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

Family Videos ~ Snippets of Memories ~ Robert Sheppard and his sister Jessie, Trinidad 1993 Jessie Brash at her Piano At John and Jennifer(Gibbon) MacLean's home Trinidad, February 1989 At the home of John & Valerie Sheppard , Wareham, England, October 10, 1991 Robert Sheppard and his sister Jessie, February 23, 1993 Musical evening at O'Connor Street, Port-of-Spain Trinidad, February 23, 1993 Mother and Daughter Memories of Andrew Sheppard Filmed around 1966 My mother, Betty Sheppard in Barbados These are not professional recordings. They are unedited, so you can hear the scratchiness of the vinyl LP record. Jessie sang to an instrumental versions of the songs, and was recorded by her brother Malcolm at his home at Shine Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad - circa 1958. She was well known in her day for her beautiful voice, and often performed as soloist at weddings and other functions. (Images used are my own photos of Holland and Canada in Autumn; photos of Jessie and the Mendes family are copies of her own family collection. ) At The Gibbons, Trinidad, February 1989 St. Augustine Days , February 26 1993 Home of Patrick & Sybil Gibbon Trinidad Carnival 1993 Alan Sheppard with Spice & Company Sheppard sisters and Joan Bodu in the stands 50th Wedding Anniversary Don & Audrey, California, March 18 1993 Auntie Sybil's (DELICIOUS) Prune Ice Cream Crane Hotel, Barbados - July 25, 2013 Peter Sheppard playing the bones Barbados - July 2011 Valerie Sheppard - live recording from a television showin Barbados - December 1967 Wedding day Valerie Sheppard and Tony Archer July 16, 1966 - Barbados My youngest son Phil Archer singing "Angels" Little Bentley, Barbados. Wedding day Meindert & Valerie 27 July, 2013 Shown on September 13th, 2015 at my mother Betty's 90th birthday party. Made with love. Wedding of my daughter Ingrid Archer and Eduardo Martinez at St. James Parish Church Barbados, 1995 Loving and unforgettable father and husband - my Tony Archer - "I Will Tell Your Story" 23 March 1939 - 14 July 1984

Genealogy and family ANDREW DESMOND SHEPPARD MY FATHER (26 September, 1922 - 20 May, 1991) An Appreciation written by Andrew’s seven 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. Between the lines of these yellow foolscap pages 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 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 amuse his children My father's burial place is fittingly at the Military Cemetery, Barbados . See also: Frances Elizabeth (Betty) Sheppard née St. Hill "In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future." ~ Alex Haley

"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

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

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

The Archer Family Barbados John Anthony Keith (Tony) Archer 23 March 1939 - 14 July 1984 Gertrude Louise (Sis) Mahon 1913 - 1996 Tony's parents Hubert Keith Archer 1912 - 2004 Introduction - John Anthony Keith (Tony) Archer Childhood and lineage I begin this story with Tony, as he was my husband and father of my five children. Tony Archer was the only child of Hubert Keith Archer and Gertrude Louise Mahon. Everyone knew his parents as Keith and Sis Archer. He was born on Thursday 23 March 1939 at their home built by Keith’s father Norman Archer. It was set back from the road at the end of a long driveway and had a spacious back yard where they grew fruit trees and kept a few animals. Their home was named “The Nook”, situated near Rockley beach on the far end of Dayrells Road in Barbados. Tony’s paternal grandparents were Norman Lidney Archer and his wife Eleanora Isabel De Rouvière Greaves. She was the daughter of Anthony Desse Greaves, a planter, and his wife Ellen Pembroke Spencer. Anthony Desse Greaves, known as Desse, was the son of Naboth Greaves, a planter who was also Magistrate for the Parish of St. Lucy. Ellen's mother Mary de Rouvière Agassiz was descended from the prominent Agassiz and de Rouvière families of Switzerland and France. Her father was Rev. Robert Agassiz, Rector of St. Patrick and St. David in St. Vincent, West Indies. Tony's grandfather, Norman Archer, was a well-known druggist and entrepreneur in Speightstown, St. Peter. He was 40 years old when he married 22 year old Eleanora Greaves, (known as Norah) at St. Mary's Church, St. Michael, Barbados, on 10 April, 1910. The couple lived at Mile-and-a-Quarter, St. Peter in a house called "Newstead", where their first child Norman Stanley was born. By the time their second child, Hubert Keith (Tony's dad ) was born on 25 April 1912, Norman and Norah had purchased and moved into a house on the seaside in Queen Street, just two doors down from the present Archers Hall building. They then purchased the large property at the corner of Queen Street and Godding Lane across the street in Speightstown. According to a handwritten note