The Barbados Coffins

Happy Holidays everybody!

Although I won’t be trick or treating I appreciate that for most, it’s a harmless holiday so I hope all goes well for you.

I hope this story goes well to help you enjoy this special day...

Being a fan of unsolved mysteries, I have encountered two cases that defy logic. One is Amityville, the house on the hill, in North America.

The other is the mystery of the Barbados Vault.

Known humorously as Rhinna-land, other notable figures who can trace their ancestry to this island include the US Attorney General Eric Holder, retired boxer Muhammad Ali (Clay) and rapper LL Cool J.

Other US noticables include the Dash family and deceased boxer Joe Louis, who can also trace their ancestry to people from this island in the sun as many have the same family name.

Then you've got the Rock family - U.S funnyman Chris Rock take note.

The same goes for the West surname. KanYe may take an interest.

The retired Brazil footballer Pele can also trace his ancestory to this country.

The same can probably be said of the Republican former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Barbados is a small island. It’s a well known fact that if you have the same surname, then you’re related to that person, whether you’ve met - or like - them or not. Nevertheless, back to the issue in mind.

There was a burial vault belonging to the Chase family, who were slave owners on this island. In the early nineteenth century, the head of the family was a harsh and ruthless man called, wait for it, The Honourable Thomas Chase, who was a tyrant to both his slaves and family.

His daughter, Dorcas Chase, is believed to of starved herself to death because of her dad’s brutality. In July 1812, her coffin joined those already in the vault, a woman called Goddard and an unnamed baby.

On 9 August, 1812, the coffin of Thomas Chase himself was carried down the steps to the family volt in Christ Church, an area of Barbados that’s still known to be highly valuable.

As the heavy stone slab was moved, the lamplight revealed that inside the crypt, an intruder had been inside, as the baby’s coffin was found upside down in a corner, while Dorcas Chase’s coffin lay on its side. Mrs Goddard was undisturbed.

The odd thing was that there was no sign of forced entry. But because Thomas Chase was a much-hated man, his family assumed the desecration was the result of rebellious black slaves.

Therefore the coffins were simply replaced and the vault closed up again but this time a marble slab sealed in place with cement. But the slaves who carried out the work were alarmed as they suspected black magic, better known as voodoo.

Yet when the next burial took place, four years later, the vault was again in confusion, with all the coffins in different positions and again, four weeks later, when a man murdered in a slave rebellion, was buried there.

Yet the cement around the slab was untouched. Examination of the vault showed there was no other way of entering the vault.

When the next burial took place, in 1819, there was widespread curiosity, as even if the cement was chipped away, the slab protecting the entrance to the vault was very heavy to move and this was because the heavy lead coffin of Thomas Chase was against it.

Yet again, all of the coffins had been disturbed, except Mrs Goddard, who was left leaning against the wall.

When it comes to voodoo, it’s a well known fact that all countries in the Caribbean have people who practice this belief. Nowadays, in Barbados, this is associated with the north, past the town of Speightstown (pronounced Spice-town) but in the 1800s, this belief was practised all over Barbados, a country that is partly in the Caribbean Sea.

The other half is in the  in the Atlantic Ocean.

As a result, the governor of the island, Lord Combermere, who was present at the 1819 burial and heard about the rumours surrounding the last, ordered the floor of the vault should be scattered with sand, which would show any footprints of intruders, and a small pile of sand should be at the entrance of the crypt with the spade left in.

Eight months later, in April 1820, guests at a dinner party held by Lord Combermere, began to discuss the vault and it was decided to re-open it.

When they approached the entrance, the pile of sand and the spade were still there, untouched. The Lord was pleased with himself.

But when Combermere opened it, he and other guests must of been wetting themselves. All of the coffins, except Mrs Goddard, were scattered. The sand on the floor was undisturbed.

This time, Lord Combermere ordered the coffins buried elsewhere. The tomb has remained empty ever since.

This is a case where all the natural explanations fail. The coffins cannot have been disturbed by floods, or Mrs Goddard’s wooden coffin would have been disturbed.

The story cannot be dismissed as pure fiction as there were too many witnesses who said the same thing, including the local man of God.

