MY BELMONT OF THE 1940s : PART II

Growing-up in Belmont in the 1940s was a pleasurable and memorable experience.
At the end of World War II, Belmont,like other parts of Port-of-Spain experienced the resurgence of Steelbands. After an absence of more than five years ,Steelbands took to the streets on VE Day, May 8th,1945 and later on VJ Day and the Celebrations of the end of World War II. on August 14th ,1945
The early Belmont Steelbands were Rising Sun and Sunland,and later Stepyard, Dem Boys ,Dem Fortunates, Dixieland,Tropitones,Stromboli,Chetniks from Gonzales and Bataan from Olton Road. There were other smaller Steelbands.
Rising Sun ,was under the leadership of champion soloist Dudley Smith, a member of TASPO,with Flagman“Arthur Tramcar”Andrews. In later years , Prior Drakes a “Belmont boy” became the flagman for Invaders and in the 1970’s ,Dr. Ashton Parris another “Belmont boy” became the Manager of Invaders and arranged for Invaders Steelband to visit Washington D,C.
The first popular flagwomen were Yvonne “Bubulups”Smith and Mayfield Camps, both from the “Hell Yard” Steelband of 102 Charlotte Street. “Hellyard Steelband” in later years was named “Neal and Massy All Stars” Steel Orchestra.
Home of the Tropitones Steelband,which included many St.Mary’s College students,was the Thompson’s backyard in Darceuil Lane. Tropitones caused quite a stir when “dem white boys” first appeared on the streets one Carnival Monday. Four of the Thompson boys became Captains with BWIA, and five of their sons are qualified pilots.
I remember the J’ourvert morning when the revellers in Rising Sun, many waving small tree branches, were chanting an African Song (possibly an Orisha chant) as the band proceeded to down-town Port-of-Spain,as was the tradition.
On Carnival Monday nights,the Belmont boys travelled to Woodbrook to “jump-up”in Invaders, where the girls were. The girls were always chaperoned by an adult family member.
Mas men from Belmont included Harry Basilon, Harold Saldenha, Jack Brathwaite, and later Wayne Berkeley, celebrated metal crafstman Ken Morris, Fancy Sailor Band leaders Jim Harding ,and his protoge Jason Griffith. Popular Old Mas Bands were William “Sheppy” Shepherd, Keto Rodriguez, John Mollenthiel ,the Darceuils with Carl Blackman and Hugh Hill. Popular “Monday Mas Bands” were “Borroquites” of Bel Eau Road and the band led by John Mollentheil. I remember the occasion on which “Dem Boys” Steelband produced a well-received Costumed band , named “Viva Zapata”.
Important Belmont personalities included Sir Ellis Clarke,who became the President of Trinidad and Tobago,Sir Hugh Wooding.Sir Alan Reece, Sir Lennox O’Reilly(born in St,Lucia), Politicians Albert Gomes,Francis Prevatt, Anthony Jacelon and Frank Stephens, Commissioner of Police, Jim Rodriguez, Dr.Steve Blizzard, Harold and Kwailan La Borde, Edric Connor, High Court Justices Monica Barnes, James Davis, and Gorge Collymore, Dr.Harry Collymore, Professor Ken Julien, Professor Harry Phelps,Dr.Ralph Phelps, Kathleen“Auntie Kay”Warner, Dancer/ Choreographer Jean Coggins, Julia Edwards the Limbo Dancing exponent, and Kenrick Barnes ,who became a Colonel in the Jamaica Regiment,and was posted to London as the Jamaican Government’s Military Attache.(not verified) . He was the father of John Barnes, who represented England at Soccer on numerous occasions.
The best known Sports Clubs were Everton F.C.(1929-1933), Colts F.C.,Dynamos, Summerville,Belmont Dodgers, Luton Town F.C., Riversdale, Siwel and Cricket Clubs Shannon and Stingo,the Belmont Orphanage Boxing Gym under J.M.Douglas, which produced Boswell St.Louis, Easy Boy Francis and the West Indies champion “Gentle Daniel” James.
