While Barbara Victoria Scott is without question the first lady of her own, fast growing Scott Clan, she cannot escape being at one and the same time the doyenne or Queen Bee of the Williams Clan.

The latter originally known as the Bay Lots, having been born and raised at Sinky Bay. More on the Bay Lots later in this feature.

However the two clans were put to a test Sunday launching a Surprise Tea Party honouring Barbara on her 76th Birthday.

Up to the last minute there was no certainty about who would be most surprised. But Barbara was the victim; and only with the connivance of close friends like Ruth Dillas and Juliette Bean. They managed to get her to the Heron Bay School Hall.

Barbara entered the beautifully decorated hall in her characteristic, nonchalant smiling way.

The smile was wiped off her face when family and friends hiding in the wings, overwhelmed her with a burst of ‘Happy Birthday Barbara’.

Once she collected herself, it turned out to be an afternoon of great fellowship, rounded out with plenty of good food and much wit and humour. The party was three days earlier than Barbara’s actual birthday which fell on Tuesday last.

Barbara is the mother of three daughters Jennifer, Gail and Lois, and two sons, Charles and Michael. She is the wife of Charles Herbert R Scott.

He is now wheelchair bound with some medical issues. In his heyday he was a skilled hardworking carpenter, a policeman, and for more than 45 years a chef and handyman at the Reefs Resort.

The Scotts have been married 56 years. Their residence now is at Riviera Estate on the backside of one of the hills overlooking Sinky Bay.

The Scotts and Williamses are just multi-talented, cultured, friendly people. All great singers.

Barbara attributes much of their sophistication to her own mother, Alexandra Williams.

“She filled us with a ‘lot of stuff’ sensing that she did not have long to live; and in fact she passed away at age 42,” Barbara related

Alexandra and her husband John ‘Nookie’ Williams had ten children, born and bred at Sinky Bay, and raised as Seventh-day Adventists.

The four girls were: Norma (deceased), Lois, Kathleen (Kath) and Barbara. Six sons were: Wycliffe (deceased), Fitzgerald (deceased), Charles (also deceased), Hillary, Warren. and Morton (Morty). John remarried upon Alexandra’s death and a daughter Michelle, who resides in Texas was born of that union.

At the Sunday surprise party Morty acted as master of ceremonies, with his characteristic wit and humour. He related how the siblings and their offspring just seemed to gravitate to Barbara.

He described her on the one hand as the country’s ‘biggest crybaby;’ but they were tears of joy for the love so genuinely shown her.

Morty added, on the other hand she was no ‘wimp’ when she discerned anything to be out of order.

Barbara was taught to be a seamstress by her mother. She enhanced those techniques attending the Francis School for Girls in Hamilton.

She also qualified in Geriatric Nursing at the Bermuda College. She loves to compose poems, and is often called upon to recite one of her works in public.

She was too emotionally charged Sunday to do any reciting at the party. But she was cheered when 92-year old friend Edith (Tiny Stead) Douglas flawlessly recited the poem “Joys of the Moment”, which she had learned at age four.

Barbara recalled afterwards how she had adopted ‘Tiny’ into the family 40-odd years ago.

Another highlight of the party was when close family friend Gerald Simons led the singing of two songs that openly reduced Barbara to tears.

They were ‘Happy Wanderer’ and ‘One in a Million.’ Gerald took time out from his rehearsal for the next performance of ‘Climbin Jacob’s Ladder’ that is set for later this month at St. Paul AME Church.

He was a star in the original presentation last month.

Also having a high profile at Barbara’s party was her brother Warren Williams of the famous Warrenairs, in attendance with his wife Kay.

And there was Barbara’s sister Kathleen (Kath) Ford, who has hardly been out of the headlines since she was named in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List and awarded the MBE for her cultural work in the community.

We mentioned earlier about the Bay Lots and how descendants of the former slaves inherited properties of their slave-trading white ancestor Robert (Bob) Bassett.

Barbara’s sister Lois Williams Scott has done extensive research into how Bassett left Bermuda and returned to England upon Emancipation of people from Slavery in 1834, leaving his properties extending from west of Gibbs Hill Lighthouse crossing the street, taking in Boats Bay, Sinky Bay and Cross Bay.

She intends to publish that fascinating story in due course.