by my children's grandfather, Keith Archer, the house was called "Buckingham". It was there that their great-grandfather Norman established and ran the Archer Pharmacy situated on the ground floor of their family home. The Archer family also ran schooners, a chandlers and copper works from that property before establishing the pharmacy business. It was there that their only daughter Thalia Eleonora (Nell) was born on 1 July 1915, and in 1917 another son named David who died in infancy. Tony's father Keith followed in his father's footsteps and qualified as a Druggist when he was 23 years old. Father and son worked together at their pharmacy business in Speightstown. Keith fell in love with a red-haired beauty, Gertrude Louise Mahon. She was the only daughter of William Greaves Mahon and Gertrude (nee Thornton). The couple wed at All Saints Chapel, St. Peter on 26 February 1938. They are pictured below, Sis was 25 and her dashing groom Keith was 26 years old. Sometime after 1938 and before Tony's birth in March 1939, Norman Archer sold his property on Queen Street, Speightstown to his friend and fellow druggist Noel Roach, who opened his own pharmacy on the same premises as the Archer Pharmacy. Norman Archer purchased two houses on the Hastings coast. One was called "Charleston" where he relocated his family. The other was the property next door called "Camelot", where he established the Alpha Pharmacy. Norman and his son Keith continued to work together in their newly established enterprise on the south coast. Norman Archer subsequently built two houses - "The Nook" and the next door family home "Newstead", so called after the home of the same name where he had lived at Mile-and-a Quarter in St. Peter, prior to moving to his property in Queen Street, Speightstown. Keith, Sis and young Tony Archer lived at "The Nook" and Norman and Nora moved into "Newstead". Tony's grandparents lived at "Newstead" until Norman's death in 1956. After his death, his wife Nora moved back to "Charleston" on the coast with her two unmarried adult children and lived there until she passed away in 1975. Keith and "Sis" Archer celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary - 1988 Built in the early 18th Century. This is the property when Norman L. Archer, his wife Norah (nee Greaves) owned it and lived there with their family. The property occupied the corner of Queen Street and Godings Alley, Speightstown. Norman Archer and his son Keith Archer were druggists and operated the Archer Pharmacy on the street level. There were several outbuildings in the back yard. A horse and carriage can be seen in quiet Queen Street. Steps and a side entrance gate to the home in the wall surrounds the front yard and garden. The property included a seafront area across the road. The above photo belongs to the Archer Family. Other photographs of this well-known heritage home can be seen by clicking on this link . Norman Archer with his grandson Tony at his home "The Nook", Rockley, Christ Church, Barbados. The next door property "Newstead" can be seen on the right of the photo. Ten years after the death of Norman Archer, "Newstead" became the home of his grandson Tony and myself, our first home after we were married on 16 July 1966. Our first two children were born when we lived at "Newstead". Eleanora (Norah) Archer nee Greaves with her grandson Tony at their home "Newstead", Rockley, Barbados - 1939 I'm not sure where Tony first went to primary school, but it's quite likely that he attended one of the small private schools run by ladies at their homes, such as Miss Hart's, in Worthing. Later he attended Harrison College where he enjoyed his school days. Upon completing his Oxford & Cambridge examinations, he applied for and got a job as a Junior at Barclays Bank DCO, as many youngsters did in those days. Working Days and Marriage Around 1960 he went to London, where he spent a year working with the airline BOAC as a baggage loader at the airport. Tony returned to Barbados in 1962, and on 5 December 1963 he and his father registered the firm J.A.K. Archer & Company Ltd., manufacturers' representatives. Tony and his father worked together to build up their business which started off in premises rented from "Poor Bob" Parravicino in Coolridge Street, Bridgetown. As the business grew, they moved their offices to Speedbird House, Bridgetown, and later to Tweedside Road. Further development and expansion led them to purchase a property in Fontabelle, by which time the Trinidad firm of Angostura Bitters Ltd. had become significant shareholders. Tony was the Managing Director of the company, later also heading the holding company Archer and Company Limited as Managing Director. He was also a director on the boards of Arrow Developers Limited which owned a residential development at Waterhall, St. James. He also served as a Director of Aero Services Limited. I had not long moved from Trinidad to Barbados with my parents when I first met Tony. I had just turned 18, he was 27. Young and passionate love swiftly blossomed into marriage for us on 16 July 1966, just nine months after we first met. It was an exciting time of life, as we got to know each other's family and I was introduced to Tony's friends and his world of equestrian sports. The Archer family has a long and interesting history, originating from England to the northern part of Barbados, especially in Speightstown. The story is currently being researched and developed. This page will be updated from time to time. See also: J.A.K. (Tony) Archer - Barbados Turf Club J.A.K. (Tony) Archer - Barbados Polo Club

