Today in History: March 15

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian history, Charles William James Orr became governor of the Bahama Islands in 1927. Orr served in the post until January 1932.

Orr, who was later knighted, was a soldier and administrator who came in to contact with many key imperialists in the first half of the 20th century.

His memoirs, published on the British Empire website, shed fascinating light on the development of imperial policy and the innovative use of indirect rule, pioneered by Frederick Lugard.

The fast forward to 2000 when at least 18 sea mammals, mainly beaked whales were found beached on at least three Bahamian islands.

The Bahamas Historical Society notes some of the whales were dead while others exhibited signs of trauma such as bleeding from their ears. Ten of the whales were pushed back into the sea and their fates unknown.

It was later revealed the cause of the whales being beached was due to underwater sonar testing by the United States Navy.

Twenty years later in 2020, musician, songwriter and singer Eric Minns died. He was 89 years old.

The Historical Society notes Minns was receiving treatment at the Oshawa General Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Ontario, Canada at the time.

Some of his best-known songs were ‘Island Boy’, ‘Coming Home for Junkanoo’, ‘Fox Hill Gal’ and ‘If You Can’t Find Ya Friends in Nassau.’

Also on this day in 2020, The Bahamas recorded its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.