Dear Sir,

There has been talk in the House of Assembly that Sir George Somers was a slave owner. As a student of Bermuda history all my life, I can find no evidence whatsoever to support this.

Sir George carried no slaves on the Sea Venture in 1609, he never owned a slave during his short stay in Virginia in 1610, and when he died later that year in Bermuda, he mentions only one English servant in his last will and testament, to whom he leaves money. So surely we can disregard Sir George Somers having ever been a slave owner.

However, I am in agreement that Somers Day should be kept apart from the emancipation celebrations during the two-day Cup Match holiday. While not negating Somers Day in any way, it simply doesn’t belong in Cup Match.

JOHN COX

Devonshire