St George's awash with anniversary events

TUESDAY, JUNE 26: On July 11, 1612 the first group of permanent settlers arrived in Bermuda from England aboard the Plough.

Sixty people were aboard under the command of Captain Robert Davis, a member of the former George Somers fleet in 1609, and the first governor designate, Richard Moore. Moore and his settlers joined Carter, Chard and Waters on Smith’s Island but they moved across the harbour to set up their new town St George’s and begin the colony.

The weekend of July 14 is the 400th anniversary of permanent settlement and there are a host of activities taking place next month to celebrate these years. All events are free unless otherwise stated. Guests are encouraged to dress up in period costume:

Saturday July 14:

- St George’s Foundation Activities at World Heritage Center, Penno’s Wharf: Open 10am until 4pm Admission Free The film “A Stroll through St George’s” will be shown continuously. Find out who was Ann Bingham? See the rock from Jamestown that went there on the Deliverance in 1610! Be sure to visit 2nd Hand Rose!

 - 11am Lecture by Professor Michael Jarvis:  Earliest Bermuda, 1612-1625. Michael will discuss the challenges of planting a colony, the backgrounds of Bermuda’s founding mothers and fathers, the keys to early Bermuda settlers’ success, and the very early emergence of a distinct “Bermudian” (vs. English or African) identity.

- 1pm Lecture by George Coo: Arrival of the Sea Venture. George will focus on Henry Ravens (Master’s mate), Robert Walsingham (coxswain) and Richard Frobisher (shipwright), three of the chief under officers on the Sea Venture, including what is known of their later lives after their Bermuda adventure. Also covered will be the functions of some of the other crew members, their tools and instruments, and the common practices in keeping an early 17th century ship sailing and generally ship-shape.

- 2.30pm repeat lecture by Professor Mike Jarvis: Earliest Bermuda 1612 – 1625.

- Ye Olde Towne Market: Ye Olde Towne Market will open at 11am and stay open until 4 pm.

- Ducking of the Wench: The Town Crier will conduct the “ducking” at 12am and 2pm.

- The Deliverance: At 1pm a photograph will be taken of 120 persons on the deck of the Deliverance which is approximately the number it carried to Jamestown in 1610 starting more or less from the same location. ($10 per person for the Deliverance Fund).

- St George’s Historical Society Museum: Saturday opening 10am until 4pm Free Admission.

- Quilting: Lucy Attride- Sterling will give a quilting demonstation from 10:30am until 4pm.

- Doll display: Ronnie Chameau will display dolls of the period and give a weaving display from 1 pm until 4pm.

- Story: Trudy Snaith will recount the Sarah Catherine story and provide an explanation of old kitchen tools from 2pm to 3 pm.

- Sale: White elephant and plant sale from 10am to 4pm.

- Permanent Jubilee Display: Sea Cadets will demonstrate how to tie knots during the day.

- Special events for both Saturday and Sunday: The Deliverance on Ordnance Island and The World Heritage Centre at Penno’s Wharf: The film A Stroll through St George’s will be shown at the World Heritage Centre continuously. Find out who Ann Bingham was? See the rock from Jamestown that went there on the Deliverance in 1610. Visit the Second Hand Rose.

- Heritage Centre: The World Heritage Centre will be open 10am until 4pm on Saturday and noon until 4pm on Sunday. Admission is free.

- Deliverance: The Deliverance will be open both days from 10am until 4pm. Admission is free.

- Carter House and Settler’s Dwelling c 1612. Open 10am until 4pm Saturday and Sunday Admission is free. Minibus available for return trip from the Square at $5. Parking at Carter House across street.

- The Settlers Dwelling: c 1612: Larry Mills will describe building methods and tools from 1612. Timber framing is now complete; ready to thatch with Palmetto. Try using an Auger or Adze. There is also the chance to see the almost complete Humpback whale skeleton found at Tucker’s Town.

- St Peter’s Church now also “Their Majesties Chappell”: The Church will be open on the Saturday from 10am until 4pm and Sunday afternoon after the 11:15am service.

- The Bermuda National Trust: The Bermuda National Trust will have both the Tucker House and the Globe Hotel open from 10am until 4pm on both days with tour guides available at both locations.

- The St George’s Historical Society: The Mitchell House will be open on Saturday from 10am until 4pm and Sunday from noon until 4pm.

-  Fort St Catherine: The recently refurbished Fort St Catherine will be open both days from 10am until 4pm. A mini bus will shuttle passengers from the Town Square to the Fort every 30 minutes.

- Town Hall: The Town Hall will be open both days from 9am until 6pm. Two of the Verpilleaux paintings which use to hang on the walls of the upper floor of the Town Hall prior to Fabian’s visit will be cleaned and put on display in the Town Hall in an effort to raise funds to clean the rest these paintings depict Bermuda as it was in the early 1930s.

Sunday, July 15:

- St Peter’s Church: St. Peter’s will hold a special service at 11:15am to commemorate the arrival of the Plough 400 years ago. Lessons will be read by representatives of the various historical groups in the town.

- Boat tours: Boat tours to Smith’s Island to Site of two archaeological sites from early 1600’s. The Stommel leaves Ordnance Island at 1pm and 3pm. The cost of tour will be $20 per person for the cost of the boat with surplus for the proposed exhibit at the World Heritage Centre, The Crossroads of the Atlantic based on Michael Jarvis’ book In the Eye of All Trade.

 Maximum is 40 people per trip. Get there early. The tour is two hours. The guides will be Michael Jarvis and Alexandra Mairs-Kessler on the island.

 Be the first to visit the site where Carter, Waters and Chard are thought to have had their camp from November 1610, when the Patience departed for England with Sir George Somers body. In July 1612 the Plough arrived with Sir Thomas Moore and 50 settlers. The boat will also visit sites on the South side of Smith’s Island where the Plough first anchored. Rick Spurling will describe the arrival of the Plough and the meeting with the “Three Kings” of Smith’s Island.

- Bermuda Heritage Museum: From 4pm until 6pm there will be tea held in memory of Mary Prince on the lawn near the museum at the eastern end of Water Street overlooking the harbour with a powerpoint presentation on the life of Mary Prince. The tea will be reminiscent of tea of Mary Prince’s time using the utensils of the time.

- St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club: The St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club will be holding dinghy races in the harbour with the race for the E. R. Williams Cup starting at noon and the second race for the Middleton Cup programmed for 1.30pm and the third race for the Trott Cup to start at 3pm

- St George’s Historical Society Museum: Open from 12 am until 4 pm. Plants will remain on sale.