Leroy Tubby Richardson

Minna Love A Slave

I’m not much of a sports guru when it comes to some forms of sports. I have to at this point express my views on this new suggestion by a well-known organization that one of the days of the celebrated cup match special held in Bermuda every year during the month of late July early August be changed from the name Somers Day to Mary Prince day. Most Bermudians have heard or read the story of Mary Prince because of her drive to fight for her freedom and she had her narrative written about her enslavement. Each year this celebration still causes much discussion among the people of Bermuda. When the abolition of the slavery law was passed in England in 1833 this made the holding of slaves illegal. Upon receipt of this official news in August 1/ 1834, the house of Assembly in Bermuda passed the Emancipation Act freeing some 5000+ slaves. This was for many the most important social change to have taken place in Bermuda. It still however had it’s ups and downs but all persons on the Island were determined to adjust or die trying to escape the injustice. The black population was given their freedom albeit without any real means of financial support and the rights to at least have some of the privileges enjoyed by the white population of this Island was accepted for at least the time being. At least two friendly Institutions were formed by August 1834. The Young Men Friendly Institution in 1832 and the St. George’s Friendly Union in 1834. These Friendly Institutions provided a strong support system for the black people of Bermuda. When the Friendly Societies of the Grand United Order and the Independent Orders reached these shores between 1852 and 1879 they were all about supporting their fellow brothers and sisters. They learnt about the sport of Cricket and eventually organized their own games. They celebrated a day of coming together each summer socially among the various lodges which existed of the Grand United Order and the Independent Order most were descendants of slaves. The outing became so popular that the game of cricket grew among them and eventually was played for a cup hence the name cup-match.

Although the game of cricket was played in Bermuda by officers of the British Garrison in the 1840’s it certainly did not involve the black population of the Island. So the game took on a life of it’s own within the Friendly Society movement with so much excitement and vigor that the result of what this form of sport brought to the population left little to be desired. Several friendly games were played among the lodges prior to 1902 as families gathered with picnic baskets with its most sumptuous food waiting for all to partake at the end of the fun filled day. It was decided to hand the game over to the two lodges Somers Pride of Indian Lodge #899 in the East and Victoria and Albert #1027 in the West.

The game of cricket became more competitive and as it grew each year it was decided to turn the event over to two clubs one in the East St. Georges Club and the other in the West Somerset. Since 1944 it has become a public holiday and we are the only Island world wide that gives a two day holiday for such an event. The days are referred to as Emancipation Day and the other as Somers Day. There is lots to learn about the game but my pet peeve is the idea that the powers that be decided to change the name of one of the days to Mary Prince Day. Nice idea to some but I feel this does an injustice to Mary Prince she should not just have one day to remember her although I do agree that dropping the name Somers Day was a super idea in my humble opinion it should never have been called that in the first place. Mary deserves her own statute that will stand in honor of her and tell her story not just on one day but be viewed every day after all maybe we did not realize when the statue of Sally Bassett was placed on the Cabinet grounds we unknowingly contributed to the “Me Too ” movement thanks to Sally Bassett albeit so many years in coming she was well ahead of her time in fighting for some form of justice not just for herself but many who endured the same fate.

I don’t expect a statute for every slave but Mary Prince should be considered. I know I’m not just a single voice in the wilderness wishing for something like this for Mary. When we look at the ravages of slavery Bermuda had its share of disgrace, fear and pain was there any regrets? When we think of slaves they were like sacrificial lambs free for the abuse and taking.

When we bring to mind Sarah Sally Bassett, her grand daughter Becky, Mary Prince, Hetty Ingham, Minna Love, Jemmy Darrell and so many others can we really be content to take one day and name it after the sacrifice of one slave? Here is where Slavery Versus Cup-Match(Cricket). We should not for get that it was the brain child of the Friendly Societies that brought this game to the fore for our people. It was the Slaves that took off from work not fearing if the Master punished them to view the game they did this for us. Why not name the second day after an outstanding cricketer from the very early beginnings when the game was introduced. Let the name reflect what it stands for A friendly gentlemen’s game and good sportsmanship full of vigor and anticipation of who will win in the end. Emancipation day is already representative of the freedom of the slaves. Let the name of this incredible holiday “Cup-Match” represent the true meaning of cricket and the descendants of those slaves who first introduced it into our community our History and let the colors signify our comradery Red and Blue verses Blue and Blue. Hail to our founders.

Researched and Submitted By Joy Wilson-Tucker Historian