As regards the Collins Wall build, the motive of the build, the conditions the laborers endured and the consequences of the build, my grandmother, Maria Thurston Baker from Cat Island who lived on Cockburn Street east, gave me a story contradicting this one. She would be 120 years old today. And I, who "jumped" the wall from the depressing McCullough Corner side in the 50's to attend school on the east side, have another version of social conditions, east and west, which were not pretty. The racism was brutal. And the tolerance of and acquiescence in this state of affairs by many Black Bahamians was stunning. But at this point, also, arose the Black Resistance... An honest story of this era would be welcomed!
I lived on the west side of this wall on Lifebouy Street which is now "Chippy" Chipman Street. I would walk along this wall to get to the laundromat which was on the Gibbs corner and through the wall to get to school at DW Davis. Growing up I had heard about the racism which was associated with the wall construction and even in the early eighties it was clear the economic difference on each side of the wall . I remember the homes along collins ave, I would pass them on my short cut home, these homes had roses blooming in the front yards. I would stop to smell them being careful never to pick them. The always smelt wonderful. While my side of the wall may not have been considered wealthy, I only recall happy childhood memories of going to the pump to collect water and shooting marbles in the dirt and all the trappings of childhood in the summer ....fruit trees, baggies, cup, fresh bread ...oh the good ole days 🤣
Ladders were placed against the wall in Fort Fincastle and Mason's Addition I had friends who climbed over the wall to go to school at Eastern Prep, Junior and Senior schools.
As regards the Collins Wall build, the motive of the build, the conditions the laborers endured and the consequences of the build, my grandmother, Maria Thurston Baker from Cat Island who lived on Cockburn Street east, gave me a story contradicting this one. She would be 120 years old today. And I, who "jumped" the wall from the depressing McCullough Corner side in the 50's to attend school on the east side, have another version of social conditions, east and west, which were not pretty. The racism was brutal. And the tolerance of and acquiescence in this state of affairs by many Black Bahamians was stunning. But at this point, also, arose the Black Resistance... An honest story of this era would be welcomed!
I lived on the west side of this wall on Lifebouy Street which is now "Chippy" Chipman Street. I would walk along this wall to get to the laundromat which was on the Gibbs corner and through the wall to get to school at DW Davis. Growing up I had heard about the racism which was associated with the wall construction and even in the early eighties it was clear the economic difference on each side of the wall . I remember the homes along collins ave, I would pass them on my short cut home, these homes had roses blooming in the front yards. I would stop to smell them being careful never to pick them. The always smelt wonderful. While my side of the wall may not have been considered wealthy, I only recall happy childhood memories of going to the pump to collect water and shooting marbles in the dirt and all the trappings of childhood in the summer ....fruit trees, baggies, cup, fresh bread ...oh the good ole days 🤣
an aerial view on a map of the wall wouldve been perfect to get an idea of where it started and stopped
This is wonderful
Very interesting. So the wall was broken down to make way for roads that were being built, in sections.
Ladders were placed against the wall in Fort Fincastle and Mason's Addition I had friends who climbed over the wall to go to school at Eastern Prep, Junior and Senior schools.
Very interesting perspective.