Family of Charles Sheppard and Mary Ellen Fisher - England Charles and Ellen (Fisher) Sheppard with their family. On the back of this photo is written by their daughter Nell, seated right in the photo, "Wem. Cordwell Villa, Aston Rd. - 1907" The original photo is quite faded - above is an AI restoration that brings this vintage family photo to life Charles Sheppard was born in Chichester, Sussex, England on 26 Aug 1853. He was my great-grandfather Alfred's brother and my paternal great-uncle. This is part of a collection of photographs which originally belonged to his daughter, Nellie Fisher Sheppard. She was, of course, sister of Charles and my great-grandfather Alfred. After Nellie's death, one of her close friends in Wem, Shropshire, where they lived, had sent them to my uncle, John Sheppard who lived in England. He had known his cousin Nell, and had visited her in Wem and regularly kept in touch. We are most grateful to John's widow Valerie, and my cousin Kathleen (Sheppard) Henry in England, who sent them to us. Because of what had been written on the backs of the photos all those years ago, they were crucial in helping us to trace the origins of the Sheppards. Nellie Fisher Sheppard in 1916 when she was 25 years old (Click on the photos to enlarge them, and use the arrows to scroll through the album.) 4665.jpg Charles Sheppard, age 20 Birth Certificate of Charles 4666.jpg Back of previous photo of Charles Sheppard 4725.jpg CYRIL SHEPPARD The eldest child of Charles and Mary Ellen Sheppard 4664.jpg Cyril Sheppard Back of previous photo Cyril Sheppard Wem Born in Woolwich 16-6-1886 4663.jpg Cyril Charles Sheppard Show More SEE ALSO: CHARLES SHEPPARD of Chichester, Sussex

Charles Ronald Straghan MACKENZIE The MacKenzie brothers, Barbados at a family gathering at our home around 1987 l/r Dr. Ron, Doug, Neil, David 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 brought me many beautiful gifts 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.

Friendships~Partnerships~Family Ties Unravelling the Connections - Part II Co-founder of Char les McE nea rney & Co. Ltd. The Ford Dealership, Trinidad Robert de Sousa, better known as Bobby, was a most interesting man. Born on July 4 1880 in Trinidad, he was educated at Boys’ Model School (later Tranquility School). In 1904 when he was 24 years old, he married Alice Fer r eira, daughter of Moses Ferreir a and Isabella de Freitas. Moses owned and ran the Vista Bella Coal Mine in San Fernando. At that young age, Bob by was already the Branch Manager in south Trinidad of a business owned by Albert Mendes . Alb ert's wife, Mary (Marykin) Perreia, was sister of my great-grandmother Christina Pereira. Alice and Bobby had six children They were Leslie , Grace, Kathleen, R ichard (Neville), Lena (Joyce) and Stanley. Two of his children, Leslie and Joyce, married two Sheppard siblings, my aunt Ida and uncle Bertie. The de Sousa family lived in a beautiful home situated near the Savannah in Port of Spain. Robert was a Freemason, having joined the Prince of Wales Lodge in Alexandra Street, Port of Spain in 1918. Robert (Bobby) de Sousa was the co-founder of the Ford dealership in Trinidad, Charles McEnearney & Co. Ltd. , and became the sole own er of the firm when Charles M cEnearney left Trinidad and returned to the USA. When Bobby decided to move to Grenada, he sol d the company to brothers George and Melville de Nobriga who, like himself, were Trinidadians of Portuguese parentage. After selling his interest in McEnearneys to the de Nobrigas, he joined Geo. F. Huggins & Co. Ltd., becoming one of the Directors of that company. In Grenada, he becam e Managing Director of George F. Huggins & Co. Ltd., the largest trade and commercial concern in Grenada at the time. Bobby de Sousa purchased and managed a large group of estates in Grenada and is said to have owned a small island in the Grenadines. He had a keen interest in horseracing and owned many famous racehorses. He also became one of the founders and directors of the cinema business in Grenada. The family relates that his wife Alice did not want to uproot her family to move to Grenada, so she continued to live in their family home in Port of Spain so that the children could continue their schooling there. The couple never divorced and Robert enjoyed the rest of his life in Grenada. Robert's daughter Joyce and her husband Bertie Sheppard also moved from Trinidad to Grenada. Following in his father-in-law's footsteps, Bertie became the Managing Director of Huggins & Co. Ltd. there. Robert (B obby) de Sousa Painting of "Bagshot" - the de Sousa Family home where Alice de Sousa lived with the children in Trinidad (Courtesy Joan (de Sousa) Bodu) l/r: My uncle Bertie Sheppard, Kathleen de Sousa and her father Robert de Sousa, in his garden over looking the harbour, Grenada Robert de Sousa and his son Stanley, Grenada Robert de Sousa died in Grenada on 21 July 1966 when he was 86 years old and was laid to rest there. Alice predeceased him in 1962 and her gravesite is in Mucurapo Cemetery in Trinidad. Their descendants are now spread far and wide - from the Caribbean to as far as Peru, England, Canada and America. CHARLES McENEARNEY & CO. LTD, TRINIDAD The McEnearney - de Nobriga - Gibson Connection Melville de Nobriga married Amy Gibson, whose brothers Ralph and Robert "Bunny" Gibson also joined the firm of Charles McEnearney & Co. Ltd. In 1925 Robert was transferred to San Fernando where he ran the branch there, while his younger brother Ralph worked his way up from the bottom at the Richmond Street headquarters in Port of Spain, having started working the petrol pumps as a schoolboy during vacation time. Ralph's brother "Bunny" Gibson died in a tragic accident in 1961, and in that same year within a short space of time, his brother-in-law Melville de Nobriga also passed away. In 1962, following those unfortunate deaths, Ralph became McEnearney's Chairman and Managing Director. Ralph held those positions until his retirement in 1982. Here again we see family ties, as Ralph Gibson married Charles McEnearney's daughter. I find it interesting to note that Ralph Gibson's grandfather had come to Trinidad from England and worked with the prison service attached to the St. James Barracks where my English great-grandfather Alfred Sheppard also served, first with his Regiment and later with the Trinidad Police Force. Charles McEnearney himself was an Irish-born immigrant. The de Nobriga brothers and Robert de Sousa were of Portuguese ancestry. In Barbados, Charles McEnearney's business