The Tribune

The anti-slavery legislation passed by the British Parliament on March 23, 1807 prohibited an vessel engaging in slave traffic from being cleared from any port which was located in British Territory after March 1, 1808. Thereafter, slave ships were boarded by the British, their slaves were confiscated and were landed at the nearest British port, or if there was a shipwreck, the same action took place.

In Nassau, several villages were established away from the town centre to accommodate these liberated Africans. Adelaide was one of them.

The governor made efforts to promote for their education, an endeavour in which he was supported by the Bishop of Jamaica, who was also the Bishop of The Bahamas.

Archdeacon McCammon Trew, with the help of the Church Aid Society, the Society of the Provision of Christian Knowledge and the government, built a church in Adelaide, which was completed and opened for service in 1849; the foundation having been laid in 1848. It was consecrated by the Rev Aubrey George Spencer, the Bishop of Jamaica, on March 22, 1850.

After the establishment of the Parish of St Anne in 1845, the incumbent of that parish was given the responsibility of giving pastoral care to the two communities of liberated slaves at Adelaide and Carmichael. After some years they both became mission districts of the Parish of Christ Church.

This status remained until the Parish of Saint Barnabas came into being in 1928, when St James, the only congregation existing, had the status in that parish as it had with Christ Church.

Another change took place in 1964 when it was attached to the Parish of St Christopher, Lyford Cay. That relationship continued until 1981, when it became a diocesan mission parish.

At Adelaide, a school as well as a church were built and there has always been a close relationship between the two communities. Whenever one was in a poor state of repair, the other was used. Over the years this has often happened.

Until the 1950s, a priest was unable to celebrate mass every Sunday and so like many churches in the Family Islands, the lay ministry of catechists and lay readers was frequently used, and indeed, enabled worship to continue.

In 1926, a severe hurricane destroyed the church and schoolhouse as well as the homes and farms of many of the residents. The village became desolate. In 1928, a few of the inhabitants returned to the village. Services began again in the school, which had always belonged to the church. Shortly after the church was restored; Father Senior, the parish priest was responsible for this restoration.

In preparation for the centenary of the church in 1948, both the church and the school were rebuilt. In the late 1960s, a sacristy was added at the western end of the church. Ever since that time the structures of the church and school have continually been improved and modernised. This is a testimony to the care, concern and dedication of successive parish priests and generosity of members and many friends.

On January 1, 2018, St James became a self-supporting parish.

The following clergymen were responsible for the ministry in the parish: Fathers W Gray, R Chambers, C Nesbitt, R Swann, P Young, C Meeres, D Lampen, O Dampier-Bennett, A Senior, G Brooks, A Staffurth, J Calnan, H Devall, P Colthurst, M Roker, H Lane, D McCallum, D Archer, H Hanna, L Cox, A Turnquest, D Bowe, S Davies, and S Sturrup.