Bridgetown harbor

History of Bridgetown –
When the British settlers landed on the island of Barbados in 1628, not much was there with the exception of a wooden bridge across the water. It is believed that a group of indigenous people to the Caribbean known as Arawaks were the ones to create the bridge. Upon discovering the structure, the British settlers began to call the area of Bridgetown, Indian Bridge. The British removed the structure and constructed a new bridge over the Careenage sometime after 1654 and the area became known as the town of Saint Michael and later its’ present day name, Bridgetown.

In 1872, it was finally replaced as a swing bridge at a great cost. During the poor years suffered by the colonies, Barbados benefitted tremendously from financial contributions made from Joseph Chamberlain who at the time was Secretary of State for Colonies. The bridge was repaired and as a result of his monetary contributions, in 1900, in his honour, the bridge was named after him. The Independence Arch currently adorns the site that the Indian Bridge once sat on.

Barbados gained its independence on November 30, 1966 and this arch was constructed in 1987 in acknowledgement of such an achievement.

The British settlers took full advantage of the city of Bridgetown as it proved economically viable to them due to merchants trading in sugar and using slaves as labor force. So much so that imposing warehouses were built along the waterfront as a result of their growth in fortunes.

On July 5, 1628 Charles Wolverstone brought 64 settlers to Bridgetown, Barbados which was formally claimed by James Hay, the Earl of Carlisle. Wolverstone, had been dispatched by a group of London Merchants, headed by Sir Marmaduke Rawdon. In an effort to settle their debts, the group was granted a lease to 10,000 acres of land by the Earl of Carlisle. Wolverstone granted each of his settlers 100 acres of land, lying on the northern side of the Careenage waterway for the purpose of general settlement. Carlisle’s agents claimed the southern shore on Needham’s Point in October and in 1631, Henry Hawley, the new Governor, acquired many acres of land directly facing Carlisle Bay. In 1639, the Governor was arrested as reports of his possible dishonest behavior surfaced. In 1640, an investigation was carried out by the Commission and it was found that much of Hawley’s land transactions were quite legitimate and accurately showed these lands (including the town site), as being attributed to the Earl of Carlisle.

Bridgetown is the only city outside continental North America that was visited by the future “First Father” George Washington. Bush Hill House (now renovated and called George Washington House) was the only house he ever lived in outside of continental North America.(5)

Left picture – I don’t know what I was thinking when I took this picture because if I was any type of photographer, (which clearly I’m not) I would have gotten on the ground to take the picture so you could read it.  I think I was just focused on what it said. so for ease of reading it states this:

“This plaque is erected at this hallowed site of memory as a tribute to the strength and resilience of those African enslaved persons who were transported across the Atlantic Ocean and at or near this site, were sold as slaves to Barbadian slave masters.

 It is also a tribute in honour and recognition of the efforts of those who fought in the cause of the abolition of the slave trade.

 ‘Soon we were landed there came to us Africans of all languages. We were conducted immediately to the merchant’s yard where we were all pent up together like so many sheep in a fold without any regard to sex or age’. – Olaudah Equiano, (1789)  “The life of Olaudah Equiano”.”

 I found some information on this gentleman and what a tragic, horrible life he and others needlessly suffered: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano