Happy “Baron Bliss” Day
Always one for a party, and also feeling much better too, TheEye will be toasting Baron Bliss Day. Unfortunately it is only recognised in Belize but it’s still got to be worth a glass of vin rouge.
Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss died today in 1926 and gave $2million to British Honduras. This has paid for a museum, an arts centre, a library, a nursing college, random stuff and the lighthouse where he is also buried. This was paid for by cash made trading petroleum shares – having been disinherited for once leaving a hansom cab waiting.
He called himself the “Fourth Baron Bliss of Portugal” which was a bit rich as he was actually born in Suffolk. Polio didn’t help so sailing was his way to endure the pain. He saw most of the West Indies but decided that he liked the look of Belize and he enjoyed the company of the locals.
A combination of polio and food poisoning meant that he didn’t ever make it ashore.
Although TheEye is feeling much better and certainly doesn’t have polio or $2m to give anyone, a post to a fellow invalid seemed appropriate. RIP and fair play to you.
As an aside, there was a Municipal Election in the capital of Belize on the 4th and the Irish readers of this site will twitch that the UDP trounced the PUP – and taking control of the “Orange Walk” district.*
Enough of the miscellany. Serious posts to follow.
*United Democratic Party and People’s United Party natch.
You will be pleased to know that the Orange Walk district is a lovely out of the wasy spot that St C has frequented many tijmes, as it is the location the British Army use to run their Junagle warefare traininig. St C has ahd amny happy nights under the canopy in “The J” as we like to call it. Indeed, one fine memory is of a St David’s day spent with my platoon from the “Welsh Gunners” singing Land of my Fathers while as the moring mist lifted from an orange tree lined valley.
ALl good stuff.