Hubert Smith
Musician, bandleader, songwriter. 
Born May 9, 1918

Musician Hubert Smith Sr. wrote countless songs, but is best remembered for his signature hit, Bermuda Is Another World.

Smith, who performed solo and as leader of the band Hubert Smith and the Coral Islanders, was one of the Island’s most beloved entertainers during the golden era of tourism.

He received numerous awards during his career, including the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour, and was the long-time leader of the musicians’ union.

Listen to Hubert Smith and the Coral Islanders on Spotify.

Lights go on at Gibbs Hill
May 1, 1846

Lights beamed from Gibbs Hill Lighthouse for the first time.

Bermuda’s first lighthouse was a welcome beacon for seamen who for three centuries had risked being shipwrecked off the island’s treacherous reefs.

A report sent to the UK in 1839 showed the location of 39 wrecks, a 10-year record. Most were in the west end, and only four were bound for Bermuda.

The lighthouse was erected during the administration of Governor William Reid by British convicts, who had been shipped off to Bermuda to serve their time and were housed in airless hulks in Dockyard.

It was built in the UK and transported across the Atlantic and unloaded at a wharf near Gibbs Hill.

Work to erect the 117-foot lighthouse began in December 1845.The convicts cut a road up Gibbs Hill and dragged the heavy cast-iron sections along by hand.

Modern technology has replaced the function of lighthouses, but Gibbs Hill remains a popular tourist attraction. Views from the top are breathtaking—for those with the stamina to climb 185 steps.