George Goddard's Spirit Lives On
October 22, 2000
By Kim Johnson

George Goddard

I first saw pan during Carnival 1939. That was the Alexander Ragtime Band led by Freddie Maroon and their panyard was located at the corner of Woodford Street and Tragarete Road in Port of Spain.

My mother, Miriam, died in October 1939 and I observed the required six months of mourning so I didn't get involved in pan again until Carnival 1940.

However in 1941, Newtown Boys' Calvary Tamboo Bamboo band was formed for the youths in the area since they couldn't get involved with the older men from ragtime.

I played along with Victor 'Toty' Wilson, Esteen 'Police' Small, Paychee, Roy 'Buddy' Coleston, Charlie Chan, John 'Basawan' Cummings and band director Carlton 'Humbugger' Forde.

I remember playing sailor mas with Alexander Ragtime Band and feeling like a man because I was wearing long pants. But in 1942, Carnival was banned because of World War 11.

Still, on the day that should have been Carnival Monday that year, over 100 pan men and woman were arrested and jailed for 21 days with hard labour for forming a procession without Police permission.















Port of Spain in the 1890's

For more info go to www.trinbagopan.com....