The above photo is the beautiful public library building a gift to the people of Barbados by Andrew Carnegie in 1905. Located in the same compound of the old courts of justice, it has fallen into a state of disrepair and had to be closed. Funding is being sought to restore and repair it. I had spent many Saturdays as a child and as a teenager borrowing books from here. From the adventures of the famous five by Enid Blyton , the Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope, William by Richmal Crompton, Billy Bunter by Frank Richards, Chalet School series by Elinor M Brent-Dyer, Nancy Drew by Carolyne Keene. These books gave me a feeling of adventure and a thirst for travel. Classics like Jane Eyre, Heidi, Wuthering heights, Oliver Twist, and Little women will live forever. And ooops I forgot Grimm's fairytales, Treasure Island, Gulliver's Travels, and Around the world in eighty days.
The old supreme court building on Coleridge Street.
the registry and old law courts building
The new courts of justice building is now being landscaped. This site was the former home of the Barbados Foundry which was demolished to make way for this building.
an impressive entrance of the new judiciary building
Another view of the registry and the courts. The Montefiore fountain at the left was gift to the city by a Jewish Businessman in 1865 in his father's memory and to commemorate the arrival of piped water to the city of Bridgetown
The old buildings that houses the judiciary in Bridgetown has been a bone of contention for many. It has outgrown itself and lack of upkeep made it almost an inhabitable place to do business. It had served the island well during the colonial and post colonial era. It also houses the main or central police department. I was there approximately twenty years ago for my divorce and thought at that time what a dreary place to work and to be. Barbados follows the British judicial system. By the way divorces take place in a private judge's chambers with both parties and their lawyers. We address the judge by the title of Milord even though the American title of your Honour is accepted. Couples can file for divorce after one year of separation on the grounds of, if the marriage has irretrievably broken down beyond reconciliation (mine did), spousal abuse and adultery. A new building has been completed and will soon be occupied. It is slated to open next month for the October assizes. It is beautiful and I do hope that it does not fall into the same state of neglect like most government owned buildings.
