By Nigel Westmaas
The assembly of national memory spans many fronts, from simple recall via oral history to old newspapers. A curiosity check of the main newspapers, past and present, would reveal a consistent trend of events that were important at the time and remain relevant, however tenuous, today.
Old newspapers often provide detailed accounts of events, sometimes exceeding modern reports in depth and accuracy. This could be due to the slower pace of news cycles in the past, allowing for more thorough reporting and greater patience.
Significant past events often find echoes in contemporary society due to recurring themes in human experience, such as political struggles, social movements, or cultural shifts. By studying these patterns, we gain a better understanding of our current context and the continuity of human concerns.
For the present column, a vast array of human-interest stories was available to choose from. Among the many interesting news stories are the following:
● US News Hawk Says Journalists Here Are ‘Too
Polite’ – Daily Chronicle, January 24, 1946
● Police Join in Search for Mrs. Jagan and Party –
Daily Chronicle, November 9,1951
● Mittelholzer: Guianese Too Smug and Apathetic –
March 13, 1956
● General Elections – Effective Use of Creolese (Joseph Eleazer) –
Daily Chronicle, September 13, 1930
● New City Water Works/Inaugural Ceremony – Daily Argosy, May
1,1929
● 1 Million Guianese by 1980 – Guiana Graphic, March 11, 1964
For this article, seven different distinct stories representing the variety and range of events in Guyanese history that can potentially resonate with present consciousness are highlighted. These stories, drawn from the Daily Chronicle, the Guiana Graphic, and Daily Argosy newspapers, capture the spirit of the past and its influence on the present. They include the first alleged blackout in the country in 1939, the origins of pepperpot, the relatively unknown move in Britain to cede Guyana to the USA after the First World War, the number of cars in the colony in 1912, and the ironic image and story of three of Guyana’s leaders giving blood amid the bloodshed of the early 1960s.
The format presents each historical event, all from the 20th century, as a standalone recount, offering readers a brief look at noteworthy headlines that may or may not hold relevance and interest today. The seven stories (carrying the original headings) are presented from the most recent to the oldest.
Blood flows as Big 3 meet – but it’s all in a good cause (blood drive) – (1964)
“British Guiana’s three political leaders met yesterday and donated a pint of blood each to the Georgetown Hospital Blood Bank. It was the first get together of the big three since the last London Conference and they all exchanged lighthearted banter. Premier Dr Cheddi Jagan jokingly told Mr Burnham that because of his size he should have given six pints of blood. Mr Burnham quipped that as an extreme socialist Dr Jagan should give more. Dr Balwant Singh who was in charge of operations however said that the maximum amount of blood which should be given as one time was one pint. Mr LFS Burnham was the first to arrive at the hospital and Dr Balwant Singh jokingly remarked that he did not expect him to arrive so promptly since it was tradition that Mayors usually arrived late. When Dr Jagan arrived shortly after, he and the PNC leader immediately began cracking jokes. Mr Peter D’Aguiar was the last to arrive. By this time Mr Burnham and the Premier had already relaxed on cots in the blood-giving room above the Central Medical Laboratory. Mr Burnham who seemed in a happy mood quipped after the UF leader had arrived: ‘Cheddi…is this the way we will win the elections, me first, you second, and Peter last?’
The Premier chuckled and said: ‘Did you notice how odd it is, the two of us socialists are on the right and Peter is on the far left?’ After giving the blood, the three political leaders relaxed with a coffee and biscuits while Dr Singh thanked them…”( Guiana Graphic, April 19, 1964)
Pepperpot Was Invented by ‘Badian’ – British Guianese Collusion by Gastronome (1934)
“Considering the combination for manufacturing the illustrious dish known as pepperpot we again perceive British Guianese love for a miscellaneously concocted stew which embraces almost every known edible species of the animal kingdom resident in this country. The pepperpot is a Christmassy dish for a section of this community. By the employment of this vague adjective to describe the pepperpot it is intended to impart the information that the pepperpot is looked forward to by certain British Guianese at Christmas time as the dish de resistance. The pepperpot was not invented by a British Guianese, nor was it given to the dietectical [sic] world by a Barbadian. In point of fact, from a genealogical point, the pepperpot is the legitimate offspring of a British Guianese-Barbadian cookery collusion – and as I shall show, it was a subterranean collusion in cookery… A little research work on my part provides the gratifying information that over a century ago Barbadian and British Guianese bondsmen and bondswomen were habituated to excavating a cavity in Mother earth concealing a saucepan therein (no doubt from the prying eyes of their futile despot lords) precipitating a miscellaneous assortment of iguana flesh, turtle, labba, wild horse etc within, while the stuff bivouacked in a saucepan on the earth, simmered merrily to the warmth provided by a burnt earth fire. Thus the pepperpot was surreptitiously ushered into life here. The inventors discovered that in this way they could conceal the pepperpot from inquisitive view and yet cautiously enjoy its delights ad libitum…” (Daily Chronicle June 24, 1934)
First Woman in Active politics/Mrs Glasglow on Kitty Board (1930)
