The Bahamas Historical Society is operated by a dedicated management team and a group of committed volunteers.
Andrea Major
President
2014 to present
New Dreams
New Horizons
Elected Officers of The Bahamas Historical Society 2022 – 2023
President Andrea P
Munnings Major
1st Vice President Jim Lawlor
2nd Vice President Sybil Allen
Treasurer Subrenna Higgs
Assistant Treasurer Hilda Ferguson
Recording Secretary Godfrey Kelly
Corresponding
Secretary Jim Lawlor
TRUSTEES:
Dr. Grace Turner Virginia Ballance
Anthony Roberts
Commodore (Retired) Tellis Bethel
Lesvie Archer Cora E Carey
COMMITTEE:
Dr.Vernell Allen, MBE
Godfrey Kelly Penelope Nottage
Dr Ronald Knowles Thomas Wardle
EDITORS:
Dr. Grace Turner
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE:
Patricia Glinton-Meicholas Felicity Johnson
Dr. Lisa Lawlor-Feller Joanne Smith
Lesvie Archer. Jim Lawlor
ADVERTISING:
Jim Lawlor
MUSEUM ADMINISTRATION
& PUBLIC RELATIONS
Andrea P Major
Thanks to Our Volunteers!
Esther Deryckere Andrea P Major
Sybil Allen Patricia
Moutardier Smith
Travis Thompson Thomas Wardle
E-Blast Newsletters:
Jamaal Miller
Facebook, IT:
Robert Dorsett Media
Video Recording:
Subrenna Higgs
FOUNDERS & PAST PRESIDENTS
Our founders and past presidents would be proud of the our efforts to ensure that residents and visitors are able to participate in the foundation, which was laid in 1959 to preserve Bahamian history.
LADY MARY ARTHUR
(Wife of Bahamas Governor Sir Oswald Raynor Arthur)
Founder of
The Bahamas Historical Society
5 October, 1959
She was endowed with that inbred sense of purpose and duty.
The desirability of a Bahamas Historical Society was forcefully impressed upon her mind during a cruise through the West Indies in the summer of 1958, where she found many active societies.
SIR GEORGE ROBERTS
Founder-President,
1960-1964
After the inaugural meeting on that memorable afternoon of October 5, 1959, Lady Arthur was elected Patron and Sir George Roberts President. Miss Mary Moseley, the doyenne of Bahamian historical enthusiasts, who was then ailing, was made Honorary President. The Vice Presidency fell to Mrs. Harcourt Malcolm in recognition of her husband’s valuable contributions to history. The posts of secretaries were filled by Mrs. H. G. Christie and Mrs. Harry P. Sands.
The worried question that Sir George frequently asked in those days was: “What are we going to do with the Historical Society?” And the answers he received were not helpful.
SIR HAROLD
GEORGE CHRISTIE
President, 1964-1973
Meetings were held at various venues:
Government House
Mary Moseley’s house
Rand Compound
Dundas Civic Centre
DR EDWIN
PAUL ALBURY
President, 1973 – 1983
At long last we had a permanent home; no more shifting about; no more demoralizing uncertainty. And under the direction of Paul Albury, himself an accomplished researcher, writer and speaker of history, the Society could flourish and other things were falling into place.
JUNE MAURA
M.B.E., M.V.O.
President, 1983 – 1988
GAIL SAUNDERS
President, 1988 – 1999
The Archives, under the direction of Mrs. Gail Saunders, was developing into an important centre of primary research; a determined effort was being made to introduce the teaching of Bahamian history into the schools, and The College of The Bahamas was getting underway with teachers better qualified and more inquisitive than our country had known before.
DAVID CATES
President, 1999 – 2006
Treasurer, 2006 – 2015
Introduction of website and emails.
STEPHEN ARANHA
President, 1988 – 1999
JIM LAWLOR
President, 2009 – 2014
“My first aim as President was to get to know my committee, volunteers, members and visitors – I did and they are wonderful people. My second aim was to clean and revamp the Museum and make it more attractive. I am happy to say my third aim to build up the membership was successful. Finally, I hope that I got people to become much more interested and aware of history – my regular newsletters were appreciated and I think people did start through my newsletters to sip sip history”.