The seafaring and boat-building culture of Anguilla was significantly highlighted over the past weekend, Saturday, April 21.
That was when a patriotic community group in Blowing Point put on an impressive and memorable award ceremony for 21 sea captains and boatbuilders from that southern coastal village. The majority of them, now dead, were the subjects of many bold and daring maritime stories – and were regarded as pillars of Anguilla’s economy and cultural way of life.
The well-attended event was held at Flavours Restaurant at La Vue Boutique Inn – overlooking Road Bay, location of the main operating port and harbour where many of the sea captains and their boats were either registered or sailed from over the years.
It was in reality a family event involving the relatives of the late and intriguing sea captains and boatbuilders. The only boatbuilder of yesteryear, still alive and was present at the award ceremony, though ailing, was Mr. Raymond Conrad Connor, described as “one of the pioneers in the development of Anguilla’s tourism industry.” Now 92, he was known for his boat-building skills which he developed in the 1940s.
The sea captains awarded included the late Mr. Sylvanus Garfield Davis, who, as a shipwright and sailor, travelled throughout the Caribbean; and the late Mr. Joseph Romney (Capt. Joe) who was said to have been one of Anguilla’s legendary captains whose name was synonymous with the former schooner, Warspite, which he captained for many years plying as far south as Trinidad and as far west as the Dominican Republic. Then there was Allan Romney who owned such as vessels as Cable, Wonder Why, Victory, the Endeavour, Deloris, Ilva H and Ilva Primrose.
Others were: Leopold Romney who navigated the Panama Canal on large steel hull ships after having captained the Warspite in succession to Capt. Joe; and who was washed overboard in thick darkness but was retrieved with the help of an oil lantern. Mr. Benjamin Leopold Davis, a pioneering captain and navigator; Ishmael Iaculmm Connor who sailed the famous Anguilla/Santo Domingo route and traded in the Virgin Islands; Mr. George “Charlie” Hodge who travelled to various Caribbean islands and who, along with his brother, Cyril, built a racing boat, in St. Kitts, named Speed and Comfort which was later changed to the Hog Boat and a second racing boat, Stinger; James Alpheus Mussington whose boat, the Baby Lyn, opened a chapter in the history of Anguilla’s ferryboat service between Anguilla and St. Martin; John Christopher Connor who owned and captained such boats as: The Starlight; Anna Christobelle; Brenda, Quick Step, Mozelle, Florence and Katja. His legacy is continued by his sons Navin Connor, Roderick Connor and Samuel Connor, owners of ferryboats, charter and cargo boats; and Mr. Floyd Lake, one of the first ferryboat captains who travelled the Anguilla/St. Martin/St. Maarten route.
Other recognised legends were announced as being: Albert Davis and John Mack Connor; Joe Connor; Berris Romney; Albert Romney; Percy Romney, Sonny Boy, Allan Romney, Edward Connor and Collins Niles.
The keynote speaker was Mr. David Carty, owner of Rebel Marine Boat-building Company and a well-known historian. He thought “it was enormously gratified to see Anguillians celebrating a generation that, in his view, was perhaps the greatest generation Anguilla ever had.” In explaining this, he said: “A lot of us today feel that Anguillian history began in 1967. It did not. We are grateful to the revolutionary leaders for all that they did, but they stand on the shoulders of giants. And those giants, so many of them, were boatbuilders and seamen.”
Mr. Carty, a keen storyteller, reduced what may have been a long and boring account of boat-building and seafaring, to a set of colourful and stories that were of much appeal and fascination to his listeners. Those stories told about the enormous skill, sacrifice and daring of the long-gone, renowned sea captains and sailors. The stories also told about the boatbuilders who mastered the art and skills of boat-building including the creative and fascinating launching of large schooners – a far cry from the small racing boats these days.
The entire award ceremony was ably and jointly chaired by Journalist and Broadcaster, Mr. Keithsone Greaves and Culture Bearer, Mr. Calvert Carty.
The organising group said in a written statement as regards the list of honourees: “We hope that as Anguilla transitions into mega yacht tourism that these legends are kept alive with their pictures, craft and stories displayed in Anguilla’s Museums of Natural History. We thank them for their pioneering, brave spirits and talents. They were Anguilla’s first CEOs. May their souls rest in peace.”
Among the invitees were Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks; and Mr. Curtis Richardson, the Elected Representative for District 6 and the Minister of Infrastructure and Communications. They had no role to play as the event was solely a community and cultural function.