“The Local Government Board has made Kitty and Alexanderville a Country District. The Councillors appointed are Messrs C Farnum (Chairman), EA Fraser, JL Mendes, JF Burnham, J Subryan, O Davidson and Mrs H Glasgow. The appointment of Mrs Glasgow who is the widow of the late Rev TB Glasgow is an innovation. She will be the first woman to sit on one of these Boards, either as a nominated or elected councillor thereby creating local history, being among the first women to be actively engaged in politics…” (Daily Argosy, October 4, 1930)
Discovery of a Coffin explained – slave child buried on coffee estate (by our Special commissioner) (1925)
“The excavation on Thursday of the decayed remnants of a coffin and portion of a human skeleton in the vicinity of Regent Street by workmen attached to the gangs of the sewerage contractors were at present engaged in laying sewerage pipes in that district recalls a period in the history of the colony when it was occupied by the Dutch and when the site of what is now the city of Georgetown comprised a number of sugar, coffee, and cotton estates worked by means of slave labour. The spot on which the gruesome discovery was made was included in the coffee estate of Vlissengen at that time owned by Joseph Bourda, a prominent colonist whose residence stood on the site now occupied by the Town Hall. Immediately north of his residence was a coffee logie in which Bourda personally superintended the preparation of his crops for market…
Indiscriminate burials of this nature were forbidden soon after the acquisition of the colony by the British in 1797 and the burial ground laid out at Werk-en-Rust, now rests at St Phillips Cemetery. Even among the slaves who were generally permitted more privileges and freedom of action than is ever ascribed to the hard-hearted slave owners, there existed a number of burial societies. And while it is on record that on one or more occasion the custodian of the accumulated lands failed to produce them at the required moment, as a general rule the occasion of the death and burial of a slave was a momentous time among his relations and friends, for not only was the society expected to furnish funds for the digging of the grave and for the rude coffin in which the remains were interred, but funds were also understood to be forthcoming for the feast of sorts at which all guests were lavishly entertained. It is very probable that from these festive gathering degenerated the present ‘nine-nights’ custom, still practised by creole hoi polloi, and so well known by cruel experience to many a tired worker in the community, who on such an occasion vainly woos sleep to his tired eyelids.” Daily Argosy April 4, 1925
Ceding British Guiana to the USA: The Colony’s Protest (1919)
“The following resolution will be proposed at the meeting in the Town Hall tomorrow night in protest against the proposal of Lord Rothermere to cede British Guiana to the USA:- Whereas the inhabitants of the Colony of British Guiana view with grave alarm the apparently growing tendency in British political circles to cede British Guiana and the West Indies, without the consent of their inhabitants, to the United States of America in part payment of the war debt to Great Britain.
Be it resolved – That this meeting of Legislature, Clergymen, Teachers, Soldiers and Citizens of British Guiana while affirming fervent loyalty to the King’s throne and person claims on behalf of the inhabitants of British Guiana their inalienable right to freedom, self-determination, and the pursuit of happiness, and protests most energetically against any proposal of cession to the United States of America and further requests the Deputy Mayor to convey through the proper channels the text of this resolution the text of this resolution to His Majesty the King, the British Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, and Secretary of State for the Colonies and to the Leaders of all Political parties in Canada and United Kingdom, together with an expression of the self determination of the inhabitants of the Colony to remain as hitherto a self-contained unit of the British Empire.” Daily Argosy, October 28, 1919
Popularity of Motor Cars: About 80 Now in the Colony (1912)
“Apropos the Motor Car by laws which have just been drafted by the Local Government board, it is of interest to note how popular automobiles have become in the colony. It is only a few years since the numbers could be counted on the fingers of one hand and now there are about 80. Still more are being imported and should the rate of importation for the past two years be maintained the motor cars in British Guiana will number a 100 in a very short time… In Georgetown 41 licences for motor cars have been taken out to date, 22 for private use and 19 for hire. In New Amsterdam the numbers are respectively 7 and 8, and in other parts of the colony 17 and 2 the total being 65. There are three or four cars for which licences have not yet been taken out so that the actual number in the colony is about 80… As to the speed limit Dr Whitney said generally that he had no objection to the limit at 18 miles an hour fixed in the Ordinance, but he thought it was highly necessary that the general provisions of the Ordinance as to reckless driving and driving to the danger of the public should be rigidly enforced. He went on to say that he noticed in the bylaws that 18 miles an hour was also fixed as the maximum speed to be obtained by cars when driving over roads within the boundaries of Village and Country Local authorities, but he hoped that it was not within the powers of Local Authorities stipulate the speed of cars passing through their jurisdiction at a rate below that limit, because in that case it seemed to him that it would be necessary for a minimum speed limit to be provided for in the bylaws in order to prevent any Local Authority enforcing any local regulation fixing the maximum speed limit at an absurdly low figure. That would be a hardship on motorists. As to what would be a reasonable minimum limit, he thought it should be not lower than 10 miles an hour.” (Daily Argosy, November 29, 1912)
