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Operation Carlota – Cuba’s secret flights to Angola via Barbados
Fifty years ago on 7th November 1975, Cuba launch Operation Carlota using Seawell airport as the first refuelling stop on the long flight east from Cuba to Angola transporting elite Cuban troops in support of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), which was facing external aggression aimed at thwarting independence. These flights…
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Rediffusion Barbados (1934 -1997)
Barbados Rediffusion was born 31 years before Barbados was granted its independence from Britain in 1966 and it died peacefully exactly 31 years after that event. IPS Correspondent Terry Ally – “Barbados Rediffusion: The End of an Era in Broadcasting History” For a long while in the 1950s to 1960s, Rediffusion was the lone radio…
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The game of Warri
“Warri is a game with several different names, including wari (or owari), wao, awèlè, awela, ayo, aji, awari, oware and ouri. This game is of the pit-and-pebble family, which originated in Ancient Egypt some 3,500 years ago, making it one of the oldest games in the world. The word “warri” means houses and this game…
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A Fisherman’s Tale
Every picture tells a story. Adorning the walls of the Atlantis Hotel, St. Joseph, Barbados hangs an old black and white photograph titled the “Martins Bay Fisherman”. This Siza photograph of the nine fishermen of Bath is a picture with many stories. On an early December morning, near the turn of the 20th century, a…
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The Printed Maps of Barbados 1500s – 1980s (Overview)
The Printed Maps of Barbados 1500s – 1980s which cover Ancient Maps, Antique Maps and Historical Maps was in February 2025 split into 5 sections: 1500s – 1700, 1700 – 1800, 1800 – 1900, 1900 – 1980s & Addendums: This work, weaves together the work of three authors and researchers: E. M. Shilstone, Tony Campbell…
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How “badjohn” became a word
badjohn – nounA man willing to use violence and who likes being known as a dangerous person; a ruffian, hooligan or miscreant. An illusion to Bajan John “Bad John” Archer, a criminal who figured prominently in Trinidad in the early 20th century. Of the countless jailbirds to tread this island, none has cast a longer…
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F/O Errol Barrow RAF Navigator World War II & Prime Minister of Barbados
Errol Walton Barrow (21st January 1920 – 1st June 1987): distinguished Barbadian statesman, visionary leader and a champion of Caribbean unity led Barbados to independence on 30th November 1966 and then served as Barbados’ first and fourth Prime Minister. Prior to independence from: 1961 to 1966 as leader of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Errol Barrow…
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The Colin Hudson Great (Barbados) Train Hike
The Great Train Hike was conceived by Dr. Colin Hudson and the first official walk was on 1st June 2003. This was the only official Train Hike that Colin did as he died in February the following year. The Great Train Hike was renamed The Colin Hudson Great Train Hike in 2004 to mark the valuable contribution Dr.…
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SS Quaker City – Torpedoed 18th May 1942. The story of John Heller
The morning of Monday 18th May 1942 dawned like all previous mornings since the SS Quaker City, a Hog Island class merchant ship, left Bombay and sailed via South Africa on the way to Norfolk, Virginia. She was loaded with 4,500 tons of Manganese Ore. This is a very important ingredient in the production of steel…
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Hurricane Janet – 22nd September 1955
Barbados is occasionally visited by Hurricanes which can cause widespread damage and loss of life. Fortunately this does not occur very often. The last major one was Hurricane Janet on 22nd September 1955. After leaving us she went on to wreak havoc in Grenada and then across the Caribbean basin. Much has been written on…
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BajanThings
Bajan history. Interesting Bajan people. Hiking in Barbados and Overseas. International Travel…
Tag: Archive Posts
Listed here are a selection of archive posts from our back-catalogue that are displayed on the BajanThings Home page. Typically we only display the first six archive posts on the BajanThings Home page. To see all the BajanThings posts to date in list form, click on the Posts Summary link on the navigation bar.