The Colony of British Honduras
The British settlers had constant conflict with Spain and found it difficult to form permanent settlements in the south of Belize. The history of the British expansion into southern Belize intensified after being emboldened by their resistance and victory against the Spanish invaders in the Battle of St. Georges Caye in September 1798. The Baymen contractors decided to ignore the established Sibun River boundary of the Belize settlement and expand their operations further south.
The Creole began their settlement of the Stann Creek District in the 18th century with villages they established at the mouth of the Mullins, North Stann Creek, and Sittee Rivers where they worked in the logging industry that was fueled by the British Baymen.
The Baymen and the British ”Shoremen” who had evacuated Mosquito Shore, Nicaragua in 1787, with the help of their slaves continued this expansion along all the rivers up to the Sarstoon River. There is no doubt they forested along the North Stann Creek River but being a shallow river it was probably not suitable for floating logs downstream. In those days’ lumber camps were used seasonally and then abandoned after all the timber were cut and floated downstream.
The early influx of 150 Garinagus in 1802 at the mouth of the North Stann Creek River, and the subsequent major influx in 1823 to seek refuge from civil wars in Central America, provided a major boost in the pool of labor to expand the operations for the Belizean timber contractors. The Garinagu helped to lay the foundation for the expansion of Belize’s territory from the Sibun to the Sarstoon River, until it was formally incorporated as part of Belize in the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1859.
In 1862, Belize become the Colony of "British Honduras" and the Superintendent - Mr. Fredrick Seymour - was promoted to Lieutenant Governor under the Governor of Jamaica. It took until 1871 for British Honduras formally be declared a Crown Colony of Britain. British Honduras detach administrative connection from Jamaica and became an independent colony in 1884. The title of Lieutenant Governor was changed and Roger Tuckfield Goldsworthy became the first Governor of British Honduras.
The Creole began their settlement of the Stann Creek District in the 18th century with villages they established at the mouth of the Mullins, North Stann Creek, and Sittee Rivers where they worked in the logging industry that was fueled by the British Baymen.
The Baymen and the British ”Shoremen” who had evacuated Mosquito Shore, Nicaragua in 1787, with the help of their slaves continued this expansion along all the rivers up to the Sarstoon River. There is no doubt they forested along the North Stann Creek River but being a shallow river it was probably not suitable for floating logs downstream. In those days’ lumber camps were used seasonally and then abandoned after all the timber were cut and floated downstream.
The early influx of 150 Garinagus in 1802 at the mouth of the North Stann Creek River, and the subsequent major influx in 1823 to seek refuge from civil wars in Central America, provided a major boost in the pool of labor to expand the operations for the Belizean timber contractors. The Garinagu helped to lay the foundation for the expansion of Belize’s territory from the Sibun to the Sarstoon River, until it was formally incorporated as part of Belize in the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1859.
In 1862, Belize become the Colony of "British Honduras" and the Superintendent - Mr. Fredrick Seymour - was promoted to Lieutenant Governor under the Governor of Jamaica. It took until 1871 for British Honduras formally be declared a Crown Colony of Britain. British Honduras detach administrative connection from Jamaica and became an independent colony in 1884. The title of Lieutenant Governor was changed and Roger Tuckfield Goldsworthy became the first Governor of British Honduras.
Did you know? How British Honduras got its name?
The name 'Honduras', is a Spanish word meaning depths and was given to this part of Central America by Christopher Columbus. In 1502, on his forth and final voyage, Columbus ran into 40 days of gales, storms, and deep sea currants. His sailors threatened mutiny and his ships were leaking. He finally reached quite waters in what is now the Republic of Honduras, and with a sigh of relief uttered "Gracias a Dios que estemos fuera de osas Honduras" (Thank God we are out of those depths). This area has since been known as Honduras and was split int Spanish and British Honduras. |
The first Governor of British Honduras from 1884-1891 was born in Middlesex, London. The Middlesex Forest Reserve and subsequently the historic village of Middlesex got its name from his hometown.