year later I heard that he died in Argentina from an acute heart attack. He did what he could, when he could. Many afternoons (5.30 - 6.30) we would take long walks along the peaceful country roads. It was a real joy - no traffic, cool breeze blowing. Belmont was over 900 feet above sea level. Accompanying Betty and me were our five children plus ten boarders. Also there were our dog “Sums”, who earned his name after his left rear leg was injured in an accident. He could only put down three and carry one! “Hornick” the big playful white sow whom the children loved, “Elcock” the red strutting rooster, “Marmie” the tomcat and a couple of hand-held rabbits. Belmont was a pleasant and interesting experience. The day came, after 2 years, when the owner died abroad and his English-born wife wished to reside in the U.K. so the property was offered for sale. For myself, it was not in the best interests of all of us to stay there. Our boarders returned home and we moved to central Belleville in the city. I undertook a position requiring me to travel constantly throughout the Caribbean so I was at home on some weekends only. One night, after everyone had settled to sleep, I sat on the bench on the western patio enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. “Sums”, my faithful Labrador, was lying nearby. Suddenly, I heard foot-steps coming up the winding gravel driveway from the public road below, footsteps heavily crushing the fallen leaves and gravel. As they came closer, I stood up and shone my flashlight in the direction from which the sounds came. There was nothing to be seen. And yet the heavy slow steps came closer. “Sums”, his hair standing on end, cringed and howled and rubbed against me, but did not bark. I shouted challenges to the unseen thing but there was no response. In a mood of fear and disbelief I ran towards the sound, flashlight shining, swinging my walking stick and “it” ran ahead of me, going straight through the closed iron gate on the northern side. I gave up. Poor frightened Sums, our faithful brave barking dog, was silent and tried by scraping the front door to the house to get into the safety and warmth of the big house. I quickly followed and got under my blankets. When I related this incident, I was told that it must have been the “old master” taking an after-dinner stroll. This was meant to imply that I had heard and felt a ghost - or what was it? On another occasion, in the rear bedroom, Betty’s sister Clem, visiting from Canada, shared a double bed with our daughter, Valerie. Clem heard a noise and, quite naturally sat up and looked, to see this old, grey-haired man seated at the bottom of the bed, with a smile on his face. She called to us and we rushed in to find Clem hugging Valerie tightly. They had both seen the nice old man - who disappeared. They both shared our bed with us for the remainder of the night. He strolled leisurely throughout the house on many other occasions. The “old master”. Just checking. After we left Belmont, it was rented to an English potter and eventually was sold to Lt. Col. Herbert Dowding, Parliamentarian and Commanding Officer of the Barbados Regiment, then General Manager of the Barbados Agricultural Development Corporation. He altered the internal structure for comfort and convenience, added a lift and modernised the old kitchen. He sold Belmont later to Mrs. Julien, a wealthy Grenadian widow who spent a great deal of money in installing a swimming pool and other elaborate "improvements". She eventually sold the property to Mr. Philip Goddard, who still lives there. “Belmont” was constructed in 1730, as inscribed on the chimney above the kitchen. This was shown to me by the late Mr. Michael Hanschell on one of his rare visits. To my family and myself, “Belmont” remains a fond memory. *For reasons of Privacy, I have changed the names of the children who boarded with us at Belmont; the story is otherwise unedited, as written by my father. - Valerie Sheppard