Ships & Stamps Dockyard Tour

Arriving a little late, today I joined a few older American and Canadian tourists on a tour of Dockyard by Tim Rogers, who has his own family connections to the 19th century history of the site. Tim guided us along the docks edge and around various areas and buildings, mixing his knowledge of Bermuda and Dockyard history with the details of design, construction and human tales only to be found or best recounted on site. Tim brought us back to the experiences of the convicts, slaves, naval units and Royal Engineers all once living here, pointed out the characteristic raked masts of 'Spirit of Bermuda' and the authenticity of her top decks, directed our gaze to Casemates and explained the practical but proud, aesthetic original design of this and other buildings, highlighted the special deisgn of the great watertank (still holding water!) and boat loft found behind the Clocktower, and helped us reimagine the Victualling Yard as a busy working abbatoire, cooperage and prep site for ships stores. Tim wrapped up with a presentation on the Postal Packet Boat history, using reproductions of postal covers and letters sent and received out of Bermuda and describing the changes in vessel technology over time and the remainders of this history in the living landscape today, such as the remnants of 'warping poles' for ships to tie up along the shoreline. Tim's fascinating tour taught me many new things about Dockyard and underscored the depth of this site and the potential for his (and my) opinion that it deserves World Heritage status.