partner, Charles MacKenzie, was of Scottish ancestry, all of his children bearing the family middle name Straghan. The Caribbean is truly a melting pot of intertwined families and people from different nations. Click to see Unravelling the Connections - Part I The Synchronicity of Life . . . I find that tracing the intertwining of families and events is fascinating. This story was first compiled by me on 17 October, 2021. On 4 November, following the death of my former husband David MacKenzie on 17 September 2023, I added the chapter about him. All of the newspaper articles are from my own collection. With thanks to:- Ryan de Sousa and family for providing family photos My cousins Joan (de Sousa) Bodu, Kathleen (Sheppard) Henry, and Bernie Henry for sharing oral family history J. David S. MacKenzie who gave me the book "The History of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies – 125 Years of Business" published in 2006. (David was a contributor of information and photos for the publication.) Douglas S. MacKenzie for providing information Genealogy sites on the internet for research My father Andrew Sheppard for his handwritten memoirs about the Portuguese in Trinidad.

Renée Anne Sheppard-Ratcliffe (11 March 1976 - 1 August 2016) Renee's painting - "Dragonfly" My own painting for Renée - emotions expressed in art "ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL" by Valerie van der Meulen-Sheppard My tribute to my niece Renée Anne (Sheppard) Ratcliffe delivered at her Service of Thanksgiving 11 August, 2016 - Barbados “Life is too short, if you are unhappy aim to what will make you happy. If you’re in a job that makes you miserable, find one that will make you happy to go to work. If your kids are happy you’re half way there. You are only here once, make it the best adventure and live happy, free, full of love, and life will be perfect. Basically, make sure you make the most of your life.” Those were the heartfelt words of our beloved, exuberant Renée, which she posted on Facebook just a month before her sudden passing. I keep remembering an old Dutch proverb that means, when translated: "In the concert of life, nobody receives a programme." Renée's early childhood was spent in Puerto Rico, Rochester New York, and Venezuela, while her father Peter worked with the Kodak Company. Re was a beautiful blend of Bajan, Trinidadian, Venezuelan, and Guyanese parents and grandparents, and grew up in a family environment filled with creativity and love of the arts. Her parents came back to Barbados to start their family business Sheps Photo in 1987, and 11 year old Renée started her life as a schoolgirl here. She spoke Spanish fluently and brought with her a bright and bubbly personality, eager to make new friends. Her artistic talents and love of fun and fantasy quickly became known and she took a couple of memorable starring roles in the St. Winifred’s pantomines. At 16 she went off to the Art Institute of Florida, and returned to Barbados with qualifications and skills to launch herself into the field of fashion design. Renée chose to specialize in costume design, and it became her passion. She was in her element when armed with a glue gun, surrounded by fabrics, beads, glitter and her posse of fellow creatives. Some of us present today may not know that twelve years ago, on Boxing Day, Renée suffered a very serious heart attack, followed later by a stroke so severe it left her unable to speak or move. That’s hard to even imagine of her. She was twenty-eight years old at the time and mother of twin boys, Harrison and Nicholai who, just three days earlier, had celebrated their fourth birthday. We were devastated and scared at the thought of losing her. But with excellent and swift medical care, coupled with Renée’s sheer determination to live, she made a full and complete recovery. Her life was a beautiful gift and in return, she lived a life of giving, caring and compassion. She was filled with child-like acceptance and love for everyone, and simply did not know how to hold a grudge. She was a wonderful and devoted mother to her sons, she was so SO proud of them. She adored her parents, and was forever expressing her appreciation for their love and kindness. Renée’s excitement and dedication to the Crop Over and Grand Kadooment festivals were infectious; her Halloween costumes epic! Renee loved children, and each year created and gave costumes to underprivileged children. With Re, it was all or nothing. She saw life in bright, vivid colours that are impossible to ignore. She was no pastel shades sort of person. Her imagination and creativity were expressed in so many different ways, whether she was icing cakes, designing and making costumes, painting, decorating - she was creating, always creating - with her zest for fun, humour and fantasy. Her photography was exquisite, she had an eye for detail and captured the essence of the moment. Renée made a statement, and it was hers, not to be forgotten. She gave and she loved. The overwhelming tributes that have poured in are testimony that she was loved in return. We dearly hope she knew it. Renée’s parents are touched and comforted by the heartfelt expressions of appreciation and sympathy that they have been receiving, and I share this one which encompasses what we all feel today: “Peter and Neilsa, You raised an amazing daughter, unique in every way, and who was loved and loved wildly, madly and deeply in return. It is as if the most glorious and incomparable firework display has ended and we are just standing stricken, sad and silent, utterly lost in the magnificent energy that was. There is no doubt that we will not see its like again.” Our family is spread over several different countries, but we share deeply in the loss of our vibrant, never-to-be-forgotten Renée. My sister - her aunt Audrey-Mae - now living in Scotland, has written the following that so aptly describes what is in our collective hearts. She didn’t walk – she strode Shoulders square, she was the horse she rode She didn’t laugh – she guffawed Leaving all around attentive and al’awed She didn’t sing – she squawked When everyone was quiet, she talked She didn’t whisper - she bellowed As she got older – this never mellowed She loved things lively and all things alive She didn’t paddle gently Head first she’d dive Her devotion was clear, her dedication unwavering Her loyalties true, never one for any favouring So much of a presence and so enormous a personality The enigma that was Re She was all about reality Being “gone” now – it’s utter and total