Hall of Fame

Buxton

Guyana’s Premier Village

Charting A New Development Path

The Premier Village

History & Culture

Organisations & Clubs

Emancipation

Tipperary Restoration

The Hall of Fame

BARBARA THOMAS-HOLDER

Educator and Social Worker

Barbara is the eldest child of Edwin (Buddy Wah Wah) and Pauline Barnwell-Thomas. She attended Buxton Congregational School, Smith’s College and Buxton Secondary School. She went on to obtain a Teacher’s Certificate from the Lillian Dewar College of Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UG.

Her teaching career took her to Bladen Hall Multilateral School and President’s College.

Gaining a scholarship to attend Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, she earned a Master’s degree in Social Work. She returned to join the faculty of Sociology at the University of Guyana, where she still serves.

Although she has been residing at Beterverwagting for the last 20 years, she can be seen visiting Buxton at least once a week. Always willing to lend a listening ear and a helping hand to others in need, this devoted daughter of the village has served as a social and education co-ordinator for CIMBUX and other organisations

Barbara is the wife of Justice Franklin Holder; mother of Fiona Holder, Fianna Holder-Phill, Kaslyn Holder-Collins and Jaleel Holder; and grandmother of Joel Phill.

Kudos Barbara! You’ve done Buxton proud.

WINIFRED IVY THIERENS-GASKIN

Scholar, Teacher, Journalist, Politician, Pioneer of Women’s Issues, Member of Parliament

Winifred Thierens-Gaskin, born 10th May, 1916, was the second of six children born to Irene and Stanley Thierens, at Buxton. She first attended St. Anthony’s RC School, where her father was the headmaster, then went to St. Joseph’s Mercy Convent School in Charlestown, Georgetown to continue her primary education. In 1926, she won the Buxton Scholarship, which secured her a place at Bishops’ High School. Because of her extraordinary performance at the Oxford and Cambridge Senior Certificate Examinations, she received a rare exemption from a certain part of the British Guiana Scholarship Examination, at which she was the runner-up for the national scholarship.

Instead of pursuing further academic studies, Winnie secured a job in the postal service, valiantly fighting off controversy over her appointment as the first woman to earn such a position. She was also employed as a teacher at St. Mary’s RC School, Brickdam and St. Joseph’s Mercy Convent School. Winifred also served at the District Commissioner’s office at Enmore and as a journalist for the Argosy Newspapers.

Firmly devoted to the struggle for the empowerment of women, she dedicated herself to several causes. She joined the BG Women’s League of Social Services, then later teamed up with Janet Jagan and others to form the Women’s Political and Economic Organisation.

In 1953, she joined the People’s Progressive Party, but left it in 1955, following Forbes Burnham in the party’s split. She became a founding member of the People’s National Congress, when it was established October 1957, and spearheaded the formation of the party’s Women’s Auxiliary division. She also rose to the party’s important office of Chairman.

Winifred Gaskin, who married West Indies cricketer Berkeley Gaskin in 1939, was appointed Minister of Education, Youth, Race Relations and Community Development in 1964 and served in that capacity until 1968. During her tenure, she revolutionized the system. The first of the eleven secondary schools constructed during her tenure, Manchester High School was renamed the Winifred Gaskin Memorial School in 1978, in her honour.

In 1968, she was appointed the country’s High Commissioner to the Commonwealth Caribbean, and was stationed in Jamaica. She returned home in 1976 and took the position as head of the PNC’s Foreign and Economic Affairs. While serving in this capacity, Mrs. Gaskin took ill and died on 5th March, 1977.

The remains of Winifred Thierens-Gaskin were interred at the St. Anthony’s RC Cemetery, Friendship.

