George Taggett.
 Photo courtesy of Charles Barnard.
The Mystery Plaque.
George Taggett gave this plaque to Charles Barnard Sr. when they were neighbours in St. George's during the '70s. Charles Barnard Sr. passed away in the '90s, and his son, Charles Jr. came into possession of it, but has no knowledge of its history. It appears to be made of plaster of paris and is about 5½" in diameter. We are wondering if anyone knows anything about it - Who made it? When was it made? Where (if ever) was it displayed? How did George come to have it? Why did he give it to Charles Barnard Sr.? Is/was there more than just one in existence? etc.??? |
Photo courtesy of Charles Barnard.
The back side of the plaque.
It looks like it may have been glued to something metal, that rusted. Charles has donated the plaque to the Bermuda National Museum in his father's name. |
Patricia Taggett remembers her father, George Taggett.
Memories from when she was about 13 or 14.
She remembers her father being hospitalized in Antiqua with a green gangrenous appendicitis. Shortly after, he had a heart attack and when ready to return to work he went to the Biological Station here he remained until his death in 1975. He told her stories of how the Sir Horace Lamb was in the Caribbean during the Bay of Pigs landing in Cuba (June 1961) and also about when the crew went shopping in Antiqua in the market place asking for meat, the seller waved her hands to shoo away the mass of flies covering the meat. During that trip her brother, Raymond, was severely burned on his leg and spent 3 months in hospital. “I think this is why my father had the heart attack.” On the brighter side, she remembers that the Crew of Sir Horace often came back from ‘down South’ with a good stash of mangos!
George’s career at Bio Station culminated in his appointment to Captain of the Panulirus, as recorded on Page 58 of 'The First Century - Celebrating 100 Years of Marine Science - The Bermuda Biological Station for Research.'
"No matter what the research, no matter what the differences in outlook, every scientist of that era mentions the Panulirus, be it I or II, and Captain George Taggett, her officer. In addition to her predilection for sinking at the dock, she also reeked of diesel, and, according to Mackenzie, "...everyone who boarded her got seasick, except for Captain Taggett, Butch Stovell [Brunell’s
young assistant] and Brunell Spurling!” (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, The First Century.)
Nov 15th 2013
She remembers her father being hospitalized in Antiqua with a green gangrenous appendicitis. Shortly after, he had a heart attack and when ready to return to work he went to the Biological Station here he remained until his death in 1975. He told her stories of how the Sir Horace Lamb was in the Caribbean during the Bay of Pigs landing in Cuba (June 1961) and also about when the crew went shopping in Antiqua in the market place asking for meat, the seller waved her hands to shoo away the mass of flies covering the meat. During that trip her brother, Raymond, was severely burned on his leg and spent 3 months in hospital. “I think this is why my father had the heart attack.” On the brighter side, she remembers that the Crew of Sir Horace often came back from ‘down South’ with a good stash of mangos!
George’s career at Bio Station culminated in his appointment to Captain of the Panulirus, as recorded on Page 58 of 'The First Century - Celebrating 100 Years of Marine Science - The Bermuda Biological Station for Research.'
"No matter what the research, no matter what the differences in outlook, every scientist of that era mentions the Panulirus, be it I or II, and Captain George Taggett, her officer. In addition to her predilection for sinking at the dock, she also reeked of diesel, and, according to Mackenzie, "...everyone who boarded her got seasick, except for Captain Taggett, Butch Stovell [Brunell’s
young assistant] and Brunell Spurling!” (Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, The First Century.)
Nov 15th 2013