disbelief All combined memories – cold comfort No release, no understanding, no relief From my heart to your soul in this difficult time of strife My darling brother and you Ning, his devoted, loyal and loving wife Her core of life, beautiful boys Oh how she loved you, her absolute pride and joys Your loss is too hard to bear alone Your families will be there to help you For the strength you need to hone For me, I am far away, but please know My love, concern, love and loss are shared As you let your beautiful, strong dragonfly go "Dragonfly" "Everything is embedded in the song. The pain, the love, the passion, the beauty, the tragedy, the hope, the hopelessness, the dream, the reality. It's all in that piece of music." - Alan Sheppard, composer. Composed and performed for Renée by her uncle Alan Sheppard, at her Service of Thanksgiving on August 11, 2016, Barbados. Renee loved dragonflies The Kiss Grand Kadooment Day, Barbados - August 1, 2016 Renee's MemorialFacebook Renée the Wedding Photographer A tribute by Little Arches, Barbados (Click on the link)

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

For more, click on this link: Barbados Nation Newspaper Article Click here for my RELATIONSHIP CHART Click here for the story of my ancestors DANIEL LOBO and ELIZABETH STOUTE

In celebration of Sybil Elsie (Sheppard) Gibbon Centenarian, Matriarch 12 Sep. 1921 - 23 Oct. 2025 On the morning of Sunday 12 September, 2021 a beautiful arrangement of tropical flowers was delivered to our Matriarch, Sybil Elsie Gibbon from Her Excellency Paula Mae Weekes, President of Trinidad & Tobago. It was the start of an auspicious day in the remarkable life of this lady, the first in our Sheppard family to live an entire century. A day of celebration and thanksgiving followed, marked with a special service dedicated to our beloved Centenarian at St. Ann's Church of Scotland. A hundred years before, she had been baptized at this same church, as had her twelve siblings. Her Big Birthday was honoured and celebrated in word, song and prayer. It fell at a time when Trinidad and the entire world was in a cautious period during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Sybil was lovingly wined, dined and toasted with bubbles by her immediate family, and relatives around the world were invited to join her church service via live-stream. Sybil's life started just three years after the end of World War 1 when Charles and Elsie (Gomez) Sheppard welcomed their dark haired baby girl to the world. She was their ninth child and darling baby sister for Jessie, Madge, Boysie, Ida, Bertie, John, George and Robert. Barely a year after her birth, my father Andrew came along, followed closely by sisters Audrey, Florence then their little brother Arthur. This baby brother passed away as an infant, when Sybil was just seven years old, and she has survived all of her other siblings. Not only has she survived, she has traveled abroad to visit family members and attend special occasions with them when she was well into her nineties. She continues to enjoy good health and stay active and interested in whatever life offers. The Sheppard family were all devoted Presbyterians, congregants of St. Ann's Church of Scotland where their forefathers were founding members. However, Sybil and her younger sisters went to school at the nearby Catholic St. Joseph's Convent, within walking distance from their home at 30 Richmond Street, Port of Spain. Sybil enjoyed her schooldays there and became a dearly loved favourite with the nuns, winning their hearts with her special flair for French. She remembers well the fateful day at school when a nun came to the classroom and told her she must go home right away. Ten year-old Sybil did as she was told, not knowing that she would find a home of sorrow and mourning, as her dear father had just passed away. Life carried on as it must, with her widowed mother and older siblings at the helm. Having completed her schooling and equipped with a well-rounded secondary education, sixteen-year old Miss Sybil Sheppard landed a job as Secretary to the General Manager of the Trinidad Electricity Board. In 1940 she met Patrick Gibbon and it was love at first sight. After a three-year courtship, they were married at St. Ann's Church of Scotland on 19 June 1943. Sybil gave up her job at the start of married life to devote herself to being a full time wife and mother. She and her husband Patrick had four children, and enjoyed a long and happy married life together at their home in Circular Road, St. Augustine. She enjoyed cultivating her orchids and on weekday mornings was kept busy looking after her little pupils at "Auntie Sybil's School", where she taught "The Three Rs" at their home in a converted garage. Afternoons were times for tennis with her lady friends, including her sister-in-law Joyce (de Sousa) Sheppard who lived in nearby Carmody Road. The ladies would ride their bikes to the courts and back. To read more about how Sybil and Patrick met and their life together, click here. Sheppard sisters in Sybil and Patrick's garden, St.Augustine - February 1989 l/r Ida de Sousa, Florence Johnson, Audrey Clark, Jessie Brash and Sybil Gibbon. These days, at 100 years old, Sybil stays connected with her friends and family using the latest iPad, still plays Bridge every week with her friends, and wouldn't dream of missing any family gathering or outing. She enjoys tending her beautiful blooms of orchids and anthuriums on her verandah. She is my oldest Aunt and special Facebook Friend. We women are amazed to know that she has never coloured her naturally dark hair, which is now streaked with silver. When I chatted with her earlier this week on a video call from Holland to her home in Trinidad, she exclaimed with her characteristic little giggle, "How did I ever get to be a hundred? ONE HUNDRED YEARS - imagine that!" Congratulatory greetings were sent from many corners of the world by Sybil's family and friends and tributes have been showered upon her. Some of those sentiments are expressed on this page, which I dedicate to this gracious lady who we all love and are proud to call Our Matriarch. Reflections on a Matriarch A tribute delivered by Sybil's grandson Alexander Gibbon on her 100th Birthday at St. Ann's Church of Scotland, Trinidad The word century comes from Latin, meaning ‘a group of 100 people’. With 12 siblings, 4 children, 9 grandchildren, 15 great grand children (with one more on the way!), and of course her many nieces and nephews, we certainly are a group of 100 people who come