If the people who inhabited St. George's 100 years ago were able
to re-visit us and take in this overview of their lovely town, they
would find, at first glance - and no doubt to their delight - that
little has changed.
The islanders who work tirelessly to preserve its colonial
charms have triumphed over the pressures of modernism. They have a
story worth preserving.
In 1609, a fleet of nine ships owned by the Virginia Company of
London set sail from Plymouth, England with fresh supplies and
additional colonists for the new British settlement at Jamestown,
Virginia.
Admiral Sir George Somers commanded the flagship, the Sea
Venture, but en route there was a terrible storm and the ship was
dashed against Bermuda's treacherous reefs. The crew managed to get
to land and so began Bermuda's settlement.
In 1610, the Deliverance and Patience, loaded with fresh
supplies, set sail for Virginia, leaving behind a couple of men to
stake a claim to the island.
The town of St. George was founded in 1612 and was our capital
until 1815, when it was changed to Hamilton.
Stroll through the alleys and along the waterfront; take a step
back in time. Visit Gates Fort and Fort St. Catherine, peer across
the harbour from Barrack Hill, close your eyes and imagine the
sights and sounds of an era that is long gone but still echoes
around the historic Town of St. George.
The above penned by Theresa Airey whose book, 'Bermuda Then
and Now', can be found in Bermuda bookstores.
