A rare photograph capturing the ribbon-cutting ceremony in 1903 for the commissioning of Watford Bridge, linking Somerset Island to Watford Island, was among dozens of images donated this week to the Bermuda Archives.

The glimpse of the past is among two albums’ worth of scenes that a descendant of the former governor, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Le Guay Geary, donated to the government department on Tuesday.

Sir Henry was Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda between 1902 and 1904, at a time when the island was beginning to court increasing numbers of visitors from abroad travelling by steamship, such as the author Mark Twain.

Thousands of labourers from the Caribbean were at work at the West End — while, from 7,000 miles away in South Africa, prisoners from Britain’s military campaign against the Boers were getting shipped in droves to internment camps on the island.

Sir Henry’s collection contains paintings as well as photographs depicting a Bermuda gone by, to be preserved for posterity in the Archives.

Marion Gordon-Finlayson, a great-great granddaughter of Sir Henry, told The Royal Gazette she felt deeply touched by the gesture.

She said: “I am so delighted, because these albums don’t mean as much to me personally or to my family, most of whom haven’t come to Bermuda.

“All of us wanted them to be given to somewhere where they would be looked after and they will be seen as part of history.

“This is a prime example of continuing history for people in Bermuda.”

Sir Henry’s daughter, Gladys, is featured cutting the ribbon at the formal opening of Watford Bridge, alongside the governor’s own paintings.

Andrew Bermingham, of the Bermuda History Society, said Sir Henry’s appointment as governor of the island came at a pivotal time in history.

“He was here halfway through the time when prisoners from the Boer War were brought to Bermuda,” Mr Bermingham said.

The Boer War ran from 1899 until 1902, resulting in more than 4,000 Boer prisoners getting transported to the island from South Africa.

After the fighting ended, Boer prison camps began to close. Sir Henry oversaw the beginning of the repatriation process during his tenure.

While some prisoners swore allegiance to the British Empire, others who could have afforded to pay their own fares chose to travel elsewhere.

Ms Gordon Finlayson said her ancestor, whose military service had taken him throughout the Empire, was strict in how the process was undertaken.

She said: “This all happened at the very end when he was the Governor.

“He did have a lot of trouble with quite a few of the Boers who did not want to go back.

“Some wanted to stay and he said ‘if you want to stay you must take up a job, you must integrate’.”