While our community clubs are usually known only for sport, we are highlighting the legacy of the Devonshire Recreation Club in the 20th-century transformation of Bermuda. This, during Heritage Month, given that on Sunday, May 24, the Rec is launching a weeklong observance of its 81st anniversary.

Residents from across the Island are invited to join this Sunday – noon to 5pm — the family-friendly barbecue at the club grounds. In addition to food vendors and a Kid Zone, there will be a variety of music – including live performances – to inspire and entertain the cross-generational gathering.

Over eight decades, the Rec has been the home of renowned football and cricket teams, which have made their mark. However, the Devonshire Recreation Club is unique in that it served as a vital platform for social transformation from the late 1950s through to the early 1980s.

This, speaks to the significance of recreation in its name.

That relevant period involved the presidency of Hugh Ryo Richardson, a mechanic who ran his garage in Pembroke. That workshop became a hang-out for social activists — dubbed the Garage Gang; including Wilfred “Mose” Allen, Leon Parris, Billy Richardson, Edward DeJean (Howard Academy principal) among others.

That group focused on sustaining the labour movement, following the death of Dr Gordon. They supported Howard Academy, addressing the gap in secondary education for students impacted by segregation. Richardson’s club presidency effected a renaissance, establishing a library and a homework club for families.

These programmes grew out of the Gang’s holistic vision. Another breakthrough project was to floodlight the field; the first Black club to do so. (BAA — segregated at the time — was the only other floodlit field.)

This technically challenging project, with limited funds, was successfully achieved by voluntary labour, community solidarity and the guidance of Eddie DeJean, who had been trained as an electrical engineer.

Serendipitously, just as the “Rec” floodlights were erected, softball was emerging as a popular sport locally, especially for women. The early 1960s saw the blossoming of the Petticoat Softball League, based at Devonshire Rec with several hundred spectators on Friday evenings; and teams from across the Island.

The Garage Gang actively supported the 1960 campaign for the Right to Vote, chaired by Roosevelt Bown (Pauulu Kamarakafego). In fact, they raised funds for Brown to work full-time over several weeks on the series of meetings promoting this basic democratic right.

When the 1963 General Election was called, the Garage Gang was key in founding the Progressive Labour Party and Hugh Richardson was elected the first PLP chairman. Wilfred Allen convinced Lois Browne-Evans to run for a seat in Parliament. She successfully challenged the incumbent in Devonshire with the “Rec” as her HQ.

On February 2, 1965, Hugh Richardson encountered Eugene Blakeney – BIU organiser — leading more than 130 Belco strikers and supporters in Hamilton. They had been at the Belco picket when violence broke out with several police and others injured – some seriously – and were looking for a hall to meet in to decide on “next steps”. Richardson invited them to use the Devonshire Rec as a sanctuary during that unprecedented crisis.

Richardson subsequently contacted the Governor regarding the crisis and over the hours that followed that day the club president worked – along with others — to ease tensions across the Island. The strikers remained at the Rec for several days before returning to work.

In the autumn of 1966, a Constitutional Conference was held in London – after years of campaigning for democracy in Bermuda. Hugh Richardson and Wilfred Allen were among the delegation involved in that historic forum.

In 1968 – Bermuda’s first democratic General Election – the Rec was the site of the final PLP rally before that historic election.

The club served as a site for a variety of events subsequently. The most iconic of these was the wrap-up following the May 5, 1981 General Strike; the Island’s largest-ever social crisis, which was resolved peacefully.

With the view of preserving the lessons of this significant legacy, a mural will eventually be done at the Devonshire Recreation Club, co-ordinated by noted young artist Jahbarri Wilson and involving Chewstick Foundation. We are asking the general public if they have photos which capture any portions of the story of transformation to contact the club at drecreationclub@gmail.com

• Glenn Fubler represents Imagine Bermuda