The winter storms that battered the Island last month couldn't have worked out much better in one respect for St. David's Islanders — they shut down the Causeway for a day.

It meant residents of Bermuda's "tenth parish" got to spend the day just like people did before transport to the rest of the Island was set up little more than a century ago: making the most of what they've got in their self-contained community.

With supermarkets, a gas station, schools, the Lamb Foggo urgent care centre and a Police station, locals are keen to point out their east end island has all it needs to survive.

And they argue that with L.F. Wade International Airport on their side of the Causeway, it's Bermuda that needs St. David's, not the other way around.

But the biggest pride of all for residents speaking to The Royal Gazette when Up Your Street visited St. David's was the community spirit, much of it seemingly fostered by a siege mentality due to years of jibes from the rest of Bermuda like: "Leave your shoes at the roundabout."

St. David's Cricket Club, formed in 1902, with locals building the clubhouse themselves in the 1960s, became the venue for an all-day party on February 11 when the Causeway closed due to 70-knot winds. According to cricket club coach, Del Hollis: "First thing in the morning everyone wanted to know: is the club open? It was happy hour until the bridge opened."

One of those present, Zayna Foggo, the daughter of Constituency Three MP Lovitta Foggo, said: "It was good fun. Most people just came down, brought their video consoles, play stations, and we just had a really good atmosphere. The general consensus from most people was that we didn't really need the Causeway to be open because we had everything we need. I quite enjoy staying in St. David's. We all know everyone; most of us are family."

Mr. Hollis said that day typified the people's togetherness.

"People said we are supposed to be the slow type of people, or the daft type of people, but we're not. Everyone is in high spirits around here," he said.

And while other areas such as White Hill lament the loss of their clubhouses and the knock-on effect on the community, the one in St. David's is still going strong.

Head coach George Cannonier said: "Ever since it was constructed, it's been very important to everybody. It was thought at one point that all St. David's Islanders were automatically members of the club.

"That's what it means to everyone: it's like a second home.

"The members themselves built it when I was 14. Just about everybody, even the youngsters, helped. It was a big effort from everybody. I think that's why it's so precious to us all today."

An otherwise peaceful community, St. David's was shocked in October 2008 when popular homeless friends Freddie Gilbert and Maxwell Brangman were murdered. Last month, their 19-year-old killer Darronte Dill was jailed for 20 years.

Mr. Hollis said: "People here wish to God it was 40 years before he's given parole."

MP Ms Foggo said residents were concerned at the potential social impact from an increased number of people living in St. David's. "They remain much concerned about violence and drug usage, especially after having had the shooting at the theatre, even though that was committed by people outside of St. David's," she said.

Shaki Minors and Renee Kuchler were shot as they left Southside Cinema last November. No one has been charged.

Another talking point has been the likely renaming of the St. David's Primary School for one of the Island's heroes from the past, Hilton C. Richardson, which some have argued would undermine the local identity. The school was established in 1893 in a single room wooden church building, and was the oldest integrated school in Bermuda.

Ms Foggo says resistance mainly came from younger people who did not understand the history surrounding Mr. Richardson, a farmer, preacher, architect, builder and teacher.

He was the architect of St. Luke AME Church, which locals consider the Cathedral of St. David's, and worked alongside his wife and others to oversee the building of the original St. David's Primary School, where he was headmaster for 47 years.

Asked whether the school should be renamed in honour of Mr. Richardson, his grandson Russell Richardson, a keen historian of St. David's, told The Royal Gazette unequivocally: "Oh yes."

The first bridge from the west of St. David's and Stokes Bay was built in 1934; for four decades preceding that, a steam ferry connected the Island to the mainland.

St. David's' history before the late 1800s — when it really was cut off from the rest of Bermuda — has provoked interest from historians and cultural anthropologists.

During the 1600s, Native Americans such as Pequot, Mashpee and Narragansett, who were enslaved following the wars with New England Puritans, were sent to St. David's to avoid uprisings.

American anthropology professor Rosalyn Howard, who carried out a study there last year, said Islanders reflect their heritage in the way they live their lives, such as in traditional cooking and fishing methods.

Ms Foggo, born and bred in St. George's but with family from St. David's, said: "Many original St. David's Islanders think of their island as a separate parish. It has much to do with the geographical separation which exists between St. David's and the rest of the Island."

Other issues raised by residents when Up Your Street visited the constituency include the roads surfaces, although work on the west end of St. David's Road has already taken place since then.

Ms Foggo said the bus service to St. David's Island has also improved following talks with the Public Transport Board which saw the introduction of the 6.15 a.m. bus, while clean-up work has been carried out at Cashew City beach and throughout the entire St. David's area.

Next week's Up Your Street features Pembroke Central. Residents from that constituency should E-mail tsmith@royalgazette.bm.