Queenstown | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Queenstown Location in Guyana | |
| Coordinates: 7°11′37″N 58°29′38″W / 7.1936°N 58.4938°W | |
| Country |
Guyana |
| Region | Pomeroon-Supenaam |
| Neighbourhood Council | Aberdeen/Zorg-en-Vlygt |
| Founded | 25 September 1841 |
| Population (2012)
[1] | |
| • Total | 474 |
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. [4] The church was completed in November 1843. [5] The building is shaped like an upside-down ship, [6] 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. [4]
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
References
- ^ "2012 Population by Village". Statistics Guyana. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Queenstown – a village rich with history and culture". iNews Guyana. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b "A masjid built by an African tribe". Guyana Chronicle. 22 January 2017.
- ^ a b Kenesha Fraser (25 May 2014). "Queenstown". Stabroek News. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam)". National Trust of Guyana. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Essequibo beckons!". Guyana Chronicle via Land of Six People. 24 November 2002. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
- ^ "Queenstown is Emancipation village". Kaieteur News Online. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
