2 Sunday Times Magazine
guyanatimesgy.com
JANUARY 8, 2017
Times Feature
N
A section of present day New Amsterdam
ew Amsterdam is located about five miles from the mouth of the Berbice River on its eastern bank and is situated at the confluence of the Berbice and Canje Rivers. It is connected by a national highway to Rose Hall, Corriverton and Crabwood Creek. About 1733, the name New Amsterdam was given to a little village, which sprang up around Fort Nassau several miles up the Berbice River. In 1785 it was decided to abandon Fort Nassau and move to the neighbourhood of Fort St. Andries, lower down the river at the confluence of the Berbice River and its tributary the Canje River, which is now the site of present day New Amsterdam. The original ‘Nieuw Amsterdam’ grew up being Fort Nassau some 55 miles up the Berbice River during the first half of the 18th century. It was a small township with buildings mostly strung out parallel to the river bank. The inhabitants of the Town were required to pay a fixed sum annually to the Dutch Reformed Church and the Hospital, and were required to keep the public paths and the dividing land
between their lots free of bushes and grass. At some point after 1784, the Dutch decided to move the seat of Government downstream to the confluence of the Berbice and Canje Rivers, and the town of New Amsterdam was born. This site was selected because it provided a natural outlet for a very extensive and productive hinterland. The name ‘New Amsterdam’ was chosen because most of the shareholders were from the province of Amsterdam in Holland. The first Ordinance on record relating to this new town was dated January 11, 1791. Under the terms of this Ordinance, lots were to be given out along the river front, each owner being required to empolder his land and provide drainage. George Pinkhard, in a “Letter from Guyana” describing New Amsterdam, about 1806, indicated that at the end of the Town, close to the Canje Creek, was the imposing edifice of Government Housing which was built of brick in the ‘European Style’. Along the [stet] covered with troolie or plantain leaves, other with shingles.
New Amsterdam ferry stelling
In 1812 a Commissary was appointed to plan and carry out the construction of the roads and bridges and work out a proper drainage system. A special Department of Works, the Winkel Department, was set up to deal with all repair works required by the residents. The workmen were originally slaves who were housed in one of the older parts of New Amsterdam. They were given their freedom in 1831, three years before slavery was abolished throughout the British West Indies. The newly freed slaves were allowed to keep their houses in Winkel Village and in 1890 their descendants petitioned the Combined Court of British Guiana for the grant land on which the houses stood. This land passed into ownership of Winkel heirs. Winkel has been preserved as a ward of the Town. In May 1825, an Ordinance was enacted to establish a Board of Management for the Town. There were two subsequent Ordinances: one in October 1825 and the other in September 1830. In 1838, a “Board of Police” was established and this was responsible for the Town’s af-
fairs until 1844 when a “Board of Superintendence” was established. During this period the following came into being: the Town Hall of the Tudor architecture with a tower approximately 75 feet; the New Amsterdam Market sited below the Town Hall occupying an area of 26,400 sq. ft.; the Supreme Court which was housed in the Colony House; the Canje Swing Bridge built by an English Engineer; The Mission Chapel Church and School; All Saints Scots Church and School; The Water Work; introduction of electricity; the Botanic Gardens. The Board of Superintendence functioned until September 1, 1891 when legislation was enacted to incorporate the Town into a Municipality. The membership of the Council was drawn from the defunct Board of Superintendence and Neil Ross McKinnon, K.C., who was president of this Board, became the Town’s first Mayor. McKinnon framed the Town Council Ordinance and was also the finan-
Market, and the Sanitary Inspector. Religion, too, has had a tremendous influence on the way of life in New Amsterdam. Christian work in Berbice started with the Lutherans who built the first church in New Amsterdam in 1803. This religious body was also credited with the establishment of the Geneva Academy, which was the first industrial school in the colony. The next Christian Movement centered around the Anglicans. Anglican work in New Amsterdam began in 1811, and at first their services were held on alternate Sundays in the Lutheran Church and after in the Colony church (Scots Church, Vryheid Street). After this,the Scots Church was erected in 1820 with help from the Public Treasury. Eventually the Anglicans acquired their own building 1838. About 1848 the Methodists started evangelism in New Amsterdam. Seven years after the Anglicans arrived in New Amsterdam, Rev. John Wray, an Englishman,
The Electric Lighting Order of 1900 gave the electricity undertaking legal status as an entity owned and controlled by the New Amsterdam Town Council. As a utility, the Council was able to satisfy its citizenry with an essential service while at the same time earning a fair amount of revenue, which was ploughed back into other capital works of the Town, and to keep the levying of rates at a minimum. However, due to a world crisis in October 1973 interims of the availability and sudden rise in the price of fuel oil and subsequently on spare parts and services, it became uneconomical for Power Stations within close proximity to operate independently. Consequently, in keeping with the economic policy of the Government, the New Amsterdam Power System was absorbed into the larger system of that of the Guyana Electricity Corporation on the September 1, 1979. New Amsterdam had been the centre of culture and music also. Some of the outstanding per-
Main Road, South, New Amsterdam, British Guiana n.d.
cial representative for New Amsterdam for a number of years. He took a deep interest in the welfare of his constituents and was one of the sons of New Amsterdam of whom the citizens were very proud. His successors continued to consolidate and develop the Town by putting various infrastructural works in place. The first Council composed all the members of the former Board of Superintendence were: Neil Ross McKinnon, K.C. (Mayor); John Downer (Senior Councillor); Clement Phillip Gaskin (Councillor); Isaac Edward Adrian Patoir (Councillor); Hanoel de Mendonca (Councillor); Henry Rynveldt (Councillor); and Bruce Harvey Stephens (Councillor) With Officers of the Council being Town Superintendent, Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, Clerk of the
used his personal funds to purchase a part of Lot 12 Chapel Street for the erection of the Mission Chapel Congregational Church. Before the construction of this building, services were conducted under a tamarind tree, which was close by the proposed Church site. In 1911 the Independent Congregational Church was established after a rift between Reverend Robert T. Frank and the Congregational Union. This Church was renamed Frank Memorial Church after the death of Reverend Robert T. Frank. Another major Christian denomination which was established was the Roman Catholic Church. Today, there are several other religious organisations in New Amsterdam, such as the Episcopal, Bahai, Muslim, Hindu and Hare Krishna. All these religions and churches have equal status in law.
sonalities in this field are Edith Pieters, Norma Romalho, Joyce FerdinandLalljee, Moses Telford and Rosemary Ramdeholl – to name a few. There were also the highly acclaimed ‘Lads and Lassies’ and ‘New Amsterdam Music Society’, choirs trained by Edith Pieters and Ruby McGregor, respectively. Other outstanding musicians include Sammy Nicholas, Millicent Joseph and Edith Ferdinand. Today, however, the best choirs are to be found in churches like (the) Adventists, the Salvation Army and Grace Temple. Pop music was provided by bands like the Living Ends and S.T. Groovers. There were also the exciting Soul Riot Concerts and Viking Choir with a repertoire of classes and calypsos. Names like Chuck Gerrard and Errol Wong (Wongie) must go down to posterity. The citizens of New continued on page 9