Professor Henry Fraser leading the tour through Synagogue Lane as they looked at the Jewish Synagogue.

PROFESSOR HENRY FRASER yesterday took a small group of people on a short historic tour of Bridgetown as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus.

Fraser said the walk, which started at Jubilee Gardens, also a site of significance in Bridgetown's history, was being done because it was healthy, for the mind, body and soul and Bridgetown because it was important to know the ancestors so as not to repeat their mistakes.

"Samuel Jackman Prescod was the first father of Bridgetown and Ernest Deighton Mottley, the mayor of Bridgetown 50 years ago was the father of Bridgetown in the 20th century, so these are things people need to be inspired by," he said.

He travelled from Jubilee Gardens through St Mary's Church yard to see the tombstones of Prescod and Mottley.

From there he went onto Tudor Street then to James Street to look at the original Wesley Hall Boys School; visited the Jewish Synagogue; before proceeding to Roebuck Street, Palmetto Square to the public buildings and back onto Broad Street.

Fraser said the gardens got its name with the Queen Victoria's jubilee noting that it used to be called "butchers shambles" because it was a messy place with old buildings crammed together in a 17th century market place; he said Cheapside market waas then built for the butchers and the bus terminal was added later.

The tour was taken by youngsters and their parents who enjoyed the wealth of information shared. (WB)