A Brief History on the Settlement of

Sweeting’s Cay

There is no clear cut answer to the way that Sweeting’s Cay got its’ name. However, there are two schools of thought, as stated by some of the older residents of the island. There is the opinion that a long time ago a man called Mr. Sweetings was the first to occupy this quaint little settlement. Another opinion is that the settlement got its name from freed slaves who resided in what is called Lightbourne’s Cay. It is believed that these residents did a lot of fishing and used the channel through what is now called Sweeting’s Cay to get tbeir goods to the main land of Grand Bahama. They gave the settlement the name because it was indeed “Sweet” to them, being a clear and safe passageway to the mainland.

Back then, as today, the residents made their living from the water, fishing and sponging. The first inhabitants were the Tates and Russells. However, the name was spelled Taite after slave owners who were themselves the proprietors of a sugar company in England. The slaves who adopted the name of their master, changed the spelling to Tate, which is the spelling used today.

As in the case of many family islands most of the grocery in the early years came by Mail-boat. In some cases, men who went on the vessel to sponge in New Providence, got supplies for their families and brought them on the return trip. Most sponging was done off Andros Island on a place called “The Mud.” The men signed a document known as “The Article” where the owner of the vessel wrote their names in the log and would sometimes give them an advance of 5 shillings. There was a lot of work for such little pay.

While the men went on the vessel to make a living, the women stayed at home and became homemakers. Some women picked up sun shells from the beach and sold them to buyers from Nassau.

1935 is the year that most elderly residents remember. In this year there was a very bad storm, some say it was a tidal wave that destroyed almost every home. It is told that only seven homes remained standing after this storm. A man named Walter K. Moore, a then member of Parliament, was instrumental in getting supplies to the residents to rebuild their homes. Men went out on the Mail to Nassau to carry a report about the damage while Mr. Moore sent a vessel to bring supplies from Andros. As Freeport did not exist until the late 50’s or early 60”s, there was no other city for the residents to go. People had to walk from McClean’s Town on the West end to see the doctor or Commissioner. This trip took two days. If a person died in those days, the residents would sing songs for a couple of hours and then build a coffin or box. The deceased resident would be buried early the next day. They would be buried on the shore or spit o’the bay which was also called Susan View. It is only recently that the dead were buried on the mainland of Sweeting’s Cay.

If there was an argument or crime in the community, it would be settled by the Council in the church. They decided who was wrong and the punishment that should be given. There has always been two churches on Sweeting’s Cay and it remains that way today.

For entertainment, there was “rake and scrape”, where a saw, banjo, concertina and guitar were used as instruments. Dances called the one-step, two-step waltz or polka and quadrille, along with platting of the Maypole were usual in those days.

Sweeting’s Cay today remains a fishing village but unlike the old days when there were no amenities, it boasts of having electricity, telephones, paved roads and running water. It still, however, has it’s quaintness and tranquality. Sweeting’s Cay also boasts of being the home of theBone-fishing champion in the Bahamas for 1997 & 1998 and second best bone-fisherman in the world. Henry Roberts holds the distinction of being one the best fly-rod fishermen in the world. Most recently, one of the Sweetings Fish Camp members and well-known Bone fishing guide, Phil Thomas held a title of champion.

Sweetings Cay, as in former years is still known for the common surnames of Tate, Russell, Evans and Feasoem whose forebearers all came from England.