together today. We come together to celebrate another century, in my grandmother, Sybil Gibbon’s, 100th birthday! Longevity is a biblical trait. Moses himself lived to 120 years ‘with clear eyesight’ and was as strong as an ox. We certainly are among another blessed person in Granny, only 20 years his junior! She embodies other biblical traits of such as integrity, honesty, humility and gentleness. These traits undoubtably guided Granny in her life as a mother and wife. I am often reminded by my father Don, Uncle Roger, and Aunty Jennifer, about what a wonderful mother she is. She is supportive, kind, and fair. Job said ‘with age comes wisdom’, yet another trait maintained by Granny. Her life in St Augustine was the perfect place to raise a family and continue the values that we all share today. It seems a little Sheppard madness, and a little Gibbon determination, goes a very long way! Granny, like her sister Ida, can be called ‘Ever-ready’. She is always well dressed and ready for anyone to visit, or even take a Sherry filled afternoon lime. Despite her many years, she is highly vested in all her families' lives, and never forgets a birthday, and regularly phones to find out ‘what’s happening?’. Her apartment is like a club house, a comment to her welcoming personality. There is always someone visiting, and often a place for us family members to catch up with one another with our frequent midweek visits. Perhaps that is one of her secrets to long life, being warm and receptive to all, and making sure anyone who comes in is well fed and watered by the time they leave! It must be said that many friends, and family members are not able to be with us today in person, particularly Aunty Jennifer and the rest of the Australian branch of our growing clan. I can safely say that you are all sorely missed. The book of Proverbs said ‘grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers’. Granny, with your teachings and values, we have all flourished, and succeeded in many ways. I hope that we can continue to be examples your virtuous teachings. We hold you on the highest pedestal, and all of us have been shaped into who we are directly by you! You are our champion, and this milestone has brought you glory of the highest order! I speak on behalf of all those watching online, that we send our love and best wishes to you Granny. We celebrate with you Granny of this birthday of birthdays. Happy 100th birthday Granny! Sybil's favourite song - SPANISH EYES - "My special gift with love" from daughter Jennifer (playing in the band, end of first row) and the Caribbean Steelpan Band in Perth, Australia In younger days - Sybil and her late husband Patrick Gibbon Sybil seated next to her sons Roger and Don, with their families in Trinidad. September, 2021 Missing from the picture are daughter Jennifer and her family who live in Australia and California. What a great century! Story compiled by Valerie on 13 November, 2021, with thanks to Auntie Sybil for sharing her memories and memorabilia Sybil's family for contributing photos and information My husband Meindert for his archival collection SEE ALSO: Patrick V. A. Gibbon

Joseph Alfred Sheppard 1912-1989 A Tribute written on August 16, 1989 by my father, Andrew D. Sheppard (transcribed from personal family memorabilia) Born in Trinidad, February 28, 1912. Died in California, U.S.A. August 16, 1989. In fond memory of Joseph Alfred Sheppard, my eldest brother and best friend. When he returned home from his first day’s attendance as a pupil of Queen’s Royal College at Port- of-Spain, Trinidad, he found a newborn brother, born of Charles and Elsie, at the family residence at Stone Street, Port of Spain. I was the new arrival, being number ten of eventually thirteen children. “Boysie”, as he was affectionately called, felt proud somehow, and thereby started a close affinity between the eldest and the youngest male members of this large family. He was my friend and big brother, being ten years my senior. I followed him everywhere, within certain limits. Boysie was my hero. He could do no wrong. I helped him to clean and lubricate his bicycle and eventually, his motorcycle. I watched as he painted beautiful pictures of cowboys and Indians, ships, airplanes, birds and flowers. I saw him make rocking horses of wood, beautifully painted like those at Coney Island, complete with upholstered seats. I admired him in his college’s military cadet’s uniform. He looked so tall and handsome. He was an excellent marksman and won several prizes for his skill. Boysie was a good student and studied hard. He achieved passes with distinction in the Junior and Senior Cambridge Examinations. He enjoyed woodwork and photography as hobbies. Boysie, or Joseph, if you wish, had the ability to become a professional man of his choice, but unfortunately it was not then possible for him to satisfy such ambitions because of financial constraints, being the eldest son of a large family with heavy commitments. So Boysie had to go to work at the age of seventeen, accepting a job as an office clerk at a firm of traders and shipping agents, William H. Kennedy & Co Ltd. His natural flair for detail and neatness was soon recognized by his employers and he was placed in charge of the company’s accounts. Boysie became an Accountant, sans certificate, but responsible, able and proud. His personal appearance and exemplary conduct proved to be an asset to this firm, who appreciated his services. At this stage of his career, fate caused him to take a sharp turn into the arena of harsh reality. Our father died, leaving our mother with twelve children to look after. Our youngest brother died three years previously, as a baby. Our eldest sister Jessie and Boysie were the only two children who were working. Jessie earned twelve dollars per month and Boysie was drawing a salary of fifteen dollars. The others were at school. Young Joseph Alfred (Boysie) rose to the occasion in his inimitable manner. He faced up to the facts of life. Here was a mother with no husband and a large flock with 24 eyes looking to her for everything. Boysie immediately assumed command of the financial control of the family. He was the helmsman of a large and leaky ship at the age of seventeen, but he stood steady and helped to steer our lives, which established his skill. We did not end on the rocks, thanks largely to a serious, dedicated and responsible young man named “Boysie”. Especially at this time, I, like his adopted son, looked to Boysie for almost everything within reason. He befriended his youngest