Charles Ronald Straghan MACKENZIE The MacKenzie brothers, Barbados l/r Dr. Ron, Doug, Neil, David - around 1987 Charles Ronald Straghan (Ron) MacKenzie was the eldest of five children born in Barbados to Charles Straghan MacKenzie and his wife Ella (nee Cole). His father was the co-founder of Charles McEnearney & Co.Ltd. Barbados - the first Ford dealership in that Caribbean island. Ron MacKenzie became my brother-in-law on 30 November 1985 when, as a young widow, I married his brother David MacKenzie. He and his lovely Canadian wife Agnes came to Barbados for the occasion. For most of the 22 years I was married to David, he and Agnes would come to our home at Bartletts and spend a few weeks each winter. Barbadian Ron never got accustomed to the long, freezing Canadian winters. Not only were Ron and Agnes a part of my extended family, we became close friends. Agnes and I exchanged letters and cards over the years, in between visits. Later, even after my divorce from David, we emailed each other. She was so in tune with everything, and shared many things about art, music and current affairs. Agnes was many years my senior, yet she and I connected and appreciated many of the same things. We shared a love for art and handicraft. On each visit she would bring with her little treasures that she knew I would love to use when I made cards or other artwork. She gifted me with beautiful items that still grace my home in Holland today. They remind me of her and Ron. Ron and Agnes lived in St. Catharines, on the Niagra Peninsula in Canada, where Ron was a well-known OB/GYN. Ron loved his warm island home Barbados. He grew up at their family home "Dalney" in Maxwell Coast Road, right on the beach where the Bougainvilla Hotel is now located. On his visits to the island, Ron loved nothing better than the daily sea baths, freshly fried flying fish, salt-fish cakes, and cold rum punch we would serve up. He was a kind, gentle and soft-spoken man, and they both were such a pleasure to host as house-guests. Sadly, after the last occasion they visited us, Ron became seriously ill, though we had no indication of it during his winter visit. One day I got a phone call from one of his sons asking me to sing “Beautiful Barbados” for Ron, and to send the recording to Canada for him as soon as I could, as Agnes felt it would cheer him up through all his medical treatments. My brother Alan Sheppard kindly agreed to record me and the next day I went his studio “Gray Lizard” in Belleville and we recorded. I sang the harmony myself, son Phil Archer accompanied me on the guitar, Alan did the bass, percussion and mix. Together we made the CD and that same day I sent it off by FedEx to Agnes in Canada. This was 2001, before the days of digital music files, WeTransfer, YouTube and the like. Sadly, Ron succumbed to cancer very shortly afterwards. It still makes me emotional to know that my family-produced recording was played as the finale at Ron's funeral in St. Catharines, Ontario, 29 July 2001. A true story of "little things mean a lot" and doing what you can, when you can. When Agnes passed away in June 2023, I was touched that her family requested the same recording. The following obituary published by The Globe and Mail from Jul. 27 to Jul. 28, 2001 describes Ron's career and his contribution in the field of medicine and the arts in Canada. MACKENZIE , Dr. Charles Ronald Straghan Passed away quietly in the early morning, Tuesday, July 24, 2001 after a short, extremely valiant battle with cancer. Born in Barbados on March 17, 1924 he has been a treasure to us all his life and will be tremendously missed by his family and friends. He came from the Barbados Lodge School to McGill University in 1942, graduating from medical school in 1949. He was a resident Obstetrician/Gynecologist at the University of Texas before moving to St. Catharines with his wife Agnes, sons Ron and John and daughter Barbara in 1954, to set up a private practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is lovingly remembered not only by his family and friends, but by thousands of patients who have been touched by his gentle and caring nature. Dr. MacKenzie was the Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Catharines General Hospital from 1964 to 1969 and the Chief of Gynecology at St. Catharines