Emelius Daniel Darrell (”the Deceased”) owned several Southampton Parish properties which were inherited by his son, George Wellington Darrell, and, upon his death, by his son, John Nathaniel Darrell. One of the properties is the current location of Heron Bay School [now Heron Bay Primary School]. Cynthia Fishington (“the Claimant”), daughter of George William Darrell and granddaughter of the Deceased claimed that prior to the full development of Heron Bay School, there was on the lot as an existing building which was used as a school for black children. The Claimant asserted that the Deceased handed over the building and the land on which it sat to the Bermuda Government, but he did not convey any additional property to Government for the full development of the school.
The Claimant maintained that in addition to the Deceased donating the original building to Government, he also allowed the use of additional land for a playing field. However, in 1977 the Government extended the school grounds and proceeded to bulldoze further into the land on the south side of the original playing field. John Wellington Darrell objected to this development and despite his objection, Government extended the playing field. Other properties that formerly comprised part of the Deceased’s estate are also part of the claim heard by the COI.
John Nathaniel Darrell, grandson of the Deceased, carried on the legal battle against Government through the years and did everything possible to retain ownership of the various properties formerly owned by his grandfather. He spent countless hours and a great deal of money fighting legal battles against the Government with the legal matters still unresolved.
Note: Portions of this matter were held in-camera in accordance with item 7 of the COI Rules of Procedure and Practice thusly the evidence, audio & video recordings, transcripts and documentation associated with those hearings have been deemed confidential unless explicitly referenced inside the COI Final Report. Information on how to access these files can be found with the Archivists at the Bermuda Archives.