Today in History: December 8

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On this day in Bahamian history in 1881 John Earnest Williamson, the inventor of photo-sphere who captured underwater imagery of The Bahamas, was born in Liverpool, England.

He was the first man to produce undersea photographs in 1913 and undersea motion pictures in 1914. The latter was produced in The Bahamas. He also conducted many two undersea expeditions, in The Bahamas in 1929 and 1939.

On December 8th, 1920, Harry Edward Spiller Cordeaux took office as governor and commander-in-chief of The Bahamas, serving from 1920 – 1926. Concessions were granted to Sir Harry Cordeaux and Arthur Sands in 1923 to cut the pine forest on New Providence. They built a sawmill south of Gambier Village near Jack Pond.

During Prohibition in the United States, there was a huge increase in exports of whiskey from Britain to The Bahamas, as Cordeaux reported there were 31 bonded warehouses in the island, by February 1921.

The British took no measures to stop the trade.

On this day in 2008, Hubert Farrington died just four days before his birthday, after a hit and run accident on Mackey Street.

The former choreographer and dancer who performed in The Bahamas and internationally, was also the founder of the Nassau Civic Ballet.

The 83-year-old was walking near Wendy’s when he was struck. He later died in hospital.

In 2013 ‘The Black Moses’ film by Bahamian film maker Travolta Cooper made its world premiere at The Bahamas International Film Festival in Nassau.

The film examines the life of The Bahamas’ first prime minister, Lyden Pindling. The documentary starred American actor Dennis Haysbert and features interview with former world leaders including Brian Mulroney and Percival Patterson.

In world history on this day in 2010, the American aerospace venture SpaceX became the first commercial company to release the Dragon Capsule spacecraft into orbit and successfully return it to earth.

In 2019, American actor and puppeteer Caroll Spinney – who created the characteristics and mannerisms of Big Bird, a larger-than-life puppet he played for nearly 50 years – died at age 85.