Furthermore, why would a vicar, a govenor and other respectable people of that day want to invent such a story? Your guess is as good as mine!

Up to this day, no one has succeeded in explaining the riddle of the Chase family vault.

Although I'm of Barbadian descent, for this month, I'm glad I don't live there!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ONE AND ALL!

Andria

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Rest in peace, dear cousin.

I’d like to say I’m very grateful to have known Paul Sealy.

He was a good, loving, kind and courageous man, who clearly made a difference in people’s lives for the better.

I’m proud to say John was my cousin and I’m very proud to say all who knew him will miss him dearly, including me.

He really was someone who made the room shine wherever he was.

When I last visited him and his girlfriend, he made me welcome, happy and pleased to be in his presence.

I will always miss you, dear Paul and hope that today, your funeral, will be a splendid celebration of your life and show how much you meant to everyone.

I hope your sister Jennifer Dibb, (another beloved sister of his, is Jackie) who has worked very hard and tirelessly in organising your funeral today, knows she too, is appreciated and valued, not just by me but by everyone who knew her brother.

John Sealy, along with Jonathon Dibb, you now sleep with the stars, now and always.

Love

Andria

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My, my, my...

Well racism in football rears its ugly head again.

This time, the victim’s were members of the England under 21 players against the so-called soccer fans of the Serbia under 21's - I won't repeat the details as I'm sure you already know them.

I admire all of the English under 21 players and support staff, who clearly had a lot to endure both on and off the pitch.

I also am grateful that the Serbian Football Association has finally apologised for the actions of some people during this match.

But I also remember South Africa during the days of Apartheid – state approved racism, where White people were the so-called ‘master race’.

Then the Asian people were the next level, then the Coloureds, who were of mixed black Hottentots and White ancestry – they too, like the others, racially abused black people, using the derogatory word, Kaffir.

Then there are the blacks, who were the lowest, who were denied access to even a decent education.

The reason why I mention this is because there was one thing that did finally end this awful system: sanctions.

There were others who embarrassingly undermined this by going to Apartheid-run South Africa, such as the pop group Queen.

Let’s not forget the England rebel tour, when cricketers, led by Mike Gatting, went to this country, without official approval, in the 1980s.

Then there was another tragedy during the 1980s regarding English football: hooligans.

For years during the 1980’s the English Football Association would say sorry to other country’s until the horrible crush of 39 Juventus fans on the 29th May 1985, at the Heysel Stadium, in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

That’s when UEFA finally lost its patience with the English Football Association just saying sorry.

Again, as with South Africa, there was only one thing left to do: sanctions.

This is why I do understand the old saying that goes along the lines of; sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

The bottom line is, sanctions against South Africa and the English football clubs in the 1980s did do the job and made them both accountable and responsible.

I’m very glad to say Apartheid and hooligans at English football matches, as a whole, are a thing of the past.

Yes, there are a few South Africans who do still wave the old Apartheid flag of South Africa.

Hooligans at football matches can still be a problem, as was demonstrated three years ago at the FA Cup match of West Ham against Millwall FC.

But on both issues, there is firm action within England to deal with such undesirables.

The English FA made sure all rioters both within and outside the West Ham ground were caught and dealt with by the legal authorities.

Those South Africans, regardless of their race, who now wave the old flag of South Africa during rugby matches in the UK will now be arrested for inciting racial hatred, which is an offence under the Police and Criminal Evidence act of 1984, also known as P.A.C.E.

So please don’t make excuses like Chicago Bulls player and Serbian national Marko Jaric who says Britain’s link with slavery and hooliganism means we have no right to criticise Serbia fans for alleged racism.

Slavery happened more than 200 years ago – time and society within the UK has moved on since!

Mr Jaric should make a visit to the Anti-Slavery International museum in Liverpool, which will help to explain the meaning of the word SLAV.

It doesn’t take much to see the link, as the four letters of Slav - there are more than 10.5 billion in Serbia (courtesy of Wikipedia) should tell him something.

All that’s missing is the letter E at the end and then you’ve got the meaning of that word!

Andria

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To see other examples of my work, click here.

I did it!

Yes, I was at the the relay, on Saturday October 13th, being held to re-open six (now seven, as the Willesden Green library is facing problems) library's in the London Borough of Brent.

