1968 was an important year in the life of Carriacou. It was the beginning of the road to independence. Eric Gairy and the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP for Action) had been elected to Parliament in 1967. The airport was opened and Bishops College was showing itself as an educational establishment of some renown. I was lucky enough to teach there from September 1967 to July 1968. I was keen to record the events during my time in Carriacou and took hundreds of photographs.
I recently purchased a clever scanner which allows me to copy all the negatives and view scenes that had lain in a drawer for over 40 years. I sent examples to old friends in Carriacou and received a number of positive responses and a demand for more.
So Sarana, this is for you. I hope many other Carriacouans will find the photos of interest. I would like people to add any comments to fill out gaps in my fading knowledge. Most of all I just want people to enjoy the chance to view old scenes and chat.
Hi Billy,
It was the Grenada United Labour Party. Generally you are doing a wonderful job. So far you have only posted photo’s of sunblisters, hopefully by tommorrow you should download some more Carriacou photos to the website, I am yet to see my parents etc…..You were a real stray way..as we say overhere, everywhere d pan beat u day………I know now why u can’t find my christening pics, u left before i was born. Why did u have to leave so soon……..I am mad at you for leaving the time u did.
Great idea Bill. Got any old photos of the 1980s in Cumbria?
unbelievable photos hope you have some more of petite martinique………great work…i stumbled upon this by accident and i was stuck here for 4 hours……amazing…..!!!!!
Thank you for the comment. Glad you find the site interesting. I do have other photos of PM which I will be putting up. The next few blogs will be about ‘sea and ships’ with a few comments and photos about Zepherine McLaren who recently passed away.
Thanks for your interest. I will be putting up more photos of PM, boat building and a short piece about the late, great Zepherine McLaren who died recently. Let me know if there is anything in particular you would like to see. Best wishes Bill
hey bill i just showed some of my fellow petite matiniquenians your blog…and they are amazed.!!…i have shown the younger folks the picts of PM and its just amazing the way they now view pm…i was just a few months old when those were taken but i can relate to those pictures…once again…..thank you so much for preserving the past!!…..great work!…thank you! thank you!
Hi Bill, I just found this site and i am impressed with it. I am collecting pictures of past vessels built in Carriacou and Petite Martinique and I noticed there is a few on this site. Can I get a copy of the ones you have please. Thank you.
Robert,
Will you be sharing you vessel collection? It is of great interest to me.
Please give URL of the site you want a link from.
We’re looking for old photos of Main Street in Hillsborough–there was a factory (stone structure?) of which remains only a foundation/basement and a wall that was probably part of a separate structure. The location along Main Street is next door to the now vacant building on the corner that belonged to John & Maria Scott…directly across the street, today, is the St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church. If you have any images that are likely to be or include the building described, please send them to us at magsepps@gmail.com … thanks!
Hey Bill,
You took a wonderful photo of Bishop’s College (there was a copy at our home in Barbados) If you still have the negative, I’d like to see it again; and most likely former BC students would enjoy seeing the old school as well.
Cheers,
Glenroy “Rufie”
Thanks for that comment Rufie. I’m not sure which photo that was. I will look thru the negatives and see if I can see which one you mean. Was there anyone in the photo or other distinguishing feature? Bill
Bill, There was no one in the photo, just the college from the back entrance (seems like you took it from the headmaster’s residence across the street)
Hi Rufie,
I have no recollection of that photo at all. I will, however, continue to look to see if I can find it. Cheers, Bill
Hey Glenroy,
Sorry to butt in like this, but are you related to the late Mr. Alleyne, the former principal of Bishop’s College…. Please e-mail your response to me at the christophe32us@yahoo.com
Hello Chris,
Yes, he was my dad. I am the older of the 2 sons who accompanied my parents during their time in Carriacou.
Thanks for your response. Bill gave me your e-mail contact. Will touch base with u via e-mail..
Hi – I’d contacted you before about the property in Hillsborough, trying to track down a photo of the original building just down from the church.
Since we last spoke I’ve set up a website (www.CarriacouToday.com) and I’d love to promote your collection with an article and a few photos in the Lifestyle/Entertainment/Art section. If I can use one of the images as Shot of the Day, I can link it to the article itself on the site.
Hope you’re well,
Margaret
Hi Margaret,
I had a look at your website. I like it a lot. Do you know about Chris Cudgoe’s facebook group page called ‘Grenada and the Southern Grenadines’. It’s very interesting. Re- your request. That sounds fine. What sort of an article are you looking for? Do you want me to write something? Use of an image will be fine. I just ask you to acknowledge the photographer and, as you say, link it to the Carriacou1968 blog. Thanks for getting in touch. I shall look forward to hearing from you again.
Cheers
Bill
ahoy Bill, I was doing a search looking for my old friend Eutha McLaren and came across your blog. What you have is so wonderful and I’m wondering if your in touch with Alexis whose making the C’cou film? I have lost touch since last season with Eutha, any idea how I could find her? I have an unpublished autobiography og Linton Rigg, and much of his personal papers and photos as well as a relaese from his family to publish a book. You’ve so much from your time there, would you be able to share a few pictures..? Thank you..where are you by the way? I live in Bucks County PA, and spend much of the winters in the Grenadines. Happy holidays! cheers, Art
Thanks Art. I’ll be in touch and I will see if I can locate Eutha on your behalf. Cheers, Bill
I was sent these group of pictures right around my fathers birthday May 3, and, as he had passed in 2007, seeing them for the first time ever in 2012 of him as a young vibrant vital handsome devil in 1967-8 was like a call from heaven. AMAZING! Pictures are worth a thousand thousand words. God bless men like Bill Cameron. I grew up hearing his name once in a while when we perused the old albums and even toyed with naming a son Cameron (got 2 girls though, but that makes a nice girl name too) so it is like a reward from heaven, like a “Well done my son” from God to see these pictures of me and my mother Louise and father Bill from 45 years ago. God bless you Bill…more.
Thanks Billy,
Great to hear from you, your mum and Lorrain after so long. Please stay in touch. Bill
Hi Bill:
Do you have any photo’s of the Martineau Family in Carriacou. I was born in Windward Carriacou 1957. My grand-mother moved to Tobago her name was Martha Martineau. Her mother name was Annie Martineau-Patrice and Father Simon Martineau. I am looking to see if anyone has old photo’s. I found all my family in Tobago and seeing on a regular basis.
Your site is excellent.
Thank you.
Hi Martha,
I have photos of Laurel on the site. You may have seen her in some of the posts e.g. carnival. She appears in a number of photos. She was attending Bishop’s College at the time having come up from Tobago. Sadly, I think she is the only member of the family that I photographed. I will certainly let you know if I come across any others. Thank you for getting in touch.
Martha Martineau was my grandmother.
Hi Martha
I am a Martineau from Windward, Carriacou.
Can you Please get in contact with me via email