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Barbados transitions to a Republic – the Republic of Barbados
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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Andromeda Gardens – the location of a covert US Navy cold-war submarine tracking station in Barbados from 1954 to 1985/87
The US Navy NAVFAC Barbados at Harrison’s Point, St. Lucy was operational from 1957 to 1979. Did you know 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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Kai Tak airport, Hong Kong – the Bajan connection
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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Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? The Empire Windrush story
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 footballers who were English Football League Club pioneers
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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Barbados Oceanographic Research Facility 1957 – 1979: a top secret US cold war submarine listening post
The old US Navy Facility – Barbados at Harrison’s Point, St. Lucy on the North West coast of Barbados is back in the news. In the 1950 and 1960s this US Naval Facility in Barbados was a very important shore based soviet submarine listening station. It had many names: US Navy Facility – Barbados, NAVFAC…
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Plantation Life in Barbados in the 1950s
I grew up in St. John and St. George in the middle of some of the best agricultural land in Barbados, among numerous sugar plantations, at a time when sugar was still king and was the lifeblood of the island’s economy. During the 17th century, Barbados was celebrated as the richest colony in British America.…
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The New Joe’s River Pedestrian Bridge
After approximately 15 long years of waiting the Joe’s River Pedestrian Bridge was officially re-opened at the handing over ceremony on 17th December 2020. Joe’s River is one of only a few above-ground rivers found in Barbados. It has gone through many name changes since the 17th Century which included being called a Streamlet and…
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George Blackman BWIR – There were no parades for us
In 1915 Britain’s War Office, which had initially opposed recruitment of West Indian troops, agreed to accept volunteers from the West Indies. A new regiment was formed, the British West Indies Regiment (BWIR), which served in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “They called us darkies. But when the battle starts, it didn’t make a…
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Banja in Barbados and its influence on calypso throughout the West Indies
The story of Banja and its development and its influence on calypso though the West Indies told by our guest contributor Roger Gibbs – who is Toronto based. Here we re-publish Roger Gibbs’ video presentation: Early Calypso in Barbados. In addition to the video Roger has also provided us with a transcript for those that…
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BajanThings
Bajan history. Interesting Bajan people. Hiking in Barbados and Overseas. International Travel…
Category: Barbados Post World War II
Barbados after Word War II (post 1945 to present).