Historical society presents parting gift to Premier

The Society’s president Andrew Bermingham explained the gift was the society’s way of recognizing Dr. Brown as the first Premier to pay an official visit, which he did in 2008.

“We wanted to invite him back one more time to give him thanks for the support we have had from government in recent years,” Mr. Bermingham added. “So we asked Mr. Milton Hill to make something for the Premier that would be symbolic and that he would appreciate.”

Pilot gig

Mr. Hill spent several weeks on the intricately carved cedar pilot gig, which pays homage to former slave James Darrell.

Mr. Darrell was granted his freedom in 1795 for piloting  Admiral George Murray’s ship, the 74-gun HMS Resolution, into Murray’s Anchorage on the North Shore near Tobacco Bay, St. George’s.

“We are a tiny cog in the wheel of tourism,” Mr. Bermingham told the Premier at the gift presentation yesterday. “Over the past 20 years we have maintained a simple register of visitors and I’m pleased to note that in May of this year we had 1,300-plus visitors to this museum. These are the best figures since 2006.”

In response the Premier thanked Mr. Bermingham and Mr. Hill for the gift and said: “Every time I come here I see evidence of growth. I’m happy you’ve given me the number of tourists you’ve had to the museum.

“You wouldn’t have seen an increase in your numbers if we hadn’t seen an increase in ours.

“I am so delighted that the society has dedicated so much energy to make sure Bermuda’s visitors can touch and feel evidence of the real Bermuda, of Bermuda’s past.”