My start began at 1pm, which also meant I got caught in the showers (rain).

A made-up torch, not as glamorous as the Para-Olympic or the Olympic one, was used and passed on by all the bearers, myself included.

We all read out some words before sending the torch onto someone else.

I walked from the former Tokyngton ward, to the New Barham Park site, which is on the high road, Wembley, near Argos.

Because of my illness, I had to pause many times but I made it!

As I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: ONE LIFE, LIVE IT.

My words are from Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem, Ulyses.

It’s a long poem, so I spoke these last few words, which also sums up how many of us feel about the library closures.

It also sums up why, despite the court judging against us twice, we're still here:

...see the great Achilles, whom we knew.

Though much is taken, much abides; and though we are not now that strength

Which in old days moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by

Time and fate but strong in will.

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.

To see copies from work I’ve done, over the years, click here.

Light and Peace

Andria

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I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT!

I was travelling on public transport, on the buses, on Sunday, after 1pm – bear with me, as I’m getting to the point.


Waiting with me, at the bus stop at High Road, Wembley, outside KFC, was a woman in her fifties, with her carer, who was a younger woman, also black, in her thirties, ready to push her in the disabled spot on the number 18 bus.

When her bus came, I didn’t take it, as I was waiting for the number 182.

Sadly the disabled woman and her carer didn’t get onto that 18 bus either.

Why was this so?

Because although the bus driver did lower the bus and ejected the tram, there was another woman, her race isn’t important, who was using the same space for her child, in the buggy, who wouldn’t eject either, from the said area.

The carer politely said to the recent mum, also in her thirties, the buggy can be folded up (although it was heavily laden with shopping from a superstore) and her child could sit in her lap, as her child was at least 18 months old.

It was also said to the mum, the person in the wheelchair doesn’t have the same option as her child in the buggy, hence the reason why wheelchair users have the priority of this space but she refused to relent and made it clear, herself and her child wasn’t going to budge from that particular space.

I don’t even want to imagine what it’s going to be like for someone in the same situation, regardless as to what role you identify with, wheelchair user or new mum.

I have to admit, before I became disabled, I was horrible to a mum, travelling with two kids under four years of age, using the underground (Bakerloo line) towards the Elephant and Castle, about seven years ago.

I simply couldn’t understand what she was doing, travelling with two children who were so young, after 7.40am.

Now I realise my own stupidity and freely give this woman my sincerest, honest and heartfelt apologies.

Also, what goes around comes around.

In order to reach important medical appointments in central London, has meant I too, have to bee on public transport at various times of day.

It’s also meant that I am now being verbally abused, as I’m getting insults from the public, on both the buses and the underground, as angry people who are desperate to get to their workplace on time.

Many bosses don’t offer people the chance of flexible hours, despite having those same employees staying on over and above their hours, to make sure a good product is produced at the end of the day and in good time.

I’ve also noticed that when it’s the other way round, well, who’s willing to penalise them self?

As for the woman in a wheelchair and her carer, well they waited for another bus that came seven minutes later.

If this woman and her carer were outside London, I have a feeling they would have been waiting much longer.

Disabled people and mums with young children are a part of society and want to contribute just like everybody else.

But with problems like those I’ve just mentioned, it’s becoming clear why they still have struggles asserting their human rights, which all of us have.

I too have sat in the disabled section of busses and get insulted by able-bodied people.

A year ago, one unkind able-bodied woman, who was in her 50s and white, was sitting with her teenage daughter (who was also white), in the first two noticible seats of a red double-decker bus, when she said to me in front of everyone: “you shouldn’t be sitting there.”

I also noted there was an able-bodied white woman in her 30s sitting next to me, yet she said nothing to her.

When I explained I have Multiple Screlosis and a folded-up walking stick, which means I have every right to be sitting here, she then had a volley of excuses for her behaviour.

Before coming off the bus, I said loudly: “some people need to think before they speak!”

I stand by that, as it’s a well known fact we as a society still pick on vulnerable people, as the disappearance of five-year-old April Jones in Machynlleth, Wales shows.

Light and Peace

Andria

PS, to see some of my work, click here.