brother and he took me for many rides on the pillion of his motorcycle. I have not ridden one since. He showed me how to draw and imbued in me a sense of compassion for our fellow human and animal beings. His kindness led him eventually to become a director and treasurer of the local zoo. One day, he drove home a Ford sports car, which he bought from his savings. He was so proud of this mechanical marvel, which had a folding soft-top and a tumble seat for two, with a total capacity of four persons. He was “King of the Road”. He was the best customer for “Simoniz” wax polish. We all discovered the meaning of elbow grease. Boysie’s car had to work and look the best. He did everything with style. Joseph’s reputation as a gentleman was complemented by his tasteful and impeccable attire, at all times. Today he would be called “Mr. Threads”. His sense of humour was sharp and subtle. His tales and jokes were always accompanied by his almost perfect art of mimicry and his performances at family parties and lodge meetings met with universal acclaim. They were always done in good taste and with a sense of timing. Even old jokes were polished and changed to suit the audience present. Boysie was good company. However, his choice of language was always good and he abhorred cursing, swearing and vulgar behaviour. I said “damn” at home once and received a lecture on “mouth control” which I have never forgotten. Boysie loved the sea, and with some help, built a wooden rowing boat in which he took members of his family and friends for cruises and fishing in the Gulf of Paria. He was an excellent and strong oarsman. We younger brothers helped him with the caulking and painting of the boat, which always had to look the best. As Boysie progressed in his work, he accepted employment with Alcoa Steamship Company’s local office and became their Chief Accountant. He represented Alcoa at many shipping conferences in the Caribbean area as well as in South and North America. Boysie was a great favourite with the executives and staff as with his business associates in the general community. His reputation as an accountant and office manager attracted favourable comments from the heads of the company and staff. Joe did not confine his interests to work only. He always extended a helping hand to his children, who considered him to be the best father anyone could have. His emphasis on good family relationships had a profound effect on all of us and we always tried to preserve a feeling of mutuality and cooperation. His advice on important matters was generally readily accepted because his judgment was fair and uncluttered by prejudice. Boysie always preached fairness and Christian charity and his honest utterances cleared the clouds from our vision and enabled us to see the right way. Rather than condemn the actions of another, he chose to question and analyze the reasons for failure and to offer advice and correction in the true spirit of Christianity. Boysie was an Elder of the St. Ann’s Presbyterian Church of Scotland and read the lessons on many occasions. Unfortunately, his wife Elsa and their four children, three sons and one daughter, were adherents to the Roman Catholic Church and could not nor did not attend their father’s church. However, love, mutual respect and understanding prevailed. He became involved in community affairs and was a member of the Rotary Club. As a Free Mason, he became Master of the Prince of Wales Lodge, Port-of-Spain, and his three sons David, Keith and Ronald, eventually joined their father in the Lodge and, in turn, became Masters of the Lodge. Boysie was a source of joy to behold in his Masonic Master’s regalia. He could have been a prince going to meet his subjects. He was strikingly handsome, always immaculate and appeared to be taller than his 5’9”. At times he appeared to me as 6’6”. The saying “the course of true love never did run smooth” proved to be the case with Boysie’s and Elsa’s marriage. The “impossible” had occurred. Elsa sought a divorce. Naturally, the traumatic effects of this unexpected turn of events upset everyone and especially Boysie. He was sent by the Alcoa Company to Dutch Guyana (Suriname) to be administrator of their Aluminium Company there. God, in His Divine Wisdom, arranged for Boysie to meet Winifred Van Amson, and they became married and later returned to Trinidad. Winifred has proven her love for Boysie in so many ways and has stood by him during his most difficult periods and has remained faithful and caring to the very end. It was Boysie’s very good fortune to have met and married Wini, whose courage, devotion and dedication to her husband are to be admired and emulated. She is truly a Christian lady. They produced two wonderful boys, Howard, now 27, and Clifford, 23. At the time of their marriage, Wini also had a twelve-year-old son, Jules, who now works for Universal Studios, and also owns a photography studio and custom lab. Howard is recently married, and is a highly rated singer, with several awards to his credit, and also a Computer Programmer by trade. Clifford is a Flight Engineer of a Lockheed L1011 passenger aircraft for T.W.A., domiciled in New York. Last, but by no means least, are the first four wonderful children of the first marriage – Janet, David, Keith and Ronnie. It was a terribly sad day when Ronnie passed away on May 7th of this year after a long and painful illness. God rest his soul. David and Keith are married and live in Trinidad with their children; so do Janet and her husband and family. They are all greatly admired and respected for their unity as a family and for their loyalty and devotion to their father. I almost omitted to mention that Joseph also held the positions of General Manager of Trinidad’s only flour mill as well as of the largest ice factory, which jobs he performed with his usual efficiency. Finally, I commend all members of this enormous family and everyone who had the privilege of knowing Boysie, Joe, Joseph Sheppard, to consider him to be the ideal human being he endeavoured to be. We all know that Boysie is with the Angels, who will forever take care of him as directed by the Great and Divine Architect of the Universe. Rest in peace, dear brother. Written with love by Andrew Desmond Sheppard August 16, 1989 Boysie's Children Children with Elsa Carmen Fernandes Janet (Sheppard) de Lima (1939-2026) David Sheppard (1941-2024) Keith Sheppard Ronald Sheppard (1945-1989) Children with Winifred Tilly (Winnie) van Amson Howard Sheppard Cliff Sheppard Click on this image to watch a short video of Boysie dancing with his sister Audrey (Sheppard) Clark Boysie with his brother Robert Sheppard

