The Trades Men

Cranston Warren, Claude James, Daniel Augustus, William F Wilson 3rd.It’s time again to brag about our trades men and our black trades men in particular. Being a product of a family that was involved in most of the trades etc. Plumbing, Carpentry, Masonry, Engineering, Ministry, Teaching, Painters you name it they did it during the early era in Bermuda. Many of their stories have never been told why would they be, to many it was off no importance. I take this opportunity to put out information yet again about many off them. It’s interesting that during black history month articles show case Cranston Warren, Daniel Augustus and Claude James all three individuals hail out of the North Village area whom I knew and their families and their presence through Central School (Victor Scott) Very few villagers would say they did not attend Central School and receive their early education. It’s no surprise when one reads Cranston Warren had his early education at Central and in 1951 he completed his learning there and chose to become an apprentice in one of the building trades. Few parents could afford to send their children of to higher learning unless they were lucky enough to obtain a scholarship. So here in is the problem.

Cranston soon became a carpenters apprentice and worked for the late Mr. Horace Smith, a Carpenter Contractor . When he reached age 18 he was promoted to the position of head carpenter. In addition to general carpentry he was able to lay out simple roof structures. He worked for several Carpenter contractors including Mr. Charles Lathan a former Lodge Brother of the Independent Order off Oddfellows. Mr. James Brown, Mr. Dillas, and Mr. Austin Wilson a leading figure in the Bermuda Industrial Union. He worked for several building firms both in the field as a carpenter shop foreman. He can be credited for building numerous houses and well known buildings among them American International , Rosebank Theatre, Gas and Utility and Fairmont Southampton Beach Club. Cranston was even Instrumental in building his own home. In 1973, he started a career with the Bermuda Public Department as a Depot foreman and was the first black man to hold the position at both the Western and Eastern proposed sites. He went on to further his education in Bermuda and United Kingdom he was promoted to Depot Superintendent at St. George’s and retired as the Assistant Building Manager in 2002.

Likewise Claude James the son of Jonathan James and brother to Doctor Clarence James a former parliamentarian and sister Ida James a government worker in the health Department and Conrad Henry and Winfield James. Claude was born in 1934 he sat an exam which he passed with flying colours and this helped him to really decide the path he would take in his future. He went into the trade of plumbing. He started in that trade at the age of 16 and stayed in this chosen profession throughout his livelihood. He was fortunate to be one of many who began training at Dockyard and eventually leave Bermuda on a ship called M. V. Georgie and arrived in Liverpool, England, there he worked along with other workmates at the Portsmouth dockyard for five years. There was issues faced as a black man in England during that time but this did not faze him or any of the other Bermudians that had travelled with him. Mr. James returned to Bermuda with all the Certificates required to work at his trade. His first job was working for E. J. Burrows who was tops in the plumbing field. Claude’s handy work can be seen at the City Hall in Hamilton, the Bermuda Map Pond at the Palm Grove Gardens, Newstead and lots more notable places in Tuckers Town.

Who next would enter the line of trades men none other than Daniel Augustus, born in Devonshire in 1909 he too left school at an early age and learnt the building trade from his elder brother David a trade that the rest of his siblings learnt as well. Without a doubt Bermudians can boast of the out standing work (buildings) built by our black Bermudian men. Daniels work can also be seen about the Island. He worked for Burland, Conyers and Marirea for 40 years, he also worked for government. He built the Market Place store, the old Hamilton Police Station, Shelly Bay Post Office and many more.

Willian F. Wilson 3rd. a name synonymous with North Village because of the great work that was done by many of the Wilson Ancestors. William was the son of William F. Wilson 2nd and Agnes Louise Wilson(Smith) he was one of 10 siblings. He was born in 1905. William was taught by his eldest sister who taught for a brief time as a teacher at Silk House on Parson’s road. He wanted to be a preacher like his father but because of a slight stutter he reframed from that and became a carpenter. William’s father was known to many of his close friends as W.F. he was a master mason and played a major role in the landscape of the Island. He was one of five Lodge men that was responsible for building the first black theatre in Bermuda. the Colonial Opera House which sat majestically on the corner of Victoria Street and Union Square built 1903 and additionally The Manchester Unity Lodge Building in 1923. Unfortunately the Opera House was destroyed by fire in 1976. He also assisted with the building of Alexandrina Lodge #1026. and the St. Monica’s Mission Church and the North Village Band Room, where he became the first Band Master. William’s son William F. Wilson 3rd. known to his friends as Bussey took up the trade of Carpentry and became a carpenter foreman. He was a dock yard worker bringing in 10/- a week to support his family and mother upon his father’s death in 1932. he worked with Hutching and Miliani and many other contractors. He worked Island wide with many of his work mates building well defined structures including on the base at the Kindley Field. William worked on the Rose bank Theatre which now houses the mailboxes shipping service. He was responsible for the cedar work frames that adorn the large show windows of H & E Smiths’ and Triminghams buildings and the Bermuda National Library. Like most of our black trades men he built many homes including the first recreational club in North Village, building on to his parents home stead and his own. Some of his work mates were Norman Podgson Sr., Burnell Trott cedar craftsmen, Jim Gihon, Mr. Ottley and Mr. E. Black.

They were proud men and did not leave any stone unturned for each structure worked on and completed was a testament to their skills and ability in their respective fields and the pride it gave to them to know in years to come their names will be mentioned maybe in history of the legacy they left for the generations that follow, because for too long if no one told their stories they would become just another empty page of forgotten men.

Researched Historian Joy Wilson-Tucker