Hotel Dieu Hospital from 1983 to 1988. He is a Past President of both the Lincoln County Academy of Medicine and the Family Planning Association of Niagara. He is a member of the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologists of Canada, the Lincoln County Academy of Medicine, the Ontario and Canadian Medical Associations and the Willard R. Cooke Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, Texas. As an avid collector his lifelong interest in the arts lead him to the Rodman Hall Art Centre in St. Catharines, becoming a member of the gallery's Board of Directors in 1960. He was the President of the Rodman Hall Arts Centre from 1964 to 1969 and from 1974 to 1980 a member of the board of the Ontario Arts Council. In addition from 1980 to 1986, he was a Director of the Ontario Lottery Corporation. He leaves his loving wife Agnes to whom he's been married for over 50 years, son Dr. Ronald MacKenzie and his wife Kathy with children Kristine, Hal, Charles and Cole of New York, daughter Barbara Mahler and husband John of Aurora, son John MacKenzie and his wife Andrea with their sons Matthew and Scott of Barbados. Also brothers David MacKenzie and wife Val, Doug MacKenzie and wife Maureen and sister Bonnie Montagu, all of Barbados and brother Neil MacKenzie and wife Laura of South Africa. The MacKenzie family would like to express their profound thanks to his doctors, Dr. Wayne Gruber and David Henry, both long and much respected colleagues and friends, as well as Dr. Janice Giesbrecht, and the thoughtful and caring staff of the Hotel Dieu Hospital. A service to celebrate Dr. MacKenzie's life will be held in THE HULSE AND ENGLISH FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 75 Church, St. Catharines (905-684-6346), on Sunday, July 29, 2001 at 2 p.m. Interment to follow in Barbados at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Hulse and English Memorial Forest, for the greening of St. Catharines, or to a favourite charity. Agnes MacKenzie April 10, 1925 – June 5, 2023 OBITUARY Our wonderful mother passed away in the early morning hours of Monday, June 5, 2023, just over a month past her 98th birthday. She was a remarkable woman and is remembered by many who loved her including son Ron (Kathy Kennard), their daughter Kristine (Andy Sargeantson) and sons Hal (Amy), Chuck and Cole (Maura) of New York and Chicago; son John (Andrea White), their sons Scott and Matthew of Barbados; and daughter Barbara (John Mahler) in Niagara. Our mother had a great thirst for education and graduated with highest honours from the Montreal School for Girls where she had been awarded a scholarship. She went on to major in Botany at McGill University and ultimately was on the science faculty at Sir George William University, now Concordia University. Through a correspondence with a Girl Guide pen pal in Barbados she was introduced to her future husband Charles Ronald Straghan MacKenzie, a Barbadian who was attending McGill and who would ultimately receive his MD degree. After his residency in Texas, the now family of five moved to St. Catharines where Dad set up his practice in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Ron and Agnes rented a house adjacent to St. Thomas’ church on Ontario Street later moving to their new home on Marsdale Drive. The study of Botany and love for plants was an enduring source of fascination for our mother, her knowledge encyclopedic, this interest was a defining passion for her entire life. She loved gardens of all sorts and sizes and especially the natural gifts of a woodland setting, lichens, moss, barks, natural spring flowers hidden in the small forest behind her Marsdale Drive home. She gathered stray bird feathers of all colours and kept them in a little pottery piece in a pine chest downstairs. Likewise seeds and tiny bird nests that had been left after the eggs had hatched made up her collection. As an extension of her botanical interests there was the sister discipline, Zoology, and we as her children recall our science lessons gazing under the microscope learning of the single cell wonders in the samples of creek water from our back yard. Agnes was an active member of St. Catharines’ Rodman Hall Art Gallery for many years running their yearly flower shows and events, setting up and buying for the gift shop and getting the art rental project off the ground. Her botanical lean translated to fabrics, textures, and all things twiggy or woven. Amongst her talents she was an expert seamstress mastering the arts of smocking and fine tatting. She studied French hand sewing and lace making. She also had a great passion for Canadian potters and ceramicists in particular the works of Tessa Kiddick and Kayo O’Young. Agnes and Ron also were great supporters of Canadian painters and gradually built a collection of their own which gave them great satisfaction. Further their passion for Canadian antiques was a hallmark of their Marsdale home with many