A bit of information about Nellie’s Walk. Recently I was asked by an associate from the African Diaspora Foundation if I knew anything about Nellie’s Walk. I forwarded to them this bit of information. Since which the managers of Hamilton City Hall have used some of it as a historical excerpt along their renewed walk way. However I feel it is still important to keep this information as a reference in the event some one else may want to review it.

Neille’s Walk is a semi-circular path tracing the edge of the reflecting pool which graced the front of Hamilton City Hall. The walk way existed when old Hamilton Hall occupied the site and was named in honour of Helen “Nellie” Rees, one of three daughters of a Hamilton Physician who each made their mark in local history through their involvement in the Island’s suffragette movement. The Rees family home stood at the Reid Street end of a long narrow lot that stretched North on Church Street, today Phillips house occupies the Southern portion of the property while Imperial Building anchors the plot on the North. along with her sisters, Charlotte and Liza, Nellie was the more outspoken person for women’s rights and was also a leading person in the local Arbor Society. Going about the city in a horse drawn cart pulled by her pony named ‘Merry Legs’ Nellie singled handily planted many of the trees which today shade Hamilton Streets, and she was also responsible for a row around Hamilton Hotel entry and drive. She attended them personally and her name was bestowed on the walkway under the trees. Eventually the Hotel was demolished to make way for the City Hall in 1950 . That portion of the lot now serves as City Hall Parking Lot. The City Hall graces the large lot adjacent to it. Many things took place in the area of City Hall including the Theatre Boycott in 1959. Today the City Hall houses a Theatre and several exhibit rooms, and also host many activities that embraces the general public.

Joy Wilson-Tucker Submitted and Researched.