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Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 - 2:18:31 AM |
Nassau, Bahamas - The following is an update on recent activities of the Bahamas Historical Society.
The Society's 2011 Journal is now printed and we will be mailing them early next week to paid up members.
Thursday, 1st December at 6 pm we will be celebrating Christmas (or Hannukah – The Jewish festival of lights). A few members will share their experiences of Christmas past, Dr Harold Munnings will play Christmas tunes for us to sing along to and there may be other surprises too. And afterwards we will enjoy fellowship over food and drinks.
The Bahamas Historical Society is becoming well known world-wide for providing information about our history.
Designers of Bahamar wish to put up a plaque in memoriam of
Hobby Horse Hall and asked our assistance, and amazingly, Nivea Mazzoli found a reference that a Hobby Horse Hall racetrack west of Fort Charlotte existed in 1791.
We had a request from James Simpson from UK who writes:
My grandfather,
Captain (Acting Major) James Simpson R.E, was Inspector of Lighthouses in the Bahamas when he died of Yellow Fever at Richmond House, Nassau on 19th July 1880, just two days after the birth of my father, James Simpson, also at Richmond House.
I wonder if you have any record of his service in the Bahamas and what his work involved?
Does Richmond House still exist?
Is there a record of where Captain James Simpson was buried in 1880 and what is on his tombstone?
As usual our avid researcher Captain Paul Aranha provided the required photo seen here of Captain James Simpson’s grave.
And James Simpson replied:
Dear Paul and Jim,
Many thanks for your speedy and most useful responses to my email about my grandfather, Captain James Simpson.
I am in no doubt that you have sent photographs of his gravestone. He was born in 1843 and was aged 37 when he died.
I had previously consulted Silent Sentinels at the British Library in London, but found no mention of him by name.
Richmond House was probably the HQ of the Bahamas Lighthouse Service, as Silent Sentinels mentions two lighthouse Tenders/Schooners named "Richmond". The first Light House Tender "Richmond" arrived from England 18 Nov 1868, a topsail schooner of about 200 tons. On the schooner was Mr J N Dixon, the first Inspector of Lighthouses for the Bahamas, also Architect and Storekeeper with £500 a year plus a ration allowance when afloat.
By 1880 it appears that the responsibility for Inspecting Lighthouses was vested in the Royal Engineers, represented by my grandfather.
If you can find any further information about the location of Richmond House I would be most interested.
We have booked to visit The Bahamas in 2012 and are delighted that we can now see my grandfather's grave.
Paul answered:
Mr. Simpson,
I just phoned Arthur D. Hanna, retired Governor-General of The Bahamas, whose father was a lighthouse-keeper, and he said that the HQ was the only location that the Imperial Lighthouse Service had in Nassau.
He does not recognize the name "Richmond House" but said that the HQ included living quarters for the Inspector.
I think this supports your theory.
Well done Paul!
COMING UP at BHS:
On Thursday 26th January, 2012 Dr Jennifer Bethel PhD will speak on her journal article
“Female Slaves in the Bahamas”.
The Bahamas Historical Society (BHS)
is
a non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating interest in Bahamian
History and to the collection and preservation of material relating
thereto. Its Headquarters, the former IODE Hall, was a gift from the
Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (IODE). BHS is on Shirley
Street and Elizabeth Avenue in Nassau.
www.bahamashistoricalsociety.
com
© Copyright 2011 by thebahamasweekly.com
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