pine pieces and timeless tableware. Our mother was so many things to us. She tirelessly took us to years and years of music lessons and gently encouraged each of us to keep it up. Music has been a precious gift we all hold to this day. She was a huge part of our lives, always present and interested in our lives. She had a long, active, and fulfilling life and she will remain in our hearts forever. There will be a private family ceremony in Barbados this summer where she will be buried next to our father. Many thanks to the tireless, excellent 5th floor staff at the St. Catharines Hospital and to Dr. Scher and the palliative care team at Douglas Memorial in Fort Erie for their extraordinary care over the past month. Also we extend our gratitude to Dr. Wayne Gruber whose care for her over the years is here acknowledged with gratitude. Thanks also to the Hulse and English Funeral Home in St. Catharines for their warm attention and guidance. And a very special thank you to Reverend Roderick McDowell, Deacon, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Fort Erie, and St. John’s at Ridgemount, whose kind prayers helped ease her final journey. Barbara Mahler, Ron and John MacKenzie, her children.

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

Elsie Mabel Gomez Sheppard (Click on the photos to enlarge them, and use the arrows to scroll through the album.) Elsie, Charles and family Elsie and Florence MA2.jpeg Elsie with Joan de Sousa (Bodu) Her eldest grandchild "Down the islands" Barbados Elsie with her youngest son Andrew Elsie with Andrew and Robert Cutting her birthday cake Image.jpg

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.

George Vincent Gonsalves husband of Mary Marjorie (Madge) Sheppard In Memoriam VIN GEORGE VINCENT GONSALVES 13th July, 1914 to 4th September, 1988 A Tribute written on 4th October, 1988 by my father, Andrew D. Sheppard (transcribed from personal family memorabilia) Vin bore the hallmark and stature of the perfect gentleman. I shall never forget his first visit to our family home, obviously to court our beautiful sister, Marjorie (Madge) . One must have had great courage and love to confront such a large group for the first time – 12 brothers and sisters and our mother. But Vin did it and with great success. Vin’s brothers and sister and himself had recently arrived from Antigua to settle in Trinidad. On this momentous occasion, Vincent Gonsalves conducted himself so diplomatically and with such good manners that he was accepted by all of us instantly. When he shook my hand, on being introduced, he said, “Andrew, I am delighted to meet you and hope we will see a lot of each other”. I was only 14 years of age and a shy and unsure No. 10 in our family. Vin made me feel like an equal. Therein lay his talent. Vin was very proper in his general appearance and his speech was flawless. He resembled a famous English film star of the period, Leslie Howard. If he so desired, he could have become a famous actor. He had the good looks and decorum. But Vin’s ambitions lay elsewhere. He wooed and married beautiful Marjorie (he never called her otherwise). They enjoyed marital bliss for 48 years until that very sad day whence was called to greater service on 4th September, 1988, at the age of 74, at the home of their daughter, Virginia Ryan and her husband, in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. We all grieve his loss and remember Vin fondly for all the good he had done during his stewardship on earth. Vin worked with Esso, an American Oil Company, in their accounting department, and rose to the position of Comptroller of accounts for the Caribbean area. His employment took Vin, Madge and their three children to reside in Santo Domingo, Cuba and Miami, where he finally retired to reside with his wife and family. This, apart from an initial spell of duty in Trinidad. Vin was highly regarded by his employers, who depended on his utter reliability. All of his employees and business acquaintances and friends regarded him with respect and endearment. On his last foreign assignment as Chief Accountant for Esso in Havana, Cuba, Vin, Madge and their three children were among the huge crowd to welcome and congratulate their new leader, the victorious Fidel Castro, when he arrived at the Havana waterfront on the famous boat “Granma”. Meticulous Vin, who kept detailed records of certain events, also had a comprehensive library of home movies which included his 16 millimeter movie recording of that memorable occasion, which clearly shows George, Virginia, Douglas and of course, Fidel Castro. I saw this movie at their Miami home. However, it was soon afterwards that Mr. Castro declared his real intentions of transforming Cuba into a communist state. Panic set in. All who could, left hurriedly – for Miami. Vin sent his family, excepting George, to Miami to await his arrival there. George offered to stay with his daddy, which was very good; but this is called