HIST 3030 The Evolution of Social Policy in Barbados: The Politics of Recreational Space in Barbados, by Francis Stephan Dupigny

Recreational spaces are one of the most important aspects of Barbadian life, providing opportunities for playing sports, holding social events and other special occasions available to all members of the public. However, in the early twentieth century, recreational spaces were segregated based on colour and class in Barbadian society.

The origins of recreational spaces in Barbados begin in the late 19^th century.  As a colony under Victorian Britain, it was understood that in the wake of the Industrial era, there was a need for public spaces as a way to reduce protest among the working classes. This in turn led to proposals in the Caribbean colonies to develop recreational spaces. Initially, there was resistance from the elite to the provision of recreational space for the working classes. This notion among the elite was best summed up by Legislative Council member SC Thorne who considered a man only doing 5 hours of work a day to be “lazy” as opposed to suffering from malnutrition This notion eventually faded away, as the elite developed their own parks and smaller spaces in their own segregated communities, notably in Strathclyde and Belleville [Chamberlain, Mary – Memories of Race and the formation of a Nation: Barbados 1937-1967].

One of the first spaces for recreation was developed in response to the Barbadian favourite pastime -- cricket. Kensington Oval was established in 1882, and was the home of the Pickwick Cricket Club until 2005. According to Tony Cozier, land was leased at 1 penny per annum. From this, the ground developed into the reputation of being the “mecca” of cricket in the region. However, while members of all classes could be free to observe the gentleman’s game, elevated boxes were reserved for the elites. Even on the playing field, from 1928 when the West Indies became a test match playing unit, most of the players on the field where whites. It was not until 1948 when George Headley, a black man, was allowed to lead. White players dominated the sport until the late 1950s. Other recreational areas known for their class segregation included the Garrison Savannah, where a myriad of different sporting activities took place -- most famously, horse racing, which was open to the public. The grandstands at the time were reserved only for the elite members of society, at the time being almost all white, leaving the remainder of the spectators to view in the sun.

More notoriously, the Barbados Yacht Club had a strict white members only policy. Chamberlain recalls and incident when Grantley Adams who, before becoming Prime Minister, was a respected lawyer, could not enter the club, having to drop his English wife inside at the lobby, and waiting for her outside.

The first public recreational space designed for public use was Queen’s Park. This originally was land that was part of the British Garrison, which the Vestry of St. Michael purchased after 1905 after the British troops who were stationed at the Garrison left the island. The park was then designed by Lady Gilbert Carter, the wife of the then Governor of Barbados, and was designed as a place the respectable classes of Barbados could use. This land would then go to serve as a venue for many public events, most notably on Christmas Day where in the past people would come to the park in their Sunday best to watch the Bands perform.

Most of the notable areas of recreation in Barbados were mainly developed in the post-Independence era for the benefit of all Barbadians. Notable examples include Barclays Park in 1966 as an independence gift to Barbados from Barclays Bank; the development of Farley Hill national park in 1970 under the work of the Parks and Beaches Commission, which has held many music festivals; the National Stadium in 1970, the home of track and field in Barbados; and the construction of the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, a multipurpose sporting complex located in Wildey that holds many sporting and social events, including many concerts..

While racial prejudice has been minimized, much of the social division that can be observed today has moved along class lines, where there are still some sports that are almost exclusively performed by the elite. Recreational spaces reserved for wealthy aficionados include the multiple ‘exclusive’ golf courses throughout the island; traditional polo and segway polo fields. Due to the expense of membership to these sports, the wealthy often can play while the rest of Barbadians are often relegated to watching from the sidelines. However, with the rise of the middle class, there is more integration among  social groups in these sports than at any time in the country’s past.