The Georgetown Waterworks

In the early days, domestic water supply in the City of Georgetown was obtained from limited artesian wells together with rain water stored in vats and tanks. In 1825, the creation of the Lamaha Canal was proposed to bring fresh water from Lamaha Creek into Georgetown. The canal was completed using slave labour. Along the length of the Lamaha Canal, plantations and villages tapped into it based on a cost-sharing agreement. Water for fire-fighting was also needed. In 1864, Water Street was the business center of Georgetown and was devastated by two fires. The first fire flattened nearly all of Robbstown while the second destroyed Cummingsburg. The British Guiana Court of Policy reacted immediately by passing ordinances to guard against future fires. The resulting actions included wider streets, drainage and sewage improvements, and improving the physical layout design of Robbstown. Another major improvement in 1866 was the creation of the Georgetown Waterworks at Camp and Church Streets, and laying out of water mains in the city for mainly fire fighting purposes. The water originated from the Lamaha Water Conservancy and flowed along streams and canals to the Georgetown Waterworks, and then it was pumped from a reservoir into the street mains. This canal has now been filled-in to become the Merriman's Mall. In 1886, an ornate drinking fountain was erected at the current Cenotaph location to celebrate the completion of the Georgetown Waterworks. The images show scenes about the Georgetown Waterworks in British Guiana.

Image 01 - The Camp and Church Street entrance of the Georgetown Waterworks (1900s).

Image 02 - The filters of the Georgetown Waterworks (1900s).

Image 03 - Perspective view of the filters at the Waterworks (1900s).

Image 04 - Drinking fountain marking the completion of the Waterworks (1900s).

Sources

[Image 01] - New York Public Library, 1900s.
[Image 02] - New York Public Library, 1900s.
[Image 03] - Stabroek News, Guyana.
[Image 04] - Unknown.

Caretaker's Lodge, Botanical Gardens

The caretaker's lodge is an exquisite building situated at the main entrance of the Botanical Gardens. It was designed in 1880 and used by the Directors of the Gardens for meetings. A fully-functional black and gold clock adorned the outside of the building. The clock was built in memory of George Samuel Jenman who trained at Kew Gardens, and was a Government Botanist and Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens from 1879 to 1902. The image shows the caretaker's lodge and clock.

Image 01 - Caretaker's lodge, Botanical Gardens (1900).

Image 02 - Caretaker's lodge, Botanical Gardens (1900).

Image 03 - Caretaker's lodge, Botanical Gardens (1905).

Image 04 - Caretaker's lodge with clock, Botanical Gardens (1910).

Image 05 - Caretaker's lodge with clock, Botanical Gardens (1924).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Unknown.
[Image 03] - Unknown.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - Unknown.

The Sacred Heart Church, Georgetown

By the 1830s, many Portuguese in British Guiana had settled on the East Bank of Demerara at Meadow Bank, Ruimveldt and Agricola. As such Meadow Bank was made the center of the Catholic Church with the establishment of the Catholic Mission of British Guiana. In 1857, Fr. Benedict Schembri S.J. of Maltese origin was working in Brazil and came to British Guiana to establish the Meadow Bank Church. Later, the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Main Street was opened on December 1861 by Fr. Schembri. The goal of this church was to provide a religious space where the Portuguese would be comfortable with their religious customs and in their natural language. Bishop J. Ethridge S.J. delivered the episcopal blessing on 22nd June 1862. The dimensions of the church was 100 feet by 30 feet, but over time expansion created new areas such as aisles, choir space, gallery, and two wooden towers. When the 1864 Water Street fire destroyed many Portuguese businesses, the church grounds were used to store salvaged goods. In 1866, the two presbyteries were converted into a schoolroom and in 1867 the bottom area of the presbytery was converted into a grammar school. Sacred Heart Primary School is one of the top schools in the country. The church and school were both destroyed by fire on 25th December 2004. On 18th February 2011 fund-raising began for re-building of the church. On 6th December 2015 the newly constructed Sacred Heart Church was opened in Guyana. The images show the Sacred Heart Church through time.

Image 01 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1913).

Image 02 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1915).

Image 03 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1924).

Image 04 - Inside the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1924).

Image 05 - Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (1961).

Image 06 - Fire destroys the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (2004).

