There has never been so big a crowd at the launching of any book, magazine or other literary work in Anguilla like that of Bless Our Forebears, the new book written by Anguillian Historian and Curator of Heritage Collection Museum, Mr. Colville Petty, OBE.

Floral Garden of The Anguillian Newspaper (not entered in show)

The book, which was launched at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on January 13, examines three significant periods of Anguillian history: the 1840s, the 1890s and the 1900s. It provides Anguillians with a deeper sense of their past; highlights the hardships and suffering which their forebears endured in order to ensure that their children and their offspring had a place they could call home; provides historical material useful in better understanding socio-economic and political phenomena in Anguilla; enables present and future generations to learn from the experiences of their forebears which were critical elements in the formation of the Anguillian psyche; and provides the people of Anguilla with a sense of who they are and from whence they came.

Among the huge crowd at the launching ceremony, were a number of students from the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School who are also involved in the Optimist Club of Anguilla. Four of them read excerpts from chapters 1-4 of Bless Our Forebears. The Sixth Form readers were Krsytal Webster, Senegal Carty, Rohan Petty and Joya Hodge. They were part of a larger group of students who attended the event and were highly visible among the crowd.

The body of students later approached The Anguillian for the above photograph to demonstrate their interest in the book and to thank Mr. Petty for writing Bless Our Forebears which means so much to them.

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