Individual Notes

Note for: Sybil Gunning, Private - Index

Alias: /Minnie/

Individual Notes

Note for: Gertrude Jacob, - UNKNOWN Index

Individual Note: Died young

Individual Notes

Note for: Virginia Angelina Mary Bonnett, 20 DEC 1909 - 19 DEC 1964 Index

Baptism:
     Date:   11 JAN 1909
     Place:   Castries, St.Lucia

Burial:
     Date:   20 DEC 1964
     Place:   Castries, St.Lucia

Individual Note:   Virginia's Godparents as given on her Baptism and Birth certificate were James Hackshasse (Hackshaw?) and Margaret Mary (Nen Margaret was a Blanchard). Her burial certificate notes her as aged 58, but in fact she was 54, occupation is given as housewife. She died the day before her birthday and was wrapped in a blanket that Mum had bought her for her birthday. Witnesses at her burial were Lennie L Charles, Frederick E Pollard, Witing Vernon and Vernon Vitalis.

As Virginia and Aggie were illegitimate children they were not allowed to attend the main St.Joseph's Convent School. There was a special day school where illegitimate girls were allowed. As Mam had enough money when Aggie was a girl, Aggie was sent to the convent school in Trinidad, as a boarder. However, there was not enough money to send Virginia and so she went to the day school. Most of Mam's money had been squandered by her son, Henry, by this stage. However, Virginia and Othoniel were given a house as a wedding present by Mam. Virginia lost her first 4 pregnancies, until some corrective work was done on her womb. Barbara's twin was a boy who was still born, as the cord became tied around his neck. Apparently Virginia loved watching Perry Mason. She was called "Degs" by Othoniel. After the war, when not as many ships called into Castries harbour, Virginia used to send the children to check whether the flag at Vigie Lighthouse was at half mast, which meant a ship would be coming into the harbour.

On Sundays the family would have steaks with lettuce salad for breakfast after 8 o'clock mass and then roast meat for lunch and soup for dinner. On Wednesdays and Sundays they also had homemade icecream. Virginia used to make a custard icecream, which was the children's favourite, and also a coconut icecream. It would need to be churned by hand in a bucket of ice and salt. Granny Bernez used to sit at the table next to Virginia to keep her company. There were also the cooks, Mateo and Babes (who later left to go to Barbados). A "chaudier" was an open iron pot, not too deep, that was used to brown the meat. There were no stoves at that time, so Papa built a long hearth with an external vent at one end, divided into about 6 sections and fired by charcoal. The first stove they had was a kerosene one on a stand. Virginia would order 100 St.Lucia loaves in the morning and 100 in the afternoon, 10 pints of milk from JQ Charles and 15 pints from Farrant's Dairy each day. She would collect the cream from the milk, add salt to perserve it and then churn or whip it to make butter. Dennis Devaux ran Farrants at the time. She would also order more than 2 pounds of cheese and butter.

Her father, Captain Biddie tried to contact her shortly after she was married to Othoniel to ask her to come to Scotland. His nephew was an engineer on one of the ships that came into Castries. The engineer could not leave the ship so asked Mr Inglis (Jackie Belizaire's grandfather) to deliver a message. Apparently Captain Biddie had no children. He had a farm in Scotland and wanted Virginia to come up to visit or live? She got dressed to go and meet the nephew, but was too embarassed to walk along the wharf and didn't go, although Papa tried to persuade her to. Never had contact with her father again.

Individual Notes

Note for: Constance G. Williams, - Deceased Index

Alias: /Connie/

Individual Note: Connie's family are from Louisiana.

Individual Notes

Note for: Tom Ferguson, - Deceased Index

Individual Note: Tom was one of the first five people to establish the Archeological and Historical Society in St.Lucia.

Individual Notes

Note for: Philicite St.Rose, - UNKNOWN Index

Alias: Ma /Cite/

Individual Note: Ma Cite is supposed to be from the Ibo tribe. She was from Anse Ivrogne at the foot of the Pitons in Soufriere, and was taken from there by Count DeBrette and brought to Cap Estate, which is very dry. She is supposed to have brought a sugar apple tree with her to Cap Estate.

Individual Notes

Note for: Count De Brett, - Deceased Index

Individual Note: Owned Cap Estate. Went to England after marrying Indian woman.