Recognized for their Distinguished Achieve-ment and/or Outstanding Service

Lennox Mboya Wood

Barbara Thomas-Holder

Eusi Kwayana

Dr. Montague Hope

Eustace “Kamos” Accra

Winifred Thierens-Gaskin

EUSI KWAYANA

Educator, Author, Playwright, Lyricist, Poet, Politician, Member of Parliament, Government Minister

Born on 4th April, 1925 at Plantation Lusignan, ECD and named Sydney Evanson King by his parents, the “Sage of Buxton” is, above all, a statesman.

Eusi obtained his primary education from Lusignan Primary, St. Anthony’s RC (Buxton), St. Mary- ye-Virgin (BV) and Cumberland Methodist (Berbice) schools, and studied privately to obtain a degree in Economics.

In 1940, at the young age of 15, he began teaching at the LBI branch of St.Mary-ye-Virgin Anglican School. He founded a secondary school-County High School-in Buxton, in 1956. This institution was renamed Republic Co-operative High School in 1970, in keeping with Guyana’s new thrust upon becoming a Co-operative Republic that year.

As a young man, he joined with Martin Stephenson and John Abrams to organize the Buxton Rate Payers’ Association in 1949. Other prominent members of the group included SIA Glasgow, an athlete at the time and its Secretary; George Younge of the older brigade; and women like Mrs. Alberta Harry and Mrs. Vera Griffith. The group successfully represented villagers on issues that undermined development of the village. Eusi later became a member of the Buxton-Friendship Village Council, and rose to become chairman of the local authority.

Eusi Kwayana features prominently in Guyana’s political history. He was a key member of the Political Action Committee, founded by Cheddi and Janet Jagan and forerunner to the People’s Progressive Party, which Eusi helped establish in 1950. He won a seat at the April 1953 general elections and became a member of the PPP cabinet, serving as Minister of Communication and Works.

Upon the split within the PPP in 1955, Eusi chose to not join with Messrs. Forbes Burnham and Lachmansigh Rai on the grounds of ideology. He, however, left that party in 1957, after disagreements on whether Guyana should join the West Indian Federation, which he strongly favoured.

In 1967, he accepted an invitation to become the non-executive Chairperson of the Guyana Marketing Corporation, and resigned in 1971. During the same year, he was expelled from the PNC after, as a member of the African Society for Racial Equality, he publicly called for a new political system of joint ruling between the leaders of the two major ethnic groups, with partition as a last resort if such negotiations failed. His proposal was labeled ‘racist’ by the expelling party.

Kwayana founded the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), a pan-Africanist organisation.

In 1974, he joined forces with Moses Bhagwan, Brindley Benn and Clive Thomas to form the pressure group-the Working People’s Alliance, which later attracted the iconic political activist and scholar, Walter Rodney. The WPA became a full-fledged political party in 1979.

Perhaps least known to many of today’s young generation is Brother Eusi’s accomplishment as a lyricist. Among his works are the anthems for the PPP, “Oh Fighting Men”; the PNC, “The Battle Song”; and the WPA, “People’s Power”. He also penned the lyrics for the Demerara Youth Rally’s song.

As a playwright, his first play was “Prodigal Daughter”. He wrote the script and lyrics for “Christus the Messiah”, the music for which was composed by the late and distinguished musician, Cecilene Baird of BV. He is also credited with the script for “Promised Land”, a dramatization of the Birth of Buxton in the village movement. This play was presented by students of County High School, and it was awarded the 1965 national prize at the Theatre Guild in Georgetown. It also won three other prizes, adjudged by notable Caribbean playwright, Derek Walcott.

Eusi Kwayana resides in San Diego, California with his wife, Tchaiko. They are parents to three children.

DR. MONTAGUE HOPE

Medical doctor

Buxton is a known reservoir for brains. The illustrious academic achievement and the prestigious professional career of Dr. Montague Hope, a Buxtonian, born and bred, are testament to that verity.

Dr. Hope received his elementary education at the famous Friendship Government School where he passed the Common Entrance Examination with flying colors. He then went on to the distinguished Queen’s College to receive his secondary education where he stood out as an exemplar of academic excellence. “Solo”, as he was known to most of his friends, matriculated at the University of Guyana in the field of Pharmacology. He graduated as a Pharmacist and went on to become a Medical Doctor, a feat few dare to tread.

