Removal of Lord Nelson Statue Bridgetown Barbados 2020

Barbados transitions to a Republic – the Republic of Barbados

6th December 2021 / 6 minutes of reading / Bajan History, Barbados Post World War II

On 30th November 2021, fifty-five years after independence from Britain, Barbados will transition from a Constitutional Monarchy to being a Parliamentary Republic – the Republic of Barbados. The Queen’s representative Governor-General Dame Sandra Mason, GCMG, DA, QC will become the first President of Barbados. Her role will be mostly ceremonial, much like her current role …

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P/O Andrew Cole in Lockheed Hudson cockpit

The Beautiful Blonde in the Bank – F/L Andrew Leslie Cole AFC RAF

16th November 2021 / 4 minutes of reading / Bajan History, Bajan People, Barbados during World War I and World War II, Barbados Post World War II

Errol Barrow was Andrew Cole’s navigator while he was in the RAF, firstly with 88 Squadron during World War II and for two years post-war they both flew with the BAFO Communications Squadron, assigned to Commander-in-Chief and Military Governor of the British Occupation Zone in Germany, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Sholto …

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SGT Errol Barrow RAF Navigator, 31 OTU RAF Debert, Nova Scotia, Canada – 7 April 1944

F/O Errol Barrow RAF Navigator World War II & Prime Minister of Barbados

21st November 2021 / 79 minutes of reading / Bajan History, Bajan People, Barbados during World War I and World War II, Barbados Post World War II, Black History Month

Errol Walton Barrow (21st January 1920 – 1st June 1987) led Barbados to Independence on 30th November 1966 and served as Barbados’ first and fourth Prime Minister.  This is the story of Errol Barrow and the seven years he spent in the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1940 to 1947 which provided the grounding for …

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Andromeda House location of a covert submarine tracking facility in Barbados

Andromeda Gardens – the location of a covert US Navy cold-war submarine tracking station in Barbados from 1954 to 1985/87

14th November 2021 / 25 minutes of reading / Bajan History, Bajan People, Barbados Post World War II, Off-track Barbados

In addition to the US Navy NAVFAC Barbados at Harrison’s Point, St. Lucy which was operational from 1957 to 1979 there was another hush, hush and “covert” NAVFAC cold-war submarine tracking facility located in Barbados from 1954 to 1985/87. It was located within the workshop of Dr. Harry Bayley’s bay-house at Andromeda in St. Joseph. …

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Wainwright’s Coast to Coast walk

St. Bees to Robin Hood Bay – In the footsteps of Alfred Wainwright

7th September 2021 / 5 minutes of reading / International Travel

It’s time for another coast to coast walk. In November 2019 the world heard about a virus in China that was causing great concern to some doctors who spoke out. At first little was known as the Chinese Authorities were giving the impression that they had it under control and it was nothing to worry …

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Wendell Valentyne Byer World War I Commonwealth War Grave St Barnabas Churchyard St Michael Barbados

World War I Commonwealth War Graves – Barbados

16th November 2021 / 7 minutes of reading / Bajan People, Barbados during World War I and World War II, Black History Month

On 25th August 2021 it will be exactly 100 years since the death of Wendell Valentyne Byer. Who was Wendell you may ask? A famous cricketer? A politician perhaps? No, he was none of these, Wendell was once a trainee schoolteacher in St George. He was strong and fit – 5 feet 11 and a …

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Aircraft landing at Kai Tak airport Hong Kong

Kai Tak airport, Hong Kong – the Bajan connection

25th October 2021 / 11 minutes of reading / Bajan People, Barbados during World War I and World War II, Barbados Post World War II

Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong closed on 6th July 1998. Landing at Kai Tak was a one-of-a-kind experience for pilots and passengers alike. It was breath-taking. With mountains on the port [left hand] side as you flew through a very distinct urban corridor of medium rise buildings bound by high rise buildings on either side, …

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Empire Windrush docking at Tilbury Docks, Essex, on 21 June 1948

Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? The Empire Windrush story.

2nd December 2021 / 23 minutes of reading / Bajan People, Barbados Post World War II, Black History Month

Only five of the 1,027 passengers on board the Empire Windrush began their journey in Barbados. Bill Hern writes about them here and explodes some myths about the iconic ship and its historic journey to England in June 1948. Background:The Windrush scandal erupted in 2018 where people mainly of Caribbean descent were wrongly classified as …

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Black Bajan footballer Walter Tull

Black Bajan footballers who were English Football League Club pioneers

21st October 2021 / 34 minutes of reading / Bajan History, Bajan People, Barbados Genealogy, Barbados Post World War II, Black History Month

Thanks to a select group of pioneering black Bajan footballers, no country in the world has had a greater impact on the history of English football than Barbados. That statement might come as a shock to some. After all, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica have reached the World Cup Finals whereas Barbados has never come …

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