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Presents BUILDERS OF TORTOLA |
David Baldwin
David Baldwin was born on January 18th, 1924 in New Haven, Connecticut. At a fairly early age he developed a love of veterinary medicine and started at “UCONN” in the early 1940s in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a vet. His timing was not good, however, and “Uncle Sam” came to call. Dave spent the next few years in a variety of branches of the US Armed Forces in various parts of the USA and Europe.Returning to the University of Connecticut in 1946, Dave married Phyllis Black in 1947, and graduated from vet school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1951. Over the next thirty years Dave and Phyllis started and grew a substantial and successful Veterinary Clinic in Dummerston, Vermont, and raised a family (two boys, two girls and numerous foster children). Dave was a volunteer in several organisations such as the Gideons (for 20 years) and Rotary (for 40 years!) as well as engaging in a variety of other activities, courtesy of his hyperactive personality.
By the late1960s with their family grown and with some time to spare Dave and Phyllis entered a new phase of their lives. One that would bring them a new career and life in Tortola. It began with bare boating in the USVI and the BVI from 1969 to 1979 – when winters were slow for his business in Vermont. In 1979 they started to look for land in the Cane Garden Bay area, staying at first in Brewer’s Bay campground. In 1981-82 they purchased parcels 3 and 85, block 2538B, Cane Garden Bay.
They lived at Hodges Harbourview guest house while clearing their land, planting and building. They also started to give back to their new home. They started “Green-up Day” in 1982 whereby school children helped clean up the Bay. They then had a picnic on the beach followed by swimming races sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tortola and local businesses. This continued for 11 tears until the government took over in 1993.
The Baldwins had moved to Tortola in 1983 after David sold his Vermont practice – winters were no longer slow and he couldn’t keep taking time off. Dave soon joined the local Rotary Club and continued his work with Gideons, placing Bibles in the H.M. Prison – which Dave visited weekly - and Peebles Hospital. Phyllis opened a children’s library at her home, which operated on a self-service basis. She also taught reading in Ivan Dawson School in Cane Garden Bay, and at the Prison. She also gave free swimming lessons.
From 1986-88 David served as BVI Veterinary Officer for the Department of Agriculture. Dave and Phyllis applied for resident status in 1989, receiving it in 1994. His Vermont home had been sold. In 2000 they applied for Belonger status, receiving it in 2002. In 1998 they received a trade license for Agapé (‘God’s Love’ in Greek) Cottage Rentals, a business that is still in operation, although Dave is looking to sell the rental operation and most of his land.
David also had a trade license as a vet. About nine years ago he brought “Dr. Laura” over from the USVI on a part-time basis to work with horses. Dr. Laura now mostly runs the vet’s office in West End (two days a week) and Dave plans to retire, again, once she gets her own trade license. Phyllis died a few years ago and in 2008 Dave married Kit on the beach at Cane Garden Bay. He hopes to spend more time traveling, at a home he has bought in Florida, and visiting with his children and grandchildren.
There have been a tremendous number of changes since Dave Baldwin first saw the BVI some forty years ago. The roads are, of course better “and fixed sooner” than in the past. There has been a lot of new building. Tourism and finance have boomed.“ But everything has a cost”. Although Dave feels that as a non-denominational but strict Christian he has spiritual freedom, with no fear of death, he believes that the recent changes in the BVI have restricted one’s liberty. An increase in government through a network of new laws inevitably restricts the individual. The restrictions may bring benefits with them, but they are still restrictions upon the actions of the individual. As an expat this had more negative effects for David, but as a Belonger he feels he has taken back some of his liberty, as the laws are different and differently applied for Belongers vs expats. He can, for instance buy and sell land as a Belonger without the controls that restrict the actions of expats.
Dave’s future remains somewhat uncertain, as it depends upon his retirement as a vet and his retirement as a rental cottage owner – and he can’t completely control either of these situations. What is clearer is that this future lies with his family, but also hopefully still with a piece of his land in his adopted home in Cane Garden Bay, Tortola.
Draft of August 19th, 2009 of interview of August 15th.
Builders of Tortola Guide