For many years, Dr. Hope indefatigably and unreservedly provided health care services to the poor and underprivileged in the village. As a mentor to the many youths in the village, he typified the commendable commitment of ‘giving back’.

Dr. Hope’s brilliant academic performance, his strong love and care for people, and his extraordinary loyalty to Buxton puts him in this special hall of famous Buxtonians. We salute him for his human greatness.

Dr. Montague Hope departed this life on August 6, 2009. We surely miss him.

Submitted by Dr. Clayton Quintin Bacchus

EUSTACE ACCRA (KAMOS)

Master Plumber; Economical Consumer

For decades I have paid tribute in verse to people in local areas who have passed. Among these that I recall are Nana Browne, Sidney Browne, Miss Irene, my brother, Malcolm, Mama Freda, Floyd Andries, Hector Lee, Molly Browne and Sydney Sumner. Notes on many of these appear in “Buxton Friendship in Print and Memory” as I think it is a serious fault not to let people know what individuals have done for the community, or even what positive role they have played.

Naturally, at this distance, in the USA, I missed many. One I regret missing is the late Mr. Eustace Accra. Mr. Accra earned the name Kamos. Why, I do not know, but I know that in Buxton, as soon as you slip you and your whole lineage have a nick name. Many of the nick names I knew for my age group were nick names from their father. They themselves had nothing to do with it.
Eustace Accra was tall, linear and curved slightly forward from the waist. He walked in long strides and his large feet turned in towards each other. He rode a bicycle, as unattractive as his clothes. He did not wear attractive clothes. He had a view of Africans as over spenders. He was exposed to much public ridicule from all age groups, though thankfully not from all individuals His mother was Belinda Grant, a village stalwart; a tall, barefoot woman on working days who could step in heels on Sundays.

Eustace Accra and I became friends about 1938. He was a plumber by trade having been an apprentice of Donald French, the first motor cycle owner in Buxton-Friendship, a grow mate of TR Makonen the well known Pan Africanist, and David Talbott, and a master plumber.
People considered him selfish because he escaped consumerism altogether. He read everything and listened to everything and made his analyses. He attended public meetings but would stand on the fringe. By listening to all he formed well considered positions of his own.

When I was writing “Buxton-Friendship in Print and Memory”, his was one of the memories I found fruitful, and it always could be verified. He was the only person who could list for me all the previous baker shops of the village and their location. Clearly he had learned a lot about matters of “substance” from his elders.

He was a mathematician, master of mental arithmetic and of the slide rule.

Privately he relieved many cases of domestic distress of the financial kind by his ability to advance loans. He had a sense of property and acquisition.

My students were always amazed when I told them of the unknown qualities and achievements of Mr. Eustace Accra. His vocation was a high earning one and on the other side he did not engage in lavish expenditure. He was daily on the grind with his canvas bag either cycling or walking to his job location. He worked as a private contractor and seemed to be in daily demand with households with plumbing along the coast and also a number of firms. He took public transport as it suited him.

He and Ms. Wilman had a common law relationship. She was a daughter of a small successful pork knocker who acquired some houses and land as an investment from his mining. Together they had two boys and two girls. Mr. Wilman was well known in the days of the boxer Joe Louis as one of the three places boxing fans could go to listen to a boxing match. The other two places at one time were Correia’s rum shop and the Levi family home.

He knew of the general lack of embrace of the people for his lifestyle. Inwardly he laughed at them for their extravagance. When he did build a new home, it was well built in one storey with plenty of room. His plumbing and construction experience came into play.

Mr. Eustace Accra was well informed about personal histories and public affairs. He could discuss cricket with any fan. All in all he did not cheat his community and gave to it more than he ever expected from it.

Submitted by Brother Eusi Kwayana Source: Stabroek News June 16, 2009