Listing Type : Defended Commercial Port
Location : Caribbean Sea
Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana) was initially occupied by the Dutch in the 1600s and was taken over by the British in 1814 and became a colony in 1831.
Royal Commission Appointed to Enquire into the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad 1879 to 1883 under the Earl of Carnarvon, designated George Town as a Defended Commercial Port. However little was ever done to prepare defences to protect the harbour area. According to plans dated about 1900 (WO 78/5422), George Town had the following defences:
- Eve Leary Barracks
- Fort William Fredrick a fort built by the Dutch. (plan TNA MR 1/199/3).
- A battery of two 4.7-inch Quick Fire guns mounted in Fort William Fredrick in a coastal defence role
- General defence, one 9-pdr RML and three Maxim Machine Guns