Two seniors sat down with Hamilton Rotarians yesterday, for a trip down memory lane.

Instead of the usual Rotary speech, Senior Community and Cultural Affairs Officer, Mrs. Heather Whalen had a conversation with two significant seniors in the community.

Co-Founder of Bermuda Heritage Museum, Mrs. Joy Wilson-Tucker and a former employee for Public Works, which is now referred to, as Works and Engineering, Mr. George Leon Burt, recounted life growing up in old Bermuda.

Mr. Burt talked about a typical Sunday afternoon: "In the mornings we would attend Sunday school and then church. When we returned home, we would have dinner then attend Regiment band concerts which took place every fortnight."

Mrs. Tucker said that every Easter Sunday, they would go to Sunday school then to Salvation Army church.

After the services, they would meet up with relatives and would march around to St. John's Church to give donations.

She also said that on Sundays after church, they would wax the floors, which she and her siblings found entertaining, then cover them in newspaper to protect them.

Mr. Burt also talked about chores as a child: "We would collect and chop wood and boil our clothes in a kerosene oil can. We would then rinse them and hang them on the line to dry. We used cactus from the pond to whiten clothes."

"To starch our clothes, we would boil and drain the water from rice then dip our clothes in it," said Mrs. Tucker.

They both said that cooking was done in a chimney, which was built next to a brick oven.

The traditional meals that were cooked back then, were peas and rice, cabbage and rice and gingerbread and prunes. However, on special occasions rice pudding was a treat.

The two took joy in telling of playtime as children.

Mr. Burt told Rotarians about the box carts that he and his friends used to make. "We would take Sunlight soap boxes from the trash and attach baby carriage wheels to them.

"We would race down the hill so fast that we ended all the way at Christ Church, Devonshire. We used to own Barker's Hill, it was not paved like it is today."

He added: "We would also put our goats in the box carts and cart them around."

"Back then, many people didn't have much money so we also used the boxes for night tables and dressers. We also used the feed bags for bedding," Mrs. Tucker said.

She added: "We made bottled dolls from mineral bottles and palm leaves from the nearby pond braiding the leaves for hair."

To own livestock back in early Bermuda was not unusual. Iin fact it was the norm, however, unlike today, there were no horses or cows on the island.

Going to the grocery store to purchase seasonings and medicine is a modern convenience; back then, growing such items was a way of life.

"We used to grow parsley, thyme and cassava. In fact, I still grow cassava today. Lemon grass and mint were grown for medicinal purposes," said Mr. Burt.

Mrs. Tucker said she was taught to use Tansy and Gin for stomach pain. Mr. Burt used the Tansy with brown sugar or Poppy for colds.

Mrs. Heather Whalen remined Rotarians: "We should continue to promote and demonstrate the values expressed here today, as guidepost for our living."

May is Heritage Month and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs id hosting a variety of events which will take place this month including the annual Heritage Day parade which will take place on May 26.

The public is encouraged to attend as many functions as possible to get an in depth look at the history and traditions of old Bermuda life.

More information on the events this month is available at the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs at 292 1681 or 292 9447.