Property of the month...

Our holiday villa rental of the month is The Penthouse, a luxurious apartment in Mullins, Barbados. To see the property's website click here.

Barbados history

1536: The Portuguese explorer Pedro A Campos encounters the island and names it Os Barbados.

1625: On May 14th, 1625, the English ship The Olive Blossom comes to the island by accident at present day Holetown. John Powell names the area St James’ town, claiming the island for England.

1627: The British finally settle the island.

1639: Barbados' Parliament is established. Today, it is the third oldest in the British Commonwealth.

1652: Barbados refuses to accept Cromwell's Commonwealth. Cromwell sends a fleet to force the island into submission. After several battles, the island surrenders and the Articles of Agreement are signed. The great hurricane of 1831 causes 1,591 deaths and completely obliterates several buildings and churches.

1816: The island's major slave uprising, the Bussa Rebellion, takes place on Bayley's Plantation and spreads to other parts of the island. However, it is unsuccessful and the ringleaders are executed.

1833: The Emancipation Act is passed by the British Parliament. However the slaves in Barbados do not attain full freedom until 1838.

1834: Slavery is abolished. The Apprenticeship system begins and the slaves become apprentices.

1838: The Apprenticeship system ends prematurely and the slaves are fully emancipated.

1842: Rock Hall Village, Barbados' first free village, is established by ex-slaves with money bequeathed to them from their master.

1854: The great cholera outbreak kills close to 20,000 people.

1876: The Confederation Riots of 1876 occur when the blacks realize that the Assembly refuses to accept the Colonial Office's plans for Barbados.

1937: The Riots of 1937 break out as a result of discontent by the mainly black working class about their poor social and working conditions.

1939: Trade Unions are established and the Trade Union Act is passed in 1939, so they could represent workers.

1958: Barbados is part of the Federation of the British West Indies and Barbadian Grantley Adams becomes the Federation's first premier.

1961: Barbados is granted full internal self-government and the leader of the Democratic Labour Party, Errol Barrow, who is pictured above, becomes the third Premier.

1962: Dissolution of the Federation of the British West Indies.

1966: On the 29th November, the Barbados Independence Order Act of 1966 is passed in the British Parliament after Errol Barrow's request. Errol Barrow becomes Barbados' first Prime Minister and Sir John Stow, the first Governor General.

1967: Barbados becomes a member of the United Nations.

1976: The aircraft Air Cubana Flight CU 455 explodes just off the coast of Barbados, just minutes after taking off from the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados killing all 73 people on board.

1990: Dame Nita Barrow, Errol Barrow’s sister, becomes the island’s first female Governor General.

1991: Barbados goes to the IMF under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Erskine Sandiford (now Sir Lloyd) and implements one of the IMF's structural adjustment programmes.

1998: Heroes Day is inaugurated and Barbados' ten national heroes are named.

2000: Sprinter Obadele Thompson wins Barbados’ first individual medal at the Olympics in the 100 metres dash and became the 3rd fastest man in the world. Barbados is put on the OECD list of countries deemed as uncooperative tax havens.

2002: Barbados is finally removed from the OECD list of countries which are deemed to be uncooperative tax havens.

2004: The fishing dispute between Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago takes a turn for the worse and the Barbadian Government takes the case to the United Nations.

2005: The Glendairy Prison is severely damaged by fire after prison riots in March. The prisoners are now housed at Harrison's Point in St Lucy. The historic Kensington Oval is demolished in preparation for the Cricket World Cup 2007.