Image 07 - The re-built Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church (2014).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Unknown.
[Image 03] - Unknown.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - Unknown.
[Image 06] - Unknown.
[Image 07] - http://www.sacredheart.gy/

Bibliography

• The History of the Sacred Heart Church, A Voz Do Portugues 2013.

The Africans arrive in Essequibo

The date of the first arrival of African slaves to Novo Zeelandia (later called Essequibo, British Guiana) is not exactly known, but some historians believe the Dutch were the first to bring West African slaves to work on the expanding plantations during 1658. These early Dutch plantations were mainly on the Essequibo coast. In 1665, Essequibo was taken by the British and then by the French, and regained by the Dutch in 1666. In 1831, the British were able to unite Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice to be called British Guiana under one government. During the trip from Africa, the slaves were usually chained and placed in cramped quarters. Once the slaves arrive at various coastal ports, they were assembled and auctioned off to the various plantation owners. These owners would conduct a detailed inspection by subjecting the individuals to an almost naked body check-up. Complete families were on the auction block and usually there was no desire to keep family units and frienships together. This practice also enabled the "divide and rule" practice that minimized threats associated with rebellion. The diverse groups that were now on each plantation necessitated a common language between the owners and the slaves, and so language forms such as Creole-Dutch and later Creole-English emerged on the plantations. Religions and beliefs from the motherland were also forbidden and Christian missionaries were introduced on the plantations to preach a Christian message. Once settled into the work environment, Africans were stratified into various categories of work such as field workers, sugar factory workers, and skilled artisans such as carpenters, masons, etc. Slave homes were made of earth and thatched roofs, standard clothing was provided, and a kitchen garden supplemented food and sustenance received from their daily meals. The work hours were from sunrise to 8:00pm with a one-hour break at midday. Flogging and other forms of punishment were a common occurrence. Conditions on these plantations were brutal and the owners collaborated with the Amerindians to help re-capture any runaway slaves. The situation came to a head on 23rd February 1763 with the Berbice uprising lead by Cuffy, Atta, Accara and Accabre. The Demerara Revolution of 1823 lead by Quamina Gladstone from Success Plantation was also another milestone on the road to the emancipation of the African slaves. On 1st August 1834, slavery was abolished in British Guiana and the plantation owners received compensation for the loss of slave labour. Afterwards, the British used "new Africans" from Africa as immigrants to work on the sugar plantations, and some freed slaves from other countries such as the USA were also allowed to migrate to British Guiana to work as immigrants. In addition, other groups of people such as the Portuguese, East Indians and Chinese were brought to the British Guiana plantations to supplement the workforce. The images show scenes from the initial African experience in Essequibo.

Image 01 - Africans boarding the slave ships forcefully (undated).

Image 02 - African male being physically examined to determine health condition (undated).

Image 03 - Auction of the Africans in progress (undated).

Image 04 - Branding Africans to establish ownership (undated).

Image 05 - Africans who came to British Guiana as immigrants post-emancipation (1870).

Sources

[Image 01] - Atlantic Black Star, undated.
[Image 02] - Atlantic Black Star, undated.
[Image 03] - Atlantic Black Star, undated.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - UK National Archives, 1870.


Bibliography

• Facts about slavery in Guyana, Atlanta Black Star.

The Pakatuk Falls, Essequibo

The Pakatuk Falls is located on the Potaro River in the Potaro-Siparuni region of the country. The terrain elevation is estimated to be about 320 feet above mean sea level. The surrounding region is relatively flat and mostly uninhabited. The image shows the Pakatuk Fall in 1920 British Guiana.

Image 01 - The Pakatuk Falls, Potaro River, Essequibo (1920).

Sources
[Image 01] - Unknown

The Victoria Regia (Victoria amazonica) Lily

The Victoria Regia (scientific name: Victoria amazonica) Lily is native to the Amazon river basin. In 1837 specimens obtained by the British explorer Robert Schomburgk were described and a name published by the British botanist John Lindley in dedication to Queen Victoria. The Victoria Regia lily is Guyana's national flower and a component of the coat of arms. The lily is considered as the largest on Earth. It is circular with the edges turned up, and can grow to a diameter of 10 feet. The flower changes color from white to pink within days of opening up and are pollinated by beetles. The legend is that teenage girls would sit on the banks of the Amazon River under the moonlight and dream about a better life. The feeling was that if they can physically touch the moon and stars they would become one of them. One young girl, Naia, tried desperately to touch the moon and fell into the Amazon River and was swept away. The moon was guilt-ridden at the loss of Naia's life and transformed her into a giant water lily that would cover the water surface and capture the moonlight. The images show the Victoria Regia lily which was common in the canals of British Guiana.

