Saint Kitts, also known as Saint Christopher Island, after Christopher Columbus is an island in the West Indies/Caribbean. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Kitts and the neighboring island of Nevis constitute one country, the islands are separated by a shallow 3-kilometer channel known as “The Narrows”
Saint Kitts has a population of around 40,000, the majority of people who are native to the island are of African descent. The primary language is English, the people who live there have coined the name Kittitians, such as Jersey people call themselves Jersey Beans.
Saint Kitts became the first Caribbean island in which the British and French set up colonies in the mid 1620s. Along with the island nation of Nevis, Saint Kitts was a member of the British West Indies until gaining independence on September 19, 1983.
The island of Saint Kitts is home to the Warner Park Cricket Stadium, which was used to host 2007 Cricket World Cup matches. This made St. Kitts and Nevis the smallest nation to ever host a World Cup event.
Similar to Jersey, the island is divided into nine parishes:
- Christ Church Nichola Town
- Saint Anne Sandy Point
- Saint George Basseterre
- Saint John Capisterre
- Saint Mary Cayon
- Saint Paul Capisterre
- Saint Peter Basseterre
- Saint Thomas Middle Island
- Trinity Palmetto Point
Both of my grandparents on my dads side of the family are native to the island, they both came to England sepretaly as part of the ‘Wind-rush’ generation, but met in England and the decided to settle down and start and family.
The Windrush generation refers to the collection of immigrants who were invited to come to England to start and new life and work. The British crown called on its empire, to come and work in England to help boots the economy and rebuild England after the war. The immigrants that came from the Caribbean/West Indies, are called ‘Windrush’ as the first boat to sail to England was called MV Empire Windrush, which on June 22, 1948, docked in Tilbury, Essex, bringing nearly 500 people from the Caribbean to the UK.
I have only visited the island once, which was when I was around two years old so I have no memories of visiting the island. But I am planning to visit some of the family that we still have there sometime soon.
