QUEEN'S PARK

Queen's Park was established over ninety (90) years ago. It occupies land that was bought in 1782 by General Gabriel Christie, who was then commanding the British troops in Barbados.

The following year, he then built Kings House (which was later renamed as Queen's House during Queen Victoria's reign), as a residence for future army commanders-in-chief in the region. Some time later, two additional buildings - "The Retreat" and "The Pavilion" were constructed as quarters for senior staff officers.

On the withdrawal of the British Garrison (1905-11), all this military property was bought by the Barbados Government for £3,200.00.

"The Retreat" was given to a school - Harrison's College, and the rest was transferred to the St. Michael Vestry, together with a grant of £1,000.00 to have the grounds converted into a public park.

Work on the development of the park was the responsibility of a board called the "Park Commissioners", which commenced the work in 1907, with the assistance of the First Lady of the island - Lady Gilbert-Carter, the talented American-born wife of the island's Governor General. The park was officially opened on June 10, 1909.

A pump house is also situated within the park, which was used to pump water from a well for the use of the park. It is apparent that this building was erected at the time the park was laid out. The building was extremely picturesque, and housed a clock which was supported by Grecian columns.

Queen's Park is also the home of one of the largest trees on the island - the Boabab Tree, which is approximately 61½ feet in circumference. The Boabab is not a native tree of Barbados, but comes from the African continent. It is believed that in earlier times, the playing field and a large area in this vicinity, was once a lagoon, and that the seed, having floated across the Atlantic, drifted into this lagoon, coming to rest on the edge of it, took root and grew.

Queen's Park was also the venue of the annual Agriculture Exhibition, which ran for two days and was held every December since 1911 until 1972, when it was discontinued, reputedly because of high costs and a decline of public interest.

Several visits were made to Queen's Park by famous people since its inception, and visits included such persons as -

• Her Royal Highness Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstine - April 22,1913
• His Royal Highness, Prince Albert, Duke of York, who later became His Majesty George VI of England - March 10, 1913.
• Her Majesty the Queen and H. R. H. Prince Philip - February 1966.
• Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, former President of the USA - October 10, 1913.