The Last Word
Cayman’s Lost History? Remembering all Cayman’s ancestors
by Barrie Quappe
Host/producer for "Cayman Crosstalk with Barrie Quappe" on Rooster 101.9FM
Friday, July 2, 2004
As regular readers will know, I am an avid proponent of Cayman
history and actively interview Caymanians for Celebrate Our People
every month.
While we must continue to collect these and other historical
accounts and remembrances, we mustn’t forget those who came before
us. This should include those who did not originally come from here.
North America’s geographical proximity is the obvious reason why
we have enjoyed close ties with our neighbour from the North and in
days when we had plenty of mosquitoes and life truly was of a
pioneering nature, there were a few Americans and an Englishman who
fell in love with our tropical islands and worked hard to make it
their home.
For this short opportunity in print, I thought I would mention a
few Americans whom I can recall from earlier years who influenced
Cayman in their own pioneering ways and perhaps jog a few memories
out there to begin to collect memories of these people from the
North. Take a walk down memory lane:
Tom Hubbell – pilot who would take supplies over to the Sister
Islands and was sometimes their only regular contact. He also owned
Pedro Castle. Robert and Jeannie Brenton – Cayman Kai, Grand Old
House and The Wine Cellar; Eric & Suzy (now Soto) Bergstrom – The
Tortuga Club (the original), Mr Bergstrom was the first Director of
Tourism and Mrs Soto now has The Cracked Conch Restauran; Millie
(Thimble) and Leon Hull – The Lighthouse Club and Breakers; Andy and
John Hatch – The Beach Club Colony, SMB; Dorothy and Frank Roulstone
– The Seaview Hotel, South Sound; Caroline Merren – (married to
Orren) Bay View Hotel and Pageant Beach (Hollywood actor, Errol
Flynn stayed there); Ralph Coatsworth – built Rum Point then sold it
to Bruce and Doris Parker, former water-ski champions; Della
Montgomery – Rum Point; Molly Butz – bought Bayview and enlarged it
into a hotel; John Thrash – Southern Cross Club Little Cayman; Ed
and Barbara Oliver – Art; Ms Skip and Georgia McSorley – Marina at
Prospect; Benson Greenall (Englishman) – built the Galleon Beach;
Captain Ben Granger – started a bar in George Town, next to the
Merren’s dry goods store, made out of zinc; Gerry and Winnie Paine –
West Indian Club; Bill Reilly – The Bamboo Bar (Jackson Point), left
for Roatan, Honduras where he died; Bob Fuller – wrote books on
Cayman, shop on Smith Road; Mitch Miller – investor; Burgess
Meredith – investor in Little Cayman (Clothiers from Philadelphia?);
Mr and Mrs Morris Muse – insurance; Mr and Mrs Armstrong – he was a
pilot and she did a lot of charity work; Don and Margaurite Dice –
Cayman Kai; John Vohn Her; Ena and Arthur Schernitz – Driftwood;
Roxie and Ruth Barber – Driftwood; Otto and Kathy Kelser –
Driftwood; Rufus and Sara Stoy – Builder/contractor Cayman Kai &
Seaview Hotel; Mr & Mrs Cecil Fox – Kaibo; Gideon Bean – Seaview; Mr
& Mrs Maurice Muse – Insurance sales; Dr & Mrs Godfrey Paul – London
House/pilot; Mr Whitney – Built La Fontaine Hotel
If I have missed out someone you know, please accept my profuse
apologies and e-mail them to me, and I will include them on the
radio programme as a follow-up.
Contact Barrie Quappe “Newstalk” radio show, Rooster 101.9FM. E-mail
barriequappe@hurleysgroup.com
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