orangetravelcat

I'm reading a book called"Who Killed Sir Harry Oakes" and it references him as owning the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau. Is this the same British Colonial Hotel that currently exists?

Robert

Yes, and what a character Oakes was; it must be a great book! The old library off Parliament Street has much info about Oaks. He bought a run down hotel called New Colonial Hotel, circa 1935, then renamed in the British Colonial Hotel. He was murdered in July 1943 while his wife escaped the summer heat. Whilst she was in Bar Harbor, Oaks spent an evening at his
Westbourne estate with a man named Harold Christie and two others. The two others left after the party and Christie stayed the night in a spare bedroom. They went to bed at 11:30pm and when Chritie awoke at 7 a.m., he found Sir Harry Oakes dead with a battered head, being thrown out of the bed, doused with flammable spirit and set on fire. Local constables, plus the FBI were called in. Later, the Mauritian husbsand of Nancy Oakes was arreted and charged for the murder. Headlines hitting most U.S. newspapers covered it. The account goes on-and-on, but I don't want to ruin your book. The butler at Westbourne definately didn't do it. Robert

orangetravelcat

Hi, Robert---the book is really interesting. I'm learning alot about the Duke of Windsor-his was not the great romance we have been told. Seems that his wife was not too happy with him for abdicating the throne; also he was a Nazi sympathizer. But back to the hotel - is the entire hotel the original hotel, are parts of it original, or has the whole hotel been built on the same site? I am just fascinated with this Oakes story.

Robert

Oakes bought thousands of acres of land in and around Nassau, much of which was around Lake Cunningham. Part of the Bahama Country Club is from his mansion called Westbourne. I remember visiting the British Colonial in the 60's, and it's roof was partly thatched straw!!! The old "BC", as the Bahamians nickname the British Colonial, had been in that spot for some time,and if he refurbished the ailing New Colonial Hotel and renamed it the British Colonial, it seems logical that the "BC" is the same place and at the same site as the historical New Colonial Hotel. Oakes died in 1943, and Nassau was not a touristy place back then. His land worth was valued at 3,671,000 pounds. Can you imagine what the value of his holdings would be today if he lived longer? You may want to obtain the book "A History if the Bahamas" by Michael Craton. It has much detail on the Governor (Duke of Windsor) and ol' Sir Hary Oakes. Quite a crew!!! Robert

orangetravelcat

I will try to find that book, Robert - it sounds interesting. "Who Killed Sir Harry Oakes", by James Leasor, which I am almost finished with, is fascinating and makes me want to read more on the Bahamas. We go to Abaco every year; maybe on our next trip there we will go via Nassau and stay at the BC.

Robert

I will try to get that book; thanks for sharing it. When you visit Abaco, have a Guana Grabber at Nippers for me. Robert

orangetravelcat

FYI- there is a mystery writer - I think his name is Max Allen Collins - who "inserts" his detective into real, unsolved murders. He wrote a book based on the murder of Sir Harry and a local bookstore owner told me it's very good; however, it's out of print and I haven't been able to find it yet.