The Bermuda National Trust and its predecessor organisation, the Bermuda Historical Monuments Trust, have played crucial roles in the protection and promotion of the island’s unique natural and cultural heritage for nearly a century. Throughout their histories, they have purchased property and benefitted from the generosity of benefactors.
The HMT was set up by a small group of prominent Bermudians in 1937 and carried out its mission for more than thirty years. Tucker House in St George’s was the HMT’s first acquisition, for £800, in 1939. Over the next two decades, the organisation purchased Stewart Hall, Buckingham, Fanny Fox’s Cottage, the Old Rectory and the Globe Hotel, among other properties. Through the 1940s, the HMT also acquired a collection of Bermudian portraits, maps, furniture and silver. In 1950, the organisation considered the preservation of open space, and Dr Henry Wilkinson generously deeded to the HMT the western part and shoreline of Spittal Pond. Karen Border, executive director of the BNT, says: “By 1951, acquisition and conservation expenses had fully extended the finances of the Monuments Trust. However, the historic home Verdmont was offered on generous terms, and the members felt the acquisition of this property was vital. This building is probably the finest house of its period in Bermuda and was largely unaltered.”
By the 1960s, a larger and more structured organisation was required to administer all the HMT’s acquisitions. At the same time, as Karen Border explains, several other groups were becoming concerned about the encroachment of open space taking place on the island. Consequently, the BNT was formed by a public Act of Parliament in 1969, its constitution modeled on the National Trust for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Bermuda Audubon Society, Garden Club of Bermuda, Keep Bermuda Beautiful, Bermuda Historical Society, and the St. George’s Historical Society had seats on BNT’s Council, and the Bermuda government had the right to appoint three members to the Council. A change to the governance structure in 2021 now sees ten directors elected by the BNT membership and three government appointees.
The newly formed BNT built on the foundation established by the HMT and its stewardship has expanded to encompass more than 82 properties, including historic buildings, open space, farmland and historic cemeteries. Some properties were purchased, but many were gifts, partial gifts or bequests, including:
- Waterville, the BNT headquarters, partially donated by the Trimingham family in 1962
- Pembroke Hall, donated by the Dill family in 1981
- Locust Hall Farm, partially donated by the Gibbons family in 1982
- Tivoli Estate in Warwick, a bequest from Gloria Higgs in 1984
- Warwick Pond (Sherwin Nature Reserve) donated by Dennis Sherwin in 1987
- Stokes Point Estate in St. George’s, a bequest from Nea Smith in 1989
- Elm Lodge woodland, donated by David Wingate in 2008
- Devondale, a bequest from Jean Cox Spence in 2014
Other open space gifts include the Butterfield, Devonshire Marsh, Gibbons, Gladys Morrell, IW Hughes, Rebecca Middleton, Scaur Lodge, Wilkinson, Marjorie Jackson, and HT North nature reserves, as well as Morgan’s Island, Palm Island, Saltus Island and Rogue Island. Gifted buildings include Davenport Cottage, Palmetto House, Ship’s Inn and Mangroville. Karen Border explains: “Over the years, many people have entrustedtheir open space, historic properties or artefacts to the Bermuda National Trust by gift or bequest so that they will be preserved in perpetuity for the benefit of the Bermuda community. We are hugely grateful for such gifts. Our commitment is to steward the natural and cultural heritage in our care ‘for everyone, forever.’ A gift to BNT is the perfect way to leave a lasting legacy for future generations.”
In 2004, the BNT partnered with the Bermuda Audubon Society to form Buy Back Bermuda, which has since acquired four tracts of green space totaling 24 acres and opened them as public nature reserves: Somerset Long Bay East, Vesey NR, Eve’s Pond and High Point NR. Today, the BNT is the largest private landowner in Bermuda and plays a key role in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St. George’s, where the organisation owns 11 listed buildings. BNT collections include exceptional examples of antique furniture, silver, ceramics and paintings once made or owned by Bermudians and the largest collection in the Bermuda Archives. Karen Border says: “Over our 50-plus-year history, the Bermuda National Trust has become respected for its robust advocacy for Bermuda’s natural and cultural heritage, whether fighting to save open space from development, arguing for the preservation of historic buildings at risk, or supporting heritage as a cultural process forging identity and community.” She adds: “As we recognise that people will preserve what they value, and will value what they understand, education also plays a key role in our work. Every year, our education programmes connect hundreds of local children with the island’s rich past as well as its natural history, so that they can experience and learn to appreciate the value of our shared heritage. Through field trips and experiential learning, we seek to inspire the stewards of the future.”
