Presentation Ceremony Held At Archives

Good Morning,

I am pleased to welcome you here to Bermuda Archives this morning on what is a very special occasion

I wish in particular to welcome and acknowledge three distinguished citizens who are here today in a unique role: they are persons who are interested in preserving Bermuda’s heritage and records for future generations. Our guests are donating these records and memorabilia to the Bermuda Archives.

The first exhibit relates to Mr. Tommy Aitchison, a well-know and highly regarded journalist, cricketer, cricket statistician and cricket enthusiast. Mr. Aitchison passed away last year and Mr. Maurice Hankey, Mr. Anthony Lumsden are donating Mr. Aitchison’s cricket material as well as administrative papers of the Bermuda Cricket Foundation.

The second exhibit relates to ecclesiastical affairs of Bermuda. With us today is Mrs. Edwena Smith who is representing the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. The records of the St. Paul A.M.E Church spanning the years 1870 – 2011 are being donated to Bermuda Archives.

The majority of these records consist of minute books. The collection also includes the Steward Board’s financial record books capturing the financial history of St Paul’s and various registers capturing baptisms, marriages and funerals, the history of St. Paul A.M.E Church congregants as well as the membership status of the congregation.

The third exhibit comes from the Order of Good Samaritans & Daughters of Samaria, an Order that was formed in the 1800s to help black citizens immediately after they were freed from slavery in 1834. The Good Samaritan Lodges came to Bermuda in 1869 and The Warwick Samaritan’s Lodge received its charter in 1887. Lodge representatives Dr. Michael Bradshaw and Mr. Delmonte Davis will present copies of the Lodge’s original charter to Bermuda Archives.

In 1993, Ms. Oda Mallory, “Blondell”, interviewed Mr. Harry Bloom who owned a recording studio in Canada and originally came to Bermuda to sell equipment. Whilst here, he recorded local artists including Al Harris and his “Big band” and would send the vinyl copies back to Bermuda.

Recently, he converted those vinyl copies into a set of four CDs. Mr. Bloom has donated copies of these CDs to Bermuda Archives and has sent an extra copy that was to be given to Blondell. It now gives me great pleasure to present this very special recording of musical history to Ms. Oda Mallory.

Ladies and Gentlemen, an archive is not just a collection of historical records. It is a place that provides researchers with the materials to build the collective memories of our society. The donations we have here today hold great and wonderful significance and will do much to enhance, preserve and capture the memories to which they relate.

As Minister with responsibility for Bermuda Archives, I am deeply indebted to Mrs. Edwena Smith, Mr. Maurice Hankey, Dr. Michael Bradshaw and Mr. Delmonte Davis for their collective and individual thoughtfulness and commitment to our Island’s history and heritage.

On behalf of the Government and people of Bermuda, I offer heartfelt thanks.

Thank you.

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