love. Noble Vincent gallantly decided to remain in Cuba to try to complete his job as chief of Esso’s office. You see, Castro had ordered his army to confiscate all American and foreign property – but why make the transition easy. After shipping most vital information in files, etc., to Miami, it was decided to destroy all remaining records. This Vin did. All the Cubans got was confetti and ‘shreddies’. Vin and George had to run for their lives and caught one of the last flights from Havana to Miami. This was the kind of stuff of which Vin was made. Vin was Roman Catholic and Marjorie, Presbyterian. They were married at the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Church in Port of Spain on 14th September, 1940. According to the dictates of the Church, their children had to be instructed in the Catholic religion. This was accomplished without discord and with understanding and love. They were a beautiful family. Both parents were strict, loving and mostly, caring, not only for themselves but for others less fortunate or in need. Acts of Christianity and charity simply flowed from the hearts and minds of Vin and Madge. For example, when my wife and I were faced with a financial embarrassment in our early married life, it was Vin who came to the rescue, unsolicited. He only heard of it and promptly dispatched an envelope to me containing $100.00, which saved the day. With it came a note stating simply “Glad to be of some help, old boy. Forget repayment – just stop worrying.” Was not that wonderful and extremely kind? How could anyone forget someone like Vin? Vin and Madge made many fast friendships all over the world and whenever any of their friends visited their home they just knew they were welcome. Vin was always the gracious host and Marjorie the wonderful hostess. They were a great couple. Vin possessed an aura of goodness that shone through. What he spoke was truth. Whatever he promised was fulfilled. Love ruled the day – each and every day. When poor Madge began to be affected by the serious problems of her cardio-vascular system, which necessitated intensive e-care treatment and surgery on her heart, her beloved husband was always at her side, praying with her and encouraging her. A most faithful and loyal person he was. In her delicate state of health, Vincent had, and accepted, the great responsibility for Marjorie’s care, treatment, diet and mobility, without complaining. Vin very conscientiously attended to her every need and they always tried to be pleasant in company, in spite of their constantly stressful situation. Vin and Marjorie were encouraged and persuaded by Virginia Ryan, their daughter, to give up by sale or rental, their lovely home on a lake, and to live with her husband and herself in an apartment within their home, which would comfortably accommodate them. This was gratefully accepted by the two senior citizens, who were glad to be with their daughter. Things to be considered included the fact that they would be leaving their love-nest of many years where they were quite happy. And who would go twice or more daily to call and talk to and feed the fish in the lake? They really knew Vin and poked their heads out of the water in the lake next to their house and made fish noises – and he would feed them. And the birds – they arrived right next to him and chirped and whistled happily. He was their friend. I witnessed this scene time after time and it was the same incredible happening. But, if you knew Vin, it was easy to understand. God knows, he was a very special person. Less than one week after removing to Virginia’s home, Vin suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital where he was kept for a week and returned home. Two weeks later, Vincent suffered a fatal heart attack and died at Virginia’s home. I recently received a friendly note from Vin informing us of their new address. Vin never got the chance to mail it. All of their friends and family were to have received such a friendly note. We must never question the works of God Almighty. In retrospect, when one remembers that Vincent Gonsalves entered and was immediately accepted by our large, complicated but friendly family, it could better be appreciated that Vin always had that rare gift of being able to relate to and mix well with persons of all ages and types, which must have been a far different scene to his former Antiguan environment. But he made so many friends so easily and there was always mutual respect. During their early married life in Port of Spain, accommodation was scarce and so was food. It was a challenging time, but they succeeded and produced three lovely children, George, Virginia and Douglas, who are married – George living in Canada and the other two in U.S.A. Vin was an ardent oarsman and enjoyed rowing his boat and sailing, as well as fishing. He soon was called “Nautical Vincent” – a term of endearment. He loved healthy habits and took his daily choice of vitamin