Page 26 - BLACK HISTORY IN BERMUDA red

right:
Roll-top Secretaire and Bookcase, c. 1810
By Samuel and Henry Smith
Mahogany, brass, glass

left:
Side Table, c. 1851
By John Henry Jackson
Bird’s-eye cedar

FIELD TRIP
Black Craftsmanship Tucker House

Visit Tucker House and identify
Furniture from the Bermuda National Trust the furniture made by the Smith
Collection made by Black Bermudians brothers and Nokey and Augustus.

Much of the best Bermuda cedar furniture was made between 1620 and 1750 FIELD TRIP
when mahogany came into fashion. Cedar’s durability and the ease with which it
can be shaped made it perfect for Bermudian woodwork and furniture. The vast Verdmont
majority of Bermuda’s early furniture, like its houses and ships, would have been Visit Verdmont and identify
made by slaves, who were known to be skilled shipwrights, masons, cabinet- the cedar table made for the
makers and silversmiths. Great Exhibition.

The mahogany roll-top secretaire and bookcase (above right) is from the workshop
of white Bermudian brothers Samuel (1766-1841) and Henry Smith (1770-1837) ASSESMENT
who are considered to be two of the most prominent cabinetmakers in Bermuda’s INDICATOR
history. They were assisted by their slaves Nokey and Augustus. Two other items at Find five reasons why Bermudian
Tucker House which came from the Smith workshop are a mahogany desk and a cabinet-makers would have used
mahogany chest of drawers.
cedar for furniture. Explain why
At Verdmont, you can see the cedar side table (above left) made by black a ship builder would also have
carpenter John Henry Jackson. It was entered in the Great Exhibition at Crystal been good at building houses or
Palace in England in 1851. making furniture.

26 | black history in bermuda | bermuda national trust