The Progressive Labour Party moved its headquarters to the back of town to be with the people, Dame Lois Browne-Evans told PLP supporters at the Annual Founders' Brunch yesterday.

And, she said that the Alaska Hall property was obtained through the work of ousted Minister Arthur Hodgson, with a generous donation from a white benefactor.

Both Dame Lois and PLP founding member Aurelia Burch, who shared speaking duties with her yesterday, spoke of the history of the party and of the bare bones headquarters the party originally had on Burnaby Street.

Mrs. Burch said the early members worked over a saw horse table that you didn't touch because "it would give you splinters.'' But the party's move to the Alaska Hall property on Court Street was both appropriate and symbolic, said Dame Lois.

"I am very sorry that Arthur Hodgson is not here today and that certain things have happened to him because he was the moving spirit to say we should move from Burnaby Street, away from the city, to the back of town so the people's party could be with the people,'' she said.

As one of the first schools for black people and a former lodge, Alaska Hall had a lot of history she said, but buying it wasn't easy for the party.

"We didn't have much money, we never ever had much money. But we always managed to find a scheme to get some,'' said Dame Lois. With the help of a generous donation from a white man who later left the Island, the party bought the property.

"Anyone who tells you the PLP doesn't like white people can just forget it,'' she said.

Both speakers told listeners of the early struggles of the party and of the energies which created and sustained it.

Mrs. Burch was the first Treasurer when the party formed in February 1963 and a young Dame Lois was among its six first-elected MPs that same year.

Mrs. Burch said she was at the party's first meeting, but not among the first few founders who used to meet in Hugh Richardson's garage. "They decided we in Bermuda should do something because our needs were great. They were many, some still are,'' she said.

Although they struggled, she said things tended to have a way of working out.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that now February is Black History month,'' she said. "I know there is a great power. Plans work out. Things come about.

In 1998 it came about and it happened.'' And Mrs Burch said that it was a misunderstanding and a lack of an apology which lead to the party's first split in 1965 -- with Arnold Francis and some others leaving the party.

Mrs. Burch said while many claimed those who split that year "couldn't take the heat,'' in fact they had found themselves falsely accused by then party leader Walter Robinson.

She said that an item the party had not wanted to let out yet had gotten into the paper and Mr. Robinson blamed the men who eventually left the party.

After they were called names and cussed out, "they'd had enough,'' she said.

But later Dorothy Thompson -- a white woman who was one of the PLP's first MPs -- came to the party and admitted she had leaked the item. Despite that Mr.

Robinson and the party did not repair the damage.

PLP founders recall early days "No one who had an office or with echelon in the party said to the gentlemen who were blamed `we're sorry', so the split didn't even get pulled together a little bit. She almost wept she was very sorry for what she had done, but we did nothing,'' said Mrs Burch.

Mrs Burch said she told the story now because it had been pressing on her mind for some time.

Dame Lois also spoke of Mrs. Thompson, saying that "she suffered dearly'' for her party membership -- receiving threatening letters and also rebelling against a husband who didn't support her.

Mrs. Thompson had been a social worker, she said at a time when "not much social work was being done for the poor people of this country,'' which was one of the reasons the party had to form.

"A country must be able to take care of its citizens that fall behind or fall below the poverty line,'' she said.

And she told stories of early PLP leaders and of meetings which grew heated.

At one meeting, things grew so lively that Mr. Robinson hurled a chair and (now) Finance Minister Eugene Cox had to duck or receive it in the head.

"We had some very exciting meetings.''