pills. This attracted another nickname ‘ “Vitabs”. All of this Vin endured or enjoyed with good humour, of which he was adequately endowed. He knew that we all loved him and admired him for his great spirit and excellent qualities. All good things and people must end but what we must remember is that we are on loan to prepare ourselves for membership of the Divine Club and when we are called to join that Blessed Band of Angels, we must go. We pray that our dear, kind, Vincent is at peace, as he so well deserves. Madge, George, Virginia and Douglas, accept our deepest sympathy and emulate Vin’s sterling example. Andrew Sheppard (Brother-in-law) Barbados – 4th October, 1988 Tribute to Vin written by his son, George Gonsalves 13 July, 2021 Vin and Madge Gonsalves née Sheppard with their children Virginia, George (centre) and Douglas April 1953 Our Dad, George Vincent (“Vin”) Gonsalves was born on the 13th July 1914 in the Great House at Marble Hill, near St. John’s, Antigua. He was the third child and second son of Planter, George Reginald (“Reggie”) Gonsalves and Adele Matilda Harris, the first to be born in Antigua. His elder siblings were both born in Jamaica, as was his mother. Dad attended Antigua Grammar school until he was ten, when dark clouds changed the family’s life drastically. Our grandfather sold one commodity, cane sugar and he dealt with Redpath Sugar Company in Montreal. He had a sister, Sarah Mildred, in Montreal. Her husband, Reggie’s brother-in-law, António Rodrigues Anjo, appears to have handled some of his business there. In the early 1920’s. cane sugar became a depressed commodity. Beet sugar was produced cheaper than cane sure could be. Cane sugar production was very labour intensive. The two family estates ran up huge debts. Then disaster happened, Reggie died in 1924. Our grandmother had no business experience and, with the help of her brother-in-law, had to liquidate the estates for little or nothing in return. Adele decided to move to Trinidad with her five children. Life was not easy for them, but they were able to survive on little,. The depression started early for them. By 1931, the eldest of my father’s siblings, Mary Louise, married a wealthy Venezuelan and went to live in Caracas. At this time, Adele, our grandmother became ill with cancer. In those days, this disease was considered to be a curse, and people treated her as though she were a leper. By then, her second son, Stanley, was hired to work in a lime estate in Montserrat. I am not sure what his function there was. After school and on Saturdays, Dad worked for Canning’s as a messenger delivering groceries. He was also responsible for assisting with the upbringing of his younger brothers Herbert and Patrick. Adele died in January 1933 and the remaining children were split up. Dad went to live with the family of Suzanne Ferreira on Belmont Circular Road and completed his education, having signed up for an accounting course in which he excelled. His younger brothers went to the Martin family. By 1937, Dad was proficient enough to obtain a job with Esso in their accounting department. He was earning enough to strike out on his own the next year and rented a room at our Grandma Sheppard’s Boarding House on Richmond Street in Port of Spain. At this time, he was also supporting his two younger brothers. Dad soon became closely involved with his adopted family. The affection they had for one another always impressed him. He loved Grandma and called her Ma. (He always referred to his own parents as “Father” and “Mother.”) He provided guidance to Uncle Andrew and my mother once said that Dad “put Andrew in long pants.” If you have not done so, you must read Uncle Andrew’s beautiful eulogy and biography of my father. Of course, it was here that my parents met and fell in love. They were married on 14 September 1940. Dad had a long career at Esso (Standard Oil Company of New Jersey) Caribbean. He had a troubleshooting job and travelled throughout the operation from Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico to British Guiana and Suriname. In 1953, Esso decided to move him to Santo Domingo (then called Ciudad Trujillo, named after the dictator. Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina), which was more central to the area than Trinidad was. In 1956, he was promoted to the ESSOSA head office in Havana, where we lived for four years, until the company was intervened by the Castro government. In 1960, we moved to Coral Gables, FL, where Dad remained until he retired and subsequently passed away. Dad would have been 107 years old today. He was an amazing gentleman, a perfect husband and father and he was everybody’s friend. He was generous to a fault. We love him and miss him today and always. It is thirty-three years since he left us and there are still occasions when I wish I could pick up the phone and talk to him. Rest in Peace, Dad.

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.