Sport personalities and athletes included J.R.N.Cumberbatch ,Eric Pierre,and later Basil Ince and Edwin “Pee-Wee”Roberts(two-time Olympic Bronze Medalist),in athletics. Alfred Charles and Arthur Maynard ,the legendary Everton F.C. back-line. In 1937,Alfred Charles became the first Trinidadian soccer player to play as a professional in England, Shay Seymour of Colts F.C.who also played professionally in England for many years, Geoff Chambers of Maple Club and coach of Dynamos F.C., Alan Joseph,who played as a professional soccer player in Venexuela, Horace “Pepper-wine” Lovelace, and Conrad Brathwaithe, Matthew Nunes who also played for a brief period as a professional in England, and Pat Gomez, the latter three were members of the only West Indies Soccer Team which in 1959 toured in England. Pat Gomez was the Captain of the team.
In cricket Belmont had Arthur Maynard ( Full-back of Everton F.C.)who scored 200 n.o. in his only International Cricket match. The Captain of the Trinidad Team, Rolph Grant, had declared the Trinidad Inning closed and thus deprived Maynard ,then on 200 n.o.,of the opportunity to become the batsman with the highest run score at the Queens Park Oval, then held by Patsy Hendren of England ,with a score of 205.
Then we had Andy Ganteaume who scored a century on his maiden and only Test appearance for the West Indies, Brian Davis, Charles “Charlie”Davis ,who scored a Century at the Lords Cricket Ground in London, Kenneth “Kenny” Roberts, Andrew Clarke, and Simpson Guillen ,who represented both the West Indies and New Zealand at Test Cricket. I was unable to verify whether Clarence Skeete ,who represented Trinidad at Cricket, was a “Belmont boy”.
We had Professional Wrestler “Golden Ray Apollon”, soccer and boxing referee George Cumberbatch, Harrison Skeete, the World’s Masters Weightlifting Champion for 18 consecutive years, until his retirement at age 82 (inducted into the World’s Hall of Fame of Masters Weightlifting), Mervin “Pee-Wee” Wong, a celebrated Cricket statistician and “Kanaka” the grounds-man who prepared matting wickets on the Queens Park Savannah,( At that time ,Cricket was played on Matting Wickets . There were no Turf wickets in Trinidad at that time). In Cycling we had Cecil Phelps ,Leslie King , and Barlow (St.Vincent),in Rifle Shooting(Bisley) Charles and Frank Lassalle, Gerald Stewart and “Jackie” Wilson,in Amateur Boxing Louis Barradas,Stunt Cyclist Gregory, Carl Blackman in Basketball and James Jackson and Timothy “Timmy”Patino in Race Walking.
Netball playing ladies included, the Bernard sisters, Rita and Phyllis, the Williams sisters, Jessica Smith, Dulcie Bowen, and Eileen Clunis. In Hockey we had the Fernandes sisters, Joyce, Jean and Paddy,Nola Boisselle, Irma Davis, Vilma Spencer and the Richards sisters. There may have been “stars” in other sports whom I do not remember.
Doctor’s offices in Belmont were Dr.Sam Carter, Dr.Brown, Dr.Hayes and Dr.Cyril Joseph,the father of Champion wrestler“Golden Ray Apollon”. In those days ,doctors made “home visits”. There were no Dentist’s Offices in Belmont. The Lambie’s dentist was Dr. Farrell, with his office being located on Duke Street.
Churches and places of worship included, St.Francis R.C.,St.Margaret’s E.C.,Belmont Methodist, Gospel Hall, the Wesleyan Church, and the Rada Community on Belmont Valley Road.
Belmont Schools were : Belmont Boys’ Intermediate(de Four), Providence Girls’(Sister Aloysius) , Haig’s Girls High School (Miss Graham), Belmont Boys’R.C.(Caesar), Belmont Girls’ R.C.(Miss Pollard and later Miss Luke), St.Margaret’s Boys’ E.C.(Maynard), St.Margaret’s Girls’E.C.(Melville Memorial),Belmont Methodist(Collymore), Ideal High School ( Ellis),originally at Oxford Street before relocating to Jerningham Avenue in the 1970s,Modern Academy(Mitchell) and St.Thomas High School (Young).
