Dr. Earle Kirby of St Vincent also contributed to the knowledge of the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I was introduced to him by Mr. Kenneth Wilfred Lewis also of St. Vincent.
Dr. Kirby taught Mr. Lewis so they had a long association.

The three of us frequently met at the museum developed by Dr. Kirby at the St. Vincent Botanical Garden to discuss the medicinal plants and the artifacts particularly the carved boats. He explained how many of the Africans forced into slavery and taken to Barbados were skilled enough to come on these boats to St. Vincent for refuge.

Many aspects of Vincentian History were discussed with Dr. Kirby. One of the most informative was the exile of King JaJa of Opobo to the Island when he resisted colonial attempts to usurp his sovereignty in the Niger Delta. Kirby showed us the house where King JaJa lived on the Island and told us that as a boy there were people who could recall King JaJa riding a horse from the Fort to the center of Kingstown.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

I.M. Spence-Lewis M.D.