"Respect" Written on 8th March, 1989 by my father, Andrew Desmond Sheppard (1922-1991) (transcribed from personal family memorabilia) It is a natural human tendency to look up to a leader - to respect such a person and to endeavour to emulate the behaviour and personal traits of such a person who has been chosen to lead other human beings. Ever since the beginning of recorded time we have seen and have been told of great men and women whose exploits fill the pages of historical literature. They range from good mothers and fathers, kings and queens, political and military leaders, religious and medical leaders, musicians, artists, etc., etc., ad infinitum. Those who stand out and are most remembered are those who are respected for their achievements, those whose character has left its mark in the memories of mankind. In other words, those who believed in what they were doing and who did it to the best of their ability. Human values have been so abused and neglected in recent times that many of life’s problems and miseries have been self-inflicted and at times appear to be insoluble. Loss of respect for one’s self and for one’s neighbour has led to this precarious state of affairs. People whom we have placed in positions of trust which require integrity have become overcome with greed and lust and have been devoured by their own behavior. Every day the media exposes some politician, religious leader, business entrepreneur, parents, teachers, lawyers, doctors etc. or others, who have been qualified and entrusted to conduct certain functions and they have let themselves down badly by losing their self-respect and the respect of others. They are no longer respectable in the eyes of the public. These are exciting times and we have grown to expect great improvements and inventions which most of us accept as a matter of course. Technologically, the world which we know is a heaven on earth because of the tremendous accomplishments of the scientists and inventors in forever striving to improve conditions for mankind. BUT - They have lost sight of the implications of their deeds. Just look at the ever-increasing problem of the reduction of the ozone level of our atmosphere. Only yesterday, the future King of England, Prince Charles, expressed in no disguised terms, the very real fear of concerned people that unless the leaders of this world respect these warnings of the deterioration of our environment, we are all going to end up being in a microwave oven. Man is destroying himself. He has lost his self-respect. In the name of progress, we have been using and abusing the good things of life without a thought for tomorrow. Chemicals are poisoning our food and water supply. Most of us are dependent for our daily existence on the consumption of chemically produced preservatives in our food, pesticides penetrate our vegetables and our meat is contaminated with the introduction of growth-inducing hormones in cattle and other animals. A better price, a greater profit, “watch the bottom line”. These are the guiding lines for the people who feed us. We want a better world for all but not at the expense of our health and that of our children and their children. The Surgeon-General of the U.S.A. has now directed that all containers of alcoholic beverages must carry a label warning consumers that wine, champagne, beer, whisky or whatever could adversely affect your health, your driving and pregnant ladies should desist from drinking alcohol as it might affect the health of the yet unborn. Will this warning be read? Will they respect the advice of the Surgeon-General who is the highest human authority on health in the U.S.A.? This warning is similar to that placed on cigarette packages which now state that smoking them is dangerous to your health. So they stop smoking cigarettes and are playing with marijuana, cocaine, crack, which are much, much worse - and the manufacturers and suppliers of these products of the Devil are just getting richer and richer and are corrupting the world with their money. Yes, leaders of countries, armies, police and businesses are victims of their own greed for power and evil gain. They will all eventually succumb because they have become disrespectful and have lost the respect of those who looked to them for leadership. They now have to hold their positions by bribery, corruption and by being constantly surrounded by sycophants, drug dealers and personal armed guards. As a deviation to my observations of the sad state of the world in which we live, I now wish to draw to your attention one of the redeeming features of our life. From this evening, 8th March, 1989 until Saturday 11th March, 1989, this tiny island-nation of Barbados will be graced by the presence in our midst of our beloved and highly respected Queen Elizabeth II and her devoted husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who are paying us an official visit and who will perform many official functions during their brief stay here. The news of Her Majesty’s visit has come like a breath of fresh air. Everyone in Barbados loves and respects our Queen. She epitomises all that is dignified and graceful and is universally considered to be the enduring and loving example of human leadership. Her Majesty loves Barbados and respects us for our stability and sense of loyalty and faith in a system of government which has stood the test of time - 350 years of unbroken parliamentary democracy. That is the “bottom line”. While we welcome Her Majesty and Prince Philip with open arms we must ask ourselves - but why us? Her Majesty has chosen to visit Barbados above many other destinations and has visited us more than most other countries within her domain. She knows that we are a God-fearing and loving people who have an innate sense of decency and respect for things traditional. In fact, it is said that even now we are more British than the British. Respect - that is the word which means so much. Respect is to be earned by example. Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, our Queen, has earned the respect of the entire world. And now, we salute you and in one voice state “GOD SAVE OUR GRACIOUS QUEEN, GOD SAVE OUR NOBLE QUEEN, GOD SAVE OUR QUEEN”. Andrew Sheppard Barbados 8th March, 1989