Some of the Belmont “boys” and “girls” who became priests or nuns, and whom I remember, include Frank Caesar, who is a Canon of the Anglican Church , Raymond Reid, Michael “Mikey” Pascall, who left the Priesthood,got married and migrated to Canada sometime in the late 1970s. On an occasaion , Father Pascall brought his “Old Mas” Band from Cedros and Icacos to “play mas” in Port -of-Spain. Also remembered were Cyril “Hook”Ross, Albert Clarke and his brother Hillary Clarke, Rex de Four,Carlton Hoskins, Monsignor Christian Pereira, the R.C.Cathedral’s Administrator and Vicar General, his brother John Pereira, the Abbot of Mount St.Benedict Monastery, Maria Clarke, Sister Paul ,who is the sister of Albert and Hillary Clarke, and Aloysius Ashby, Sister Aloysius, who became the Principal of Providence Girls Catholic School. There may be others whose names I do not remember.
Boyhood activities included the traditional games of Football and Cricket, of pitching marbles, flying kite, and “spinning top”. There was roller skating on the streets, backyard table tennis ,and weightlifting. Some of the boys “ran jockey” in the Dry River. During the Rainy Season, bathing in the rain was a habitual and enjoyable practice.
Many boys kept tropical fishes, pigeons or rabbits which were fed with grass called “rabbit meat” and with vegetable skins from the kitchen. This was an inexpensive method of converting waste into edible protein.
Saturday morning activities included cycling to Blue Basin in Diego Martin or to Dean’s Bay in Carenage. During the “mango season” it was visiting upper Belmont Valley Road “for mango”. The land owners on whose lands the mango trees grew, were tolerant with the trespassers on their lands. Today these lands are all covered with houses and access roads. Another week-end activity was catching fresh water fishes ,Guppies “millions”,Coscorob, and Hart’s rivulus or“jumping guabines”, in the upper and then unpaved section of the St.Anns River. A Saturday alternative was the 9.30 am or the 1.30 pm.movie show at the Olympic Cinema on Erthig Road or at the Royal Cinema on Observatory Street, where the Admission fee was one penny.
During school vacations children were given a “clean-out”,using a “bitter-tasting”tisane made from senna leaves, “worm grass”, and other medicinal herbs.
Our Sunday mornings, after church, were often spent playing cricket, kicking ball or flying kite in the Queens Park Savannah. Sunday afternoons were for casual strolls on the“Pitch Walk” around the Savannah and in the Botanical Gardens, meeting with girl friends, purchasing peanuts from “Mile-a-Minute”or listening to music rendered by the Police Band, under the baton of the conductor Major Rupert Dennison. A tramcar ride around the Savannah or the purchase of an Ice Cream cone for your girlfriend at the Queens Park Cafe was a proud moment. A visit to the Trinidad Dairies on Phillips Street for a Banana Split or a Sundae was a great accomplishment.
Another enjoyable activity was attending the Police Band Concerts at the Botanical Gardens on moonlight nights. What a fun time for all teenagers,boys and the girls who were always chaperoned.
The Cocorite Swamp was not too far away to cycle when “crabs were running”. In 1972 reclamation of the Cocorite Swamp was commenced, houses were constructed and the area was named Westmoorings.
Belmont was a true community which had developed over many generations. There was respect and love for each other and assistance was always available whenever needed. Before 1941 and the arrival of “Small Islanders”, mainly from Grenada, and St.Vincent and the Grenadines, to work on the construction of the US Bases at Chaguaramas, at Cumuto (Fort Read and its Waller Field Air Force Base) and smaller Airstrips in Central Trinidad( Edinburgh, Camden and Carlsen ) , there were few newcomers to Belmont.
Published in the Trinidad Newsday Newspapers
in May 2014 . Revised on 10th July,2022 Ian Lambie
Please appreciate that the above has been written from a rusty 89- year old memory. With most of my potential resource persons having already departed and with no one to assist me, I am hereby requesting that you forgive any omissions and inaccuracies which you may detect. (Source: Ian Lambie, July 26, 2022)