Image 01 - The Victoria Regia (Victoria amazonica) water lily at Carmichael Street (1907).

Image 02 - The Victoria Regia (Victoria amazonica) water lily at Waterloo Street (1907).

Image 03 - Water lilies in the Botanical Gardens (1920).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Baldwin and Company, British Guiana, 1907.
[Image 03] - Unknown.

Botanical Gardens Bandstand, Georgetown

The Bandstand of the Botanic Gardens was built in 1899 and dedicated to John Brumell who was one of the Directors of the garden. He also held administrative office as a salaried British Magistrate and Sheriff in Demerara. The image shows the Bandstand in British Guiana.

Image 01 - The Bandstand, Botanical Gardens (1900s).

Image 02 - The Bandstand, Botanical Gardens (1905).

Image 03 - The Bandstand, Botanical Gardens (1910).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Unknown.
[Image 03] - Unknown.

Promenade Gardens Bandstand, Georgetown

The Bandstand in the Promenade Gardens was completed in 1897 and is the oldest of the three Bandstands in Georgetown. It was constructed to commemorate the 60th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) of Queen Victoria. The Bandstand was used for civic functions that included live band music. The image shows the Bandstand in the Promenade Gardens in 1911 British Guiana.

Image 01 - The Bandstand, Promenade Gardens (1911).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.

Saint George's Cathedral, Georgetown

St. George's Cathedral is located on Church Street, Georgetown and at a height of 143 feet, is one of the tallest wooden churches in the world. It is an Anglican Cathedral designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield and formally opened on 24th August 1892, consecrated on 8th November 1894, with completion of the building occurring in 1899. The building is constructed from mainly Greenheart. The images show the St. George's Cathedral in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Saint George's Cathedral (1900s).

Image 02 - Saint George's Cathedral (1920).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown.
[Image 02] - Unknown.

The Kaieteur Falls, Essequibo

The Kaieteur Falls was seen by the first European Charles Barrington Brown on 24th April 1870 during an expedition for the Geological Survey of British Guiana. Kaieteur falls is on the Potaro river tributary of the Essequibo river. The Essequibo river is contained in a wide valley and flows in a northerly direction, and the Potaro river at a higher elevation flows from the west into the Essequibo river. Due to limited food provisions, the expedition organized a second trip in July of the same year to conduct physical measurements. This second expedition started at the Mazaruni Penal Settlement and took fifteen days to reach the Falls. During the trip they encountered five other Falls on the Potaro River that were less than 20 feet in height. The height of the Kaieteur Falls is 822 feet of which 741 feet is the vertical height of the first continuous water drop from the curved lip above, and the remaining 81 feet forming the second drop. The width of the river bed at the top of the Falls is 369 feet with a maximum river depth of 20 feet. The cavern behind the Falls is the home to flocks of swallows that leave in droves in the morning and return at nights. Kaieteur Falls is considered to be the largest single-drop waterfall by the volume of water flowing over its escarpment. The name for the Falls comes from the legend where the Amerindian Chief Kai paddled his canoe over the Falls and sacrificed his life so the Great Spirit can protect his tribe. The images and sketches show scenes of Kaieteur Falls in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Sketch of Kaieteur Falls (1873).

Image 02 - Kaieteur Falls under drought conditions (1878).

Image 03 - Front view of Kaieteur Falls (1915).

Image 04 - Kaieteur Falls from the bottom (1924)

Image 05 - Kaieteur from the bottom (1924).

Image 06 - The lip of the Falls (1924).

Image 07 - Front view of Kaieteur Falls (1924).

Image 08 - The gorge looking down from the Falls (1924).

Image 09 - The curved lip of the Falls (1944).

Sources

[Image 01] - The London Illustrated News, 1873.
[Image 02] - Unknown.
[Image 03] - Unknown.
[Image 04] - Unknown.
[Image 05] - Unknown.
[Image 06] - Unknown.
[Image 07] - Unknown.
[Image 08] - Unknown.
[Image 09] - Unknown.

