Dear Sir,

I wish to congratulate Bermuda Optical Co on its 60th anniversary. However, from an historical point of view, I would like to make a couple of corrections to your article.

Before Bermuda Optical being formed, Astwood Dickinson’s had an optical department, which is where Bill Coltman worked on being discharged from the British Navy.

Even when he was in the navy, he did work as an optometrist with Astwood Dickinson’s, and, being also a qualified pharmacist, did work at the Phoenix Drug Store. He left Astwood Dickinson’s, opening up on Burnaby Street.

The second point is that the company was started by Bill Coltman, Bill Kempe and Bob Donaldson, who was working at the Bank of Bermuda.

Both Ernest M. Astwood and Reuben M. Dickinson examined eyes and they had a workshop on the premises, making prescription glasses, so it is incorrect to say that you could get glasses only from the hospital. Also at the same time, William Bascome had an optical shop on Reid Street.

Going further back, there was an optician on Queen Street, Hamilton, in 1902. I have in my possession a spectacle case and glasses from that time. What is now known as Michael Keyes & Co was Astwood Dickinson. Michael Keyes worked for Astwood Dickinson and later bought them out.

I know this information from having worked for Bill Coltman from 1961 to 1973. I joined him when he was on Burnaby Street, where the Hog Penny is now.

The office was on the right-hand side and Herbie Williams’s fish shop was on the left-hand side.

We moved to the Mechanics Building in August 1961, subleasing from Edmund Gibbons, who had rented the whole of the bottom floor of the Mechanics Building.

Trusting that this puts the historical position into perspective.

ANTONY SIESE, FCOptom