Bermuda Blackwatch Well

[Richland]

I just returned from Brermuda and spent a lovely long weekend in Hamilton and the surrounding area. On the tourist map i noticed a point of interest on the north shore. "The Blackwatch Well" A little History: Bermuda's Black Watch Well at the junction with the North Shore Road is named in tribute. It was dug in 1849. When the Governor of the period ordered British soldiers to seek a fresh water supply for the poor of Pembroke Parish and their cattle during a prolonged drought, the Black Watch was the first to volunteer and dug so thoroughly the facility still exists today.
So we visited the site and were appauled to see it covered in litter and discarded beer bottles. I took this photo and left out the upsetting condition of the site. I love Bermuda, and really loved the charming city of Hamilton. I intend to get a letter off to the authorities on the condition of the Well.

[auld argonian]

What a nice monument...and a nice thought....it's good to see things like this honored. My dad was one of the first US Army Air Corp members to bring food into Holland during the end of WWII and he considers that his most important mission of the war...digging that well was one of those kind of missions.

Sorry to hear that some folks can't take their empties with them when they leave...pigs.

Best

AA

[BEEDEE]

What classic piece of history. It's a reminder that the military often do good works that are obscured by the battles and often overlooked by the historians. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Brian

[macwilkin]

What classic piece of history. It's a reminder that the military often do good works that are obscured by the battles and often overlooked by the historians. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Brian

Actually the historians are usually the only ones who remember it!

Reminds me of the story of the HMS Birkenhead in 1852, when British Soldiers remained at their post of a sinking troopship off of South Africa rather than swamping lifeboats filled with women and children. Kipling wrote:

To stand and be still, and do the Birkenhead drill is a d***ed tough bullet to chew.

Cheers,

Todd

[cavscout]

The "small scale" humanitarian side of the military is one that is seldom promoted. But if people think about it, the military is a readily available labor force in the area where problems exist or who can be easily mobilized to do the jobs that civilians are unable or unwilling to do.

Sometimes it's an emergency and no one else can do it, sometimes it's to give a positive image of the military to the public, sometimes it is simply to keep the boys busy and out of trouble

[Warlock]

Sometimes it's an emergency and no one else can do it, sometimes it's to give a positive image of the military to the public, sometimes it is simply to keep the boys busy and out of trouble

Live Hard, Fight Hard, Play Hard!

[cessna152towser]

Interesting feature; nice remembrance plaque; thanks for posting.

[Skweres]

i know what the military does in the wars are important in all and i completely appreciate what they do, but its the things they volunteer to do like this well for the poor that really makes me honor them for going above and beyond

[Richland]

I regret not having my Blackwatch kilt at the time. I had brought my Sprt klt.(Irish)to the island but never donned it due to high winds. We spent most of our time on bikes anyway. Had i brought my Blackwatch
along, I surely would have donned it and visited the Well to honor and respect fo their efforts.
So if any of you ever visit Bermuda, Bring your kilt and get some pict's at the Blackwatch Well. The blackwatch Road which leads to the well from Hamilton is really impressive too.

[UmAnOnion]

I just returned from Brermuda and spent a lovely long weekend in Hamilton and the surrounding area. On the tourist map i noticed a point of interest on the north shore. "The Blackwatch Well" A little History: Bermuda's Black Watch Well at the junction with the North Shore Road is named in tribute. It was dug in 1849. When the Governor of the period ordered British soldiers to seek a fresh water supply for the poor of Pembroke Parish and their cattle during a prolonged drought, the Black Watch was the first to volunteer and dug so thoroughly the facility still exists today.
So we visited the site and were appauled to see it covered in litter and discarded beer bottles. I took this photo and left out the upsetting condition of the site. I love Bermuda, and really loved the charming city of Hamilton. I intend to get a letter off to the authorities on the condition of the Well.

I lived on that little patch of green in the middle of the sea for my first 30 odd years and NEVER MADE THAT CONNECTION!!!

Also never noticed the sign...

methinks i might need to stop back there at some point to give it a read - doubt that i would do it kilted but hey you never know...

p.s. good luck with getting anybody to pay attention to your letter... i will refrain from launching into a discourse about the state of politics down there but let me just wish you the best of luck!