Saint Andrew's Kirk, Georgetown

St. Andrews Kirk is located on Brickdam avenue and opposite the Parliament Buildings. It is widely considered to be the oldest building in Georgetown that was in continuous use for religious purposes. The building had roots in 1811 with the Dutch Reformed Church of Holland and for financial reasons was transferred to the Scottish Presbyterians and opened on 28th February 1818. Slaves were allowed to worship at this church. The image shows the St. Andrews Kirk church in British Guiana.

Image 01 - Saint Andrew's Kirk (1900s).

Image 02 - Saint Andrew's Kirk (1910).

Sources

[Image 01] - Unknown
[Image 02] - Unknown

The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC)

The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) began in 1858 and initial membership was for British men only. Parade Ground was used for cricket matches but permission was required from the Georgetown Town Council who owned the ground. In 1884, a section (about 33,000 square metres) of the abandoned land of Dutch plantation owner Joseph Bourda was acquired by the GCC. The eastern part of the plantation was for soccer and the western part was for cricket. This new cricket ground was called Bourda Cricket Ground (after the Plantation owner) and was opened on 26th December 1885. By 1886 a number of other sports were being played there including lawn tennis and rugby.  In 1910, a pavilion was constructed to seat the increasing spectator crowds.

Image 01 - Georgetown Cricket Club and tennis activities (1920).

Image 02 - Georgetown Cricket Club (1935).

Sources:

[image 01] - Unknown
[image 02] - Unknown

The East Indians in British Guiana

The East Indians or "Hindoo Coolies" were brought to British Guiana to supplement the workforce of the colony after the emancipation of the slaves. They came from the mountain regions of Calcutta and referred to as "Hill Coolies" or Hill Labourers. A first experiment was tried in 1838 and about 400 East Indians of good labourer stock arrived from Calcutta and found immediate employment on the Plantations of British Guiana. Two ships (Whitby and Hesperus) were chartered to bring this first batch of East Indians. The Whitby arrived in British Guiana on 5th May 1838 in Berbice and there were 244 persons alive (233 men, 5 women and 6 children) who disembarked with five casualties during the 112 days journey. The Hesperus also arrived on 5th May 1838 with 152 persons alive (135 men, 6 women, and 11 children) with 13 casualties. These two test groups did not fear well in terms of health and working conditions. The living conditions were also very poor at the "logies" or tenement ranges. But the immigration continued and the East Indians subsequently came in large numbers. There were about five thousand who arrive annually and were given a free passage to British Guiana, five years industrial service to a plantation assigned to them, and a free passage to return back to India. As of 23rd March 1889 there were about 90,000 East Indians in British Guiana. They were primarily sugar workers and developed an attitude of being willing and regular workers. Not many returned to India, but in 1891 three vessels took away 2,151 Coolies back to India. Those who remained became horse and cattle owners and small shopkeepers. The images show scenes from the early years of the East Indian experience in British Guiana.

Image 01 - East Indian immigrants on the journey (1884).

Image 02 - The immigration depot with filtering shed at Garden Reach, Calcutta (1889).

Image 03 - Mealtime at the embarkation shed in Calcutta (1889).

Image 04 - An estate hospital for the sick in British Guiana (1889).

Image 05 - Medical examination of the East Indian arrivals in British Guiana (1890s).

Image 06 - Hospital at the British Guiana immigration depot for 94 patients (1890s)

Image 07 - At meal time in British Guiana (1890s).

Image 08 - The tenement ranges or "logies" in British Guiana (1890s).

Image 09 - East Indian workers constructing a path through the British Guiana forest (1900).

Image 10 - East Indian hut in British Guiana (1910).

Image 11 - Coolie house on the Corentyne Coast, Berbice (1910).

Image 12 - Coolie huts on a sugar estate in British Guiana (1910).

Image 13 - Group of Indian Coolies in British Guiana (1924).

Sources

[Image 01] - The Graphic, British Guiana, 1884-09-17.
[Image 02] - Illustrated London News, 1889-03-23.
[Image 03] - Illustrated London News, 1889-03-23..
[Image 04] - Illustrated London News, 1889-03-23.
[Image 05] - National Archives UK.
[Image 06] - National Archives UK.
[Image 07] - National Archives UK.
[Image 08] - Unknown.
[image 09] - The New York Public Library.
[Image 10] - Unknown.
[Image 11] - Unknown.
[Image 12] - Unknown.
[Image 13] - Unknown.


Bibliography

• The arrival of East Indians in Guyana. Horizons.