Neilsa Marcella Sheppard née Tasker "NiNi" 16 January, 1951 - 29 March, 2024 Listen: Tribute to NiNi Valerie Sheppard 00:00 / 10:35 Tribute by Valerie Sheppard Delivered at A Service of Thanksgiving for Neilsa's life St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Maxwell, Christ Church, Barbados Friday April 12th, 2024 It was 1967 when my brother Peter first introduced his gorgeous girlfriend to our family. Peter was barely 18, Neilsa Tasker was a schoolgirl, not quite 16. She was a striking beauty and my impression from the outset was that she was different. Exotic, even! NiNi was fun-loving and vivacious, with a quick sense of humour and an infectious, bubbly laugh. She spoke Spanish and had a distinctive, appealing Latina air about her. We all knew that our Petes was completely smitten - and truth be said, that never changed. A child of the fifties, Neilsa was born in Trinidad to Mickey and Elba Tasker. Her dad was Guyanese, of English and Guyanese roots and her mother Venezuelan with some Dutch connections in the island of Saba. Neilsa was their second child, the younger sister of Marcia. The sisters grew up adapting to different cultures, living wherever their father’s work took them - St. Lucia, New York, and Venezuela It was there that Neilsa’s 18 year old sister Marcia died after a short illness. Neilsa was just 14 years old. The memory of Marcia and her tragic parting stayed with NiNi throughout her life. In the mid sixties, Mickey, Elba and Neilsa moved from Venezuela to Barbados where Neilsa was enrolled at the Ursuline Convent to complete her secondary education. From there she continued her studies at the University of the West Indies, obtaining her BA degree in Sociology and History with top honours. As part of the Tasker family of brilliant tennis players, Neilsa developed a great love of the sport and was herself a skilled player. She and Peter enjoyed games of tennis with her dad Mickey, and they remained avid followers of international tennis. She also enjoyed playing racquetball and squash. Neilsa and Peter dated as teenagers, in the days when boys would visit at the girls’ home and parents had to approve and know exactly where they were going and responsibly bring them home at the appointed time. On one occasion, Peter worked up the courage to ask Neilsa’s mother if he could take her to the Hotel Royal in Hastings where there was a live band and open-air dancing on a Friday night. Elba firmly put her foot down - absolutely not, you can’t take her out to a public place like that! But you can take her to the Drive-In or so. Needless to say, that was perfectly okay with them. How Neilsa and Peter loved to tell that joke! Predictably, their young romance blossomed into marriage and a beautiful traditional wedding at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 17 October 1970 - a few days before Peter’s 21st birthday. Neilsa’s working career took a diverse path, starting with a teaching job at St. Winifred’s school. Her students still recall their stylish teacher who made learning fun for them! Meanwhile, Peter had already embarked on his lifelong career of photography and was offered a job with The Kodak Company in Puerto Rico. While living in Puerto Rico, Neilsa became involved in selling real estate, and it was there that their only child Renee was born in 1976. Peter’s promotions within the Kodak Company took them to live in Rochester, NY, and in Venezuela. Neilsa loved and supported Peter throughout every step of his career. In 1987, they decided to return to Barbados and open their own photography business, launching Sheps Photo, the one-hour photo developing franchise that became a household name in Barbados. Not only was Neilsa a co-owner and Director of Sheps Photo, she was highly skilled in colour printing, and Peter recalls with a grin that some of their customers would insist that “Mrs. Sheps” print their rolls. Neilsa worked long hours alongside Peter in their Mall 34 Sheps Photo business, the first of five outlets they established together in Barbados, also training staff to operate and run them. Neilsa and Peter traveled and cruised the world extensively. Their home overlooking the turquoise waters of Cotton Bay is a reflection of their travels, filled with a fascinating mix of treasures that appealed to her eclectic taste, collected from around the world. Though Neilsa was modest about her many talents, she was a gifted artist, ceramist and interior designer. Her pottery and paintings, her sense of colour and love of handcrafted, earthy items show her deep love of animals and nature. NiNi had a green thumb, and you couldn’t please her better than by giving her a clipping, plant or bulb that she could nuture and watch grow. Every plant she touched flourished. She wasn’t at all materialistic and had no interest in shopping for expensive designer clothes and accessories. Not surprisingly, Peter and Neilsa’s daughter Renee grew up to be an artist, photographer, and costume designer. Neilsa would help Renee make headpieces and costumes for Kadooment, spending days glueing beads, sequins and feathers for her. Eight years ago, after having just crossed the stage as band leader on Kadooment Day in the beautiful costume she had designed, Renee passed away suddenly. Her death was shocking and devasting. But their unending love for each other and for their twin grandsons Harrison and Nicholai saw them through those darkest of times. In her young days Neilsa loved a party, loved to dance and make jokes. She was warm and loving to her nieces and nephews - young people always found her so much fun to be around. With her larger-than-life personality, we all knew that Neilsa was authentic, genuine, with no pretensions. She enjoyed a wonderful lifetime of love and adventures with her Peter and was truly another sister to all of his siblings. In more recent years she was content to be at home surrounded by her dogs, plants and the people she loved. She made our brother the happiest man on earth, and he returned her love with the deepest devotion. NiNi suffered some serious health challenges during the last couple of years, and she faced them bravely with her Peter by her side until the very end. We will always hold Neilsa close in our hearts and remember how loving and kind she was to animals, and especially how she loved and cherished our brother Peter, their daughter Renee and grandsons Harrison and Nicholai. In 2020 during the time of the pandemic, Neilsa and Peter quietly celebrated their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary at home watching a slideshow of their wedding day that Peter created for his bride. We would now like to share this nostalgic look back to the start of 53 years of their enduring love and life together.

