Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

187 SOME “FIRSTS” IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO • 1610 First set of African slaves to Trinidad • 1799 First English newspaper is published, the “Trinidad Courant” • 1839 First carnival, as we know it today, on the streets in Trinidad • 1845 First set of East Indian indentured labourers to Trinidad • 1853 Louis de Verteuil: first Port of Spain Mayor • 1859 First rail transport system, the Cipero Tramway in south Trinidad, pulled by horses then later by steam engines • 1867 First oil well to strike oil in Trinidad at Aripero in south western Trinidad near La Brea by Captain Walter Darwent • 1876 First Passenger railway service started (August 31 st ) starts fully between Port of Spain and St. Joseph • 1883 First telephone used in Trinidad • 1895 First time electricity is introduced in Port of Spain • 1889 Trinidad and Tobago joined as one country • 1895 First electric tram introduced (from Belmont Circular Road at the Queen’s Park Savannah) • 1900 First motor car on streets of Port of Spain • 1902 Oil is first brought to the surface after large quantities were found in Guayaguayare (through the efforts of John Lee Lum and Randolph Rust) • 1911 First cinema, the London Electric Theatre, opens in Port of Spain (‘silent’ films) • 1913 First airplane flight in Trinidad • 1925 First General Elections in Trinidad and Tobago (limited voting rights. See 1946) • 1930 First Test cricket century and double century for the West Indies, both scored by T&T’s Clifford Roach • 1930 First ‘talking’ movie shown (not ‘silent’ as before) • 1932 Gladys Ramsaran: first woman to be admitted to the Bar in T&T • 1934MannieDookie:firstathletetorepresentT&Tininternational athletics at the 2 nd British Emperor Games in London • 1936 Audrey Jeffers: first woman to be elected to Port of Spain’s City Council • 1937 First female to record a calypso, Thelma Lane, Lady Trinidad • 1945 First steelbands on the street, celebrating the end of the war • 1946 First elections where all or most adults were allowed to vote • 1948 Isabella Cabral: first female to obtain a pilot’s licence • 1950 Beryl Archibald-Crichlow: first woman Mayor (San Fernando)