Individual Notes

Note for: Beatrice Emma Walcott, - Deceased Index

Alias: /Emma/

Individual Note: Bee was the headmistress of the Anglican School in Castries. She became pregnant and so Herbert married her to ensure she would not lose her job. Hilda Fergusson was also pregnant by Herbert at the same time.

Individual Notes

Note for: Andrew Cawsey, 1981 - 16 NOV 1996 Index

Individual Note: Died from meningitis.

Individual Notes

Note for: Marguerite Genevieve Bernez, 10 JAN 1871 - ABT 1964 Index

Baptism:
     Date:   12 JUN 1871
     Place:   Castries, St.Lucia

Individual Note:   Baptised on the day of her parent's wedding, her Godparents were Mr Aurelieu La Corbiniere and Marguerite Johnston. Following the early death of their parents the children were brought up by Felicite Meyers.

Marguerite was educated in Paris and had a beautiful singing voice. She was called the "Petite oiseaux de Ste Lucie" as she sang so well. Francis remembers Granny Alc�e as having a beautiful mezzo suprano voice, and that she spoke wonderful French. She was referred to as "Granny Alc�e" by the family. After Frank died she lived at the smaller house on Grass Street as there was little money, after the businesses were lost in the Castries fire etc. She was tall and skinny with long black hair that was blonde for the last three inches. Andreuille used to go to see her every morning to comb her hair. She went blind eventually.

Individual Notes

Note for: Ernest Foster, - UNKNOWN Index

Individual Note: Ernest's family were from Barados and went to Panama for work. He then came to St.Lucia. Ernest and Martha met while Ernest was working in M&C's department store in Castries. He later became the Castries Town Clerk. Ernest's father was very fair and his mother was very dark.

Individual Notes

Note for: Virgie , - Deceased Index

Individual Note: Virgie worked for Uncle Jacob or for the Alc�e house.

Individual Notes

Note for: Frank Herbert Alc�e, 30 NOV 1870 - 28 OCT 1924 Index

Baptism:
     Date:   29 JAN 1871
     Place:   Soufriere, St.Lucia

Alias:   Francois /Morteau/

Burial:
     Date:   28 OCT 1924
     Place:   Castries, St.Lucia

Individual Note:   Birth and Baptism certificate (Soufriere, Folio 68, #32) was provided by Fr Guiste.
Age is given as 54 at time of death in 1924. Burial certificate (Castries, folio 112, #244) was provided by William Parker. Frank was buried in the vault of Mrs Felicite Meyers. He is listed as a Merchant of Castries, aged 54. The archives list the will as vol 77a, no 43801 and resignation of immovables willed vol 77a no 43968. Son of Noemi Morteau. We can find a birth certificate for Francois Morteau, son of Noemi Morteau, no father listed. We also find the marriage certificate for Frank Herbert Alc�e listing him as the son of Noemi Morteau. We have therefore assumed that his name changed from Francois Morteau to Frank Herbert Alc�e, through being anglicised and taking on his father's surname. In 1919 on the marriage certificate for Uranie, Frank is listed as a Merchant in Castries. His first job was working at "Gimbells" department store for 4 years before he set up his own business. Frank was thought not to be a very affectionate man, and was very strict with the children, giving physical punishment, which is presumably why Othoniel and Uranie did the same. According to Patsy George and family, if the children asked for a shilling, he would walk away, then throw it to them. His wife, Marguerite (Granny Alc�e), became very unhappy and became alcoholic.

FH Alc�e is listed as having paid a sum of 4 shillings for a deed of sale of land from J.Lawrencin & A.Analole to ALG Alc�e (Alexander). Deed was registered 6/1/1914 No 36060 vol 69. According to Andreuille Alc�e, all the boys that Frank had, had Marie in their names except Othoniel.

Frank was buried at Riverside cemetary. In his will, his sons Terence and Samuel are named as the Executors. His daughter, Martha Marie Zephirine is referred to as a minor.
    - Left Noemi (his mother) 3 shillings daily
    - left Noemi and his sisters Therese & Justina, life enjoyment of 22
Grass Street, Castries.
    - Left Mrs Lucinde Laurencin and Cenie St.Cyr �2.00 each
    - Left Bertha Alc�e (Mrs edwin Blanchard) his daughter �20.00
    - Left Maud Alc�e (Mrs Charles Lennox Gabriel de Brossard) his
daughter, properties 61 Victoria St and 23 Boulevard St in Soufriere.