Church & NMB Partner On Scrapbook Project
As part of the Holy Trinity Church’s 400th anniversary celebrations, the historic church has partnered with National Museum of Bermuda [NMB] and Lyceum to launch the Holy Trinity Church Scrapbook project.
Parents and uncles on the steps of grandmothers house next to the church. Contributor: Sharman Marcus
A spokesperson said, “The aim of the project is to honour the deep-rooted connections that have thrived within the Holy Trinity community by collecting historic photographs and personal stories of Hamilton parish and community connections to the church. For four centuries, Holy Trinity has been a spiritual hub and a focal point of celebration for the local community. Weddings, baptisms, funerals, and countless other moments have been woven into the fabric of this historic landmark.”
The Rev. Canon John Stow of Holy Trinity Church has embraced the project with care and excitement, sharing, “In our celebrations of Holy Trinity Church’s 400th anniversary this year, some fascinating memories have come to light about events and personalities associated with the Church and with Hamilton Parish.
“Many of these are from people who have family members going back over the centuries who are buried in our graveyard. The stories that are passed down through the generations give a vivid glimpse into the hardships people faced and the achievements they earned, often with great strength of character and personal flair. We are both proud and humbled to bear witness to these memories and hope you will be moved by them also.”
Willis Benjamin “WB” Furbert. Willis Benjamin Furbert is buried at Holy Trinity Church and is the Great Grandfather of the Hon. Wayne L. Furbert, JP, MP the current member of Parliament, who has served the residence of Hamilton Parish for over 30 years. Contributor: Wayne Furbert
The spokesperson said, “If you have family members that have been married, buried, or baptised at Holy Trinity Church or are part of the church’s congregation, or have other ties to the church, the project encourages you to contribute by sharing photographs of the people connected to the church and an associated story.
“All photographs and stories can be uploaded to the project website created and hosted by NMB https://nmb.bm/holy-trinity-church-scrapbook/. The webpage will guide you through the necessary steps, and provides a downloadable toolkit to help craft your story and a gallery of submissions that will provide inspiration. Submissions already made by Hamilton Parish residents on the NMB webpage include pictures and stories related to guild meetings, church fairs, loved ones and historic Hamilton Parish homes.”
Holy Trinity Church choir, pictured in the early 1940s. Walwyn Hughes’ father, Idwal Hughes, stands in the back row, next to Reverend Sidney Little. Walwyn’s sister, Anne, is seated on the far right of the front row. Contributor: Walwyn Hughes
NMB Curator Dr Deborah Atwood shared, “We are delighted to collaborate with Holy Trinity Church and Lyceum on this project, which has the potential to be adapted by churches and community groups across the island. By bolstering accessibility and dedicating resources to the preservation of community stories, we significantly increase the chances of safeguarding the often-neglected or lesser-known aspects of daily life in Bermuda.
“Everyday stories and memories like those shared in this project and the Bermuda Family Scrapbook add depth to our understanding of our past. History becomes more than a collection of dates, photographs, and objects, it becomes a shared community story of who we are and where we come from.”
Digital copy of photograph from ‘Bermuda Through the Camera of James B. Heyl 1868–1897’ compiled by Edith Stowe Godfrey Heyl [Hamilton, 1951]: entitled ‘Holy Trinity Church, Hamilton Parish’.
The spokesperson said, “Hamilton Parish is celebrating its local family heritage with a display of submissions from the Holy Trinity Church Scrapbook project, photos, cuttings and other mementos in the Church Hall on Trinity Church Road.
“Opening times for the display, which ends on November 11th, together with details of the Commemoration of All Souls on November 5th, are at www.facebook.com/holytrinitychurchbda/.”
