| |
 |
| |
Point Fortin 1900 – 2000
Housing
|
 |
At the beginning of the 20th
century, before the first oil explorers came to Guapo
Point, now called Point Fortin, three cocoa and coconut
estates existed in this area – Clifton Hill, Adventure
and La Fortunee. Employment was provided for a small
number of agricultural workers, who had migrated mainly
from Tobago, Grenada and St Vincent.
They lived in tatched homes
not unlike the one shown below. It was not unusual to
see a dirt oven like this one, in a back
yard.
|
|
| |
|
“ We used to live just in about the second
house, inside there. Carat houses made out of mamoo and dirt.
They wattled the house ( Wild roseau with the “pica” taken off,
stripped and plaited , made like board. That made partitions and
walls)”
[Taken from a
conversation with Winsley Matthews, who came to Point from
Grenada, as a 10 year old boy, in 1922]
|
 |
|
|
|
|
POINT FORTIN – THE
GROWTH OF
TECHIER AND MAHAICA
Labour disturbances of 1937 were a turning
point in the history of South Trinidad. The increase in the
Company’s activities had already created an urgent demand for
more housing. Company houses were going up rapidly in Mahaica
and Techier. (From ‘History of Point Fortin’ by CB Mathison.)
|
|
|
|
This design was typical of
the ones constructed at Mahaica for Junior Staff workers, now
being referred to as “monthly men.
|
 |
|
|
|
The lesser skilled workmen were lodged in smaller apartment
-houses at Techier Village.
|
 |
|
|
|
These apartment dwellings were boastfully
fitted with electricity, running water, piped natural gas and
flush toilets.
(Pictures courtesy Mr. R. Constantine,
former Shell employee)
|
|
|
|
|
.gif)
