Videos: St. George’s Celebrates 401st Birthday

July 21, 2013

A host of events is taking place this weekend in St. George’s to mark the 401st birthday of the east end town, with activities including tours, lectures, films, scavenger hunts, reenactments, musical entertainment.

The first group of permanent settlers arrived in Bermuda from England on board a ship called the Plough in July 1612. There were approximately sixty persons on board [men, women and children] who set up their new home in St Georges.

“Happy Birthday” song & candles blown out:

Premier Craig Cannonier joined St George Mayor Garth Rothwell in King’s Square to officially open the event, which had a birthday cake provided by Kamilah Cannonier of Sweet SAAk Bakery, which is located in St. George’s.

Four east end Parliamentarians — OBA MP Suzann Roberts Holshouser, OBA MP Nandi Davis, PLP MP Lovitta Foggo and PLP Senator Renee Ming — were in attendance and blew out the cake’s candles.

They were joined by a few of the town’s oldest residents including 97-year-old Ismay Steede, 91-year-old Dorothy Esdaille and nearby was 95-year-old Warren ‘Tishey’ Foggo.

Chewstick performs in the Square:

The event organisers said, “In 1612, three years after the initial shipwreck that left Sir George Somers and group stranded on our shores and two years after they left, a group came to settle Bermuda as an English colony, and established the Town of St. George.

“In 2012, The Town celebrated the 400th anniversary of that event with Plough Weekend, named after the settling ship that arrived in July 1612. And this year, the 2nd Annual Plough Celebrations will be held as St. George’s celebrates its 401st Birthday.

“Last year, the events were organised by the museum community, and this year, the St. George’s Business Development Association, a group of business owners in the town, decided to build on the event’s success and host it again.”

Kristin White, one of the organisers of the event:

More than one St. Georgian used the opportunity to warn everyone that St. George’s intends to win Cup Match this year, a concept that may be disputed in the west, but was widely supported by others in attendance.

Once the capital of Bermuda, St. George’s was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization [UNESCO].

UNESCO has described St. George’s and its related fortifications as an outstanding example of a continuously occupied, fortified, colonial town dating from the early 17th century and the oldest English town in the New World.

Click photos to enlarge: