Henry Burton(Burt) Holland first went to Buccaneer Bay in the 1890s as a passenger on a :friend's sailboat. Bill Cornwall's Dad, Sam and his brother, Frank accompanied him.

 

The men first set up tents in front of Betty Bennett's house. Later, 1900-1905, they moved to the present location in front of the trees and built four cottages. It was a family event consisting of: Gertrude and Burt Holland, Edith and Frank Cornwall, Adelade and Sam Cornwall (Bill's  parents) and Ella and George Mark who shared with Lillian and Ed Peters. The women were all sisters (Leek)and the two Cornwalls' brothers. Walter Leek later built the Mark/ Farrow house.

 

I remember my grandmother talking about one tent set up specifically for cooking which was shared by the family members, a cook was included! Who says we have progressed!

The campers were originally dropped off in the pass and rowed ashore with camping supplies and food for their two week holiday.

 

One outhouse was built for the WHOLE family. Some things don't change except theirs was a two seater! Water came from a row to Water Bay later to be replaced by Mr Simson supplying two common pumps: one in the middle of the beach and one in front of the old  store. Eventually each family acquired its own pump; ours was located behind the current Bill Cornwall house.

 

Burt first built a solid kitchen with a wood roof and a bedroom with canvas strips around the sides. Light came through the canvas. The front porch was the sitting area. Later two  bedrooms were added to the existing building.

 

Burt was a golfer and enjoyed the golf course

which was a meadow for the cows who kept the

grass trimmed. This was located behind the

current row of houses from Ken Allan to the

Hills.

Burt and Gertrude had a 12' Tumer clinker built

boat with a red stripe along the side. These

boats were great to row but heavy to pull up

and down! The communities helping hands

pulled boats up and down as needed

especially when the tide was out!

 

On March 23, 1908 Bert and Gertrude had a

daughter, Jean. Following her first trip to the

island in July of 1908, Jean never missed a

summer at BB in all of her fifty-seven years of

life. When Burt and Gertrude aged to their

70's they stopped going to BB. We had no

jeeps or conveniences as we have today. The

house was rented to Bruce Carmichael and family until 1966 when Milton and Marilyn moved in. Alexa (1969-)

 and Erica(1972 -) joined the family as fifth generation buccaneers.

 

In September 1979 the old house was torn down. If you can believe it took two jeeps to make the house fall. While the house was being torn down it was discovered that the cat was still in the attic, unwilling to let the house fall. The underpinnings consisted of bent tree boughs. In the fall of 1979 the building took place. Milton and various friends assisted Billy from the pass house. You may notice similarities between the Bernard house and McClaren house. We used the same architect who turned the design around. It is hard to believe that was 19 years ago. They say building at BB never ends. We still have to cover the ceiling  insulation with wood!