Queenstown, Guyana Explained

Official Name:Queenstown
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Guyana
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Guyana
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Guyana
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Pomeroon-Supenaam
Subdivision Type2:Neighbourhood Council
Subdivision Name2:Aberdeen/Zorg-en-Vlygt
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:25 September 1841
Population As Of:2012
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:474
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Coordinates:7.1936°N -58.4938°W

Queenstown is a village in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region of Guyana. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast. It is one of the first villages where the emancipated African slaves bought the lands.[2] Queenstown is home to the oldest extant mosque of Guyana.[3]

History

Queenstown started as three plantations named Mocha, West Field and Dageraad.[2] In 1780, Fula people from Senegambia, Africa, arrived on the plantations as slaves. The tribe set out to build a small masjid out of wattle and mud. The mosque was rebuilt three times, and is still in service for a congregation of about 50 people.[3]

In 1838, the slaves were emancipated. The plantations at the time were owned by Mr Carberry who decided to parcel up the land, and sell the lots to the former slaves.[2] On 25 September 1841, the village of Queenstown was officially founded and named after Queen Victoria.[2]

In 1842, the coffee shop of the village was transformed into the St Bartholomew's Anglican Church. The church was completed in November 1843. The building is shaped like an upside-down ship,[4] and has been declared a regional monument.[5]

Overview

Queenstown has a primary school, health clinic, community centre and a post office. Secondary education is provided in Anna Regina.[6]

Queenstown is one of the emancipation villages where the villagers dress up in African clothes and parade through the village accompanied by a band on Emancipation Day (1 August).[7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2012 Population by Village. Statistics Guyana. 6 December 2021.
  2. News: Queenstown – a village rich with history and culture. iNews Guyana. 1 August 2021. 6 December 2021.
  3. News: A masjid built by an African tribe. Guyana Chronicle. 22 January 2017.
  4. News: Essequibo beckons! . 24 November 2002. Guyana Chronicle via Land of Six People. 6 December 2021.
  5. Web site: Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) . National Trust of Guyana. 6 December 2021.
  6. News: Queenstown. Kenesha Fraser. 25 May 2014. Stabroek News. 6 December 2021.
  7. News: Queenstown is Emancipation village. Kaieteur News Online. 6 December 2021. 2 August 2014.