entitled "Heritage'' written in 1979.

1841: JAMES ATHILL, SHIPBUILDER James Athill was, on the May 11, 1841, a leading shipbuilder and an outstanding St. Georgian and citizen.

Born in Antigua in 1788, Athill came to Bermuda when he was about nineteen years old, mastered the trade of shipwright, and, before Abolition, established himself as a freeman and a freeholder to be reckoned with.

Shortly after July 30, 1827 (in time for his name to appear in the 28th January 1828 list) he applied for and obtained a `Certificate of Good Character' from the St. George's parish Vestry and, at a subsequent but unknown date, he married a black woman named Ruth Albuoy.

In 1829, Athill (spelt Athell) was operating a whaling establishment and, on June 2 thereof, the Gazette reported that he had taken one whale and that it had yielded fourteen barrels of oil.

On January 9, 1834, he joined thirty-seven other free black men in signing the petition to the Legislature often referred to above, and in it he identified himself as a freeholder and shipbuilder and, on March 31, 1836, he launched a significant vessel, as reported in the Gazette five days later, in these words: April 5: The London Packet was launched on Thursday last from the building yard of Mr. James Athill. The beautiful style in which she entered the water was, we hope, but an augury of the successful and lengthy race she will run thereon. London Packet is owned by James Musson, Esq. and is intended, as may be seen by an advertisement in another column, as a constant trader between these Islands and the Port of London. We wish the undertaking every success.

Notwithstanding Musson's declared intention, the London Packet appears, at the outset at least, to have spent much time in and out of Canadian and West Indian ports and, eighteen months later, Athill built an 131 ton schooner for the same owner for the London run. And, judging by the sizeable advertisement which Musson ran from December 1837 to the 24th of the following April, Musson must have been as pleased, if not more so, with the schooner as he had been with the Packet. The advertisement was captioned: FOR LONDON The New Coppered and Copper Fastened SCHOONER " AGNES '' and it read in part: The above Vessel was Built after the most approved model of the present day for Speed and Safety by Mr. James Athill, under his own immediate inspection, with that of Owners, for a London Trader; and no pains or expense has been spared to make her in every respect a suitable Vessel. She has accommodation for Twelve Passengers in the Cabin and as many in Steerage.

The Agnes made her maiden voyage, to London, on June 12, 1838 and experienced very heavy weather, particularly in the Bay of Biscay where she had to throw over her deck load of cotton. However, she returned to Bermuda on September 7 laden with merchandise for Musson. Later, according to the Gazette for December 25, she was `considerably improved' in London for her spring sailing and, seemingly, taken over by another agent.

The names of other owners for whom Athill may have built vessels up until 1841 are fugitive but it is evident that he built at least a third one for Musson during that year, for, on May 11 thereof, the Gazette carried this item: Launch: The Brig James , of 203 tons burthen - an elegant specimen of naval architecture - was launched from the Building Yard of Mr. J. Athill, St.

George's, on Saturday last. The James is owned by James Musson, Esq., and will sail during the present month for London.

Whether Athill engaged in any more shipbuilding after the launch of the James (see 5th December 1843 item in praise of the James, p.32) or limited himself to boat building is not indicated in available records.

His rateable property peaked at 1440 during the year in which he built the Agnes but declined to 670 during that in which he launched the James - the difference being consequent upon the disappearance of the full amount of 100 for `Merchandize' and the reduction of the 720 for `Timber' to 50 - but all other details are fugitive. In 1841 his financial assessment reflected the sum of 670.

Athill's St. George's freehold was not registered amongst the 1834 valuations but did appear in 1835 and each subsequent year. Moreover, with the very substantial rating of 500 he was eligible to vote, to serve as a juror, and to stand for election as a Church Warden and for the House of Assembly.

He was not listed amongst the five St. George's candidates for Assembly seats in 1837 though such would not have been surprising, judging by his reputation for political activity and enterprise.

He may well have been one of the first black jurors to whom James Christie Esten made reference in 1837. It is very likely that he voted at the first post-Abolition General Election in 1837, and it is certain that he was elected a Church Warden of St. Peter's Church in 1837.

TRANSPORTATION BY BOAT OR BUGGY Courtesy of Bermuda Archives: Front Street, Hamilton, Bermuda 1890s.