A Bermudian slave who gained his freedom by navigating a British ship safely into the Island, was honoured at a ceremony over the weekend.

James "Jemmy" Darrell's life was celebrated at Friends of St. Peter's, an annual event held on Saturday.

Mr. Darrell was born in 1749 and died in 1815. The pilot is believed to be one of the first black Bermudians to own a home on the Island.

Among the 75 people who attended Saturday's ceremony was Margret Hallett. It is believed her great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Lieutenant Thomas Hurd of England, employed Mr. Darrell as his pilot on that fateful run.

"We know he employed men and a boat to assist with his duties," said Mrs. Hallett. "We know that this pilot was Jemmy Darrell, who performed so well his freedom was granted in March 1796 as a direct consequence of Admiral Murray's request to Governor Hamilton, although it took nearly a year to accomplish."

Andy Bermingham, a member of the Friends of St. Peter's, said Mr. Darrell was famous in Bermuda. "He was a slave but he was also a King's pilot and he navigated a ship called the HMS Resolution into Bermuda waters," he explained. "He went on to become a champion of pilots' rights and he was granted his freedom for navigating ships. He was one of the first blacks to own a homestead in Bermuda."

Lt. Hurd arrived in Bermuda with Lt. Andrew Evans in 1789. Their job was to perform a detailed survey of Bermuda and assess its usefulness to Royal Navy strategy in the Western Atlantic, and potential replacement of Halifax as a naval base.

While here, Lt. Hurd originally lived in Stiles House now Butterfield Bank in St. George's.

Mrs. Hallett said Lt. Hurd left Bermuda in 1797 and competed his survey in London. He later became the head of the Royal Navy Hydrographic Office and established. He also established a significant amount of modern hydrographic practice in the Royal Navy.

According to Mr. Bermingham, Mr. Darrell became a champion of rights for pilots and he worked towards the emancipation of black Bermudians.

Said Mrs. Hallett: "In subsequent years, Mr. Darrell wrote protests to the Admiralty and the Colonial Office for better pay for pilots and to address the inequity that as a freed slave, he was not permitted to bequeath his property to his children."

Saturday's ceremony took place at St. Peter's Church and included many members of Mr. Darrell's family.