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

Baruch (Bento) Osorio c. 1560 Lisbon - 1644 Amsterdam A Serendiptious Discovery - the Lobo connection One evening in 2017, my husband Meindert and I were at home in Holland enjoying the television show “Verborgen Verleden” (hidden past) - the Dutch version of "Who Do You Think You Are". The episode featured well-known Dutch journalist, TV and radio personality Hanneke Groenteman. As I followed the story of Hanneke’s roots, I was astounded to recognise names of Lobo ancestors that were also in my own maternal family line from Barbados. It became clear that Hanneke's earliest Portuguese Jewish ancestor was also my own ancestor - Baruch (Bento) Osorio. The following days were spent delving into the marriage records in the Amsterdam Archives where we confirmed the facts and established the family links. Baruch Bento Osorio was my 10th great-grandfather. Bento married Esther (alias Maria) Teixeira in Lisbon in 1588. Some sources in Amsterdam claim they came to the Dutch Republic in 1597, where Bento then started to openly practice his Jewish faith as one of the first 16 Jews to do so, and became a founding member of the Beth Jacob Synagogue. But there seems to be no record of Bento in Amsterdam until 1610; and when his daughter Anna Osorio wanted to wed in Amsterdam in the year 1631 it was stated that the 24 year-old was born in Lisbon. He and his family must therefore have left Lisbon around 1610, when the Twelve Years Truce had been in effect for a year, and trade between the Iberian Peninsula and the Low Countries was thriving. Bento was a founder of the Beth Israel Congregation - the Portuguese Synagogue, also known as the Esnoga, completed in 1675. Not only did Bento wish to openly practice his Jewish faith, he was a merchant driven by sound economic motivations for leaving Portugal for Amsterdam. The following clip edited from the television show tells about the circumstances in Lisbon leading up to Bento's departure and reveals documented evidence that he was spied upon by the Catholic Inquisition even after he had escaped to Amsterdam. (Ref: https://www.joodsamsterdam.nl/baruch-osorio/) We know that Bento and his family lived diagonally opposite of Rembrandt, in the Breestraat, now known as the Jodenbreestraat in Amsterdam. The house named ‘t Romijns Keizers Hooft (the Roman Emperors Head) was near the lock-house (now Cafe de Sluyswacht). This 1818 drawing of Jodenbreestraat (almost certainly) shows Osorio’s house called 't Romijns Keizers Hooft. It is the house on the corner (of the side street on the right hand side). After Bento’s death his son David lived in the house. From ‘Rembrandt’s Jews’ by Steven Nadler: "At the end of the block was yet another merchant, Bento (or Baruch) Osorio. With over fifty thousand guilders to his account at the Bank of Amsterdam, he was one of Vlooienburg’s richest residents." Bento Osorio was a patron of Rembrandt and had a liking for landscape paintings. He was also a creditor to Baruch Spinoza, the famous philosopher. Fascinated with the story of my ancestor, I have often explored the streets of this historic Jewish area in Amsterdam, as well as the Rembrandt Huis where the artist lived and worked between 1639 and 1656. I also wanted to find Bento's burial place, as did Hanneke in the television show. In the summer of 2020, Meindert and I visited the Beth Haim Cemetery - the oldest Sephardic cemetery in the Netherlands. There we discovered his grave as well as the graves of his family. Though Bento was a rich man, his grave is an insignificant looking, unadorned horizontal leger stone in the Sephardic tradition, in accordance with the Second Commandment. The locations of Baruch Bento Osorio and his wife Ester's graves can be viewed here. We explored the cemetery with a guide who pointed out other family grave sites from the sixteenth century which are long sunken below the marshy ground alongside the Amstel River where bodies were received for burial. It was an emotional and fulfilling experience. Ironically, the church bells of neighbouring Catholic Church Sint Urbanuskerk were ringing when Meindert and I discovered Bento's grave. "Here lies Baruch Osorio A respected citizen of Amsterdam" www.dutchjewry.org Amsterdam - Burials of the Portuguese Israelite Congregation Burial date: 1644/09/23 Archive card number: 18887 1st Family name: OSORIO First name: BARUCH Location: A-30 -20 Field: 1614 Row: 30 Grave: 20 Osorio Family Graves at the Beth Haim Cemetery, Amsterdam Amsterdam City Archives Marriage Registers (Click on the first image and scroll through) My Descendancy Chart can be viewed here. Elizabeth Lobo née Stoute and her sister Rosamund See also: LOBO & D'AZEVEDO FAMILIES MOSES FINZI LOBO AMERICAN ACTRESS WITH BARBADOS ROOTS