Linden, Guyana
Encyclopedia
Linden is the second largest town in Guyana
after Georgetown
, and capital of the Upper Demerara-Berbice
region, located at 6°0′0"N 58°18′0"W, altitude 48 metres (160 feet). It was declared a town in 1970, and includes the communities of MacKenzie and Wismar. It lies on the Demerara River
and has a population of roughly 60,000. It is primarily a bauxite
mining
town, containing many mines 60–90 metres deep, with many other pits now in disuse.
is located in Turkeyen, which is part of Greater Georgetown
.
The mining company runs a colonial-era guest house, with other hotels including the Summit Hotel and Starbonnet Bonnet Hotet.
Schools in Linden include Mackenzie High School, established in 1946.
, after himself.
In 1964, Wismar was the site of the Wismar Massacre, where rioting targeted at the Indian minority also led to the widespread destruction of property. The disturbances started on Wednesday, May 20, escalating to murder on May 25th before the arrival of British troops on Tuesday, May 26. During this period more than two hundred properties were destroyed by fire and more than fifty people reported physical assaults, including at least seven rapes. The riots also claimed five lives, R. Khan and P. Mirgin, Indian residents of Wismar were killed on May 25th, along with G. English, an alleged looter. B. Wharton died in a fire on May 27th, while I. Bridgewater was killed on the 28th. The Wismar Massacre decreased the Indian population in Wismar, before the riots it was estimated at 3000. This fell to about 300 by the following July, as more than 3000 Indians were evacuated after the riots. The Wismar Massacre was triggered by the general climate of political and ethnic strife within Guyana in 1964. The murder of an African couple in Buxton on May 21st was the most recent violent event, in a extended period of unrest and is considered the trigger for the Wismar Massacre.
On Monday, July 6th, 1964 an explosion blew apart the Sun Chapman launch as it sailed up the Demerara river from Georgetown to Mackenzie. Forty-three people died either due the explosion or drowned when the launch sank . Most of the thirty-three survivors, including the entire crew, were those fortunate to be on the deck or bow http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2010/07/07/%E2%80%98son-chapman%E2%80%99-victims-remembered-at-touching-ceremony/ "Son Chapman’ victims remembered at touching ceremony" Kaieteur News
, Georgetown, 7 July 2010. when the boat exploded. The Sun Chapman exploded shortly after leaving Horadia about sixteen miles from Mackenzie. By July 8th, thirty-two bodies were recovered from the river and taken to the Mackenzie Hospital morgue to be buried . Some badly decomposed bodies were also buried at Horadia .
With forty-three fatalities, the sinking of the Sun Chapman is the single largest loss of Guyanese life. Most victims were Lindeners traveling home from Georgetown along the Demerara
river. The river was commonly used for this journey before the Linden-Soesdyke highway was constructed in 1966. The explosion was caused by a bomb, but the persons responsible and the type of explosives used remains unknown, this has led to numerous theories about the bombing.
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
after Georgetown
Georgetown, Guyana
Georgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
, and capital of the Upper Demerara-Berbice
Upper Demerara-Berbice
Upper Demerara-Berbice is a region of Guyana, bordering the regions of Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Demerara-Mahaica and Mahaica-Berbice to the north, the region of East Berbice-Corentyne to the east, and the regions of Potaro-Siparuni and Cuyuni-Mazaruni to the west.It contains Guyana's...
region, located at 6°0′0"N 58°18′0"W, altitude 48 metres (160 feet). It was declared a town in 1970, and includes the communities of MacKenzie and Wismar. It lies on the Demerara River
Demerara River
The Demerara River is a river in eastern Guyana that rises in the central rainforests of the country and flows to the north for 346 kilometres until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. Georgetown, Guyana's largest seaport and capital, is situated on the east bank of the river's mouth. The Demerara's...
and has a population of roughly 60,000. It is primarily a bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
town, containing many mines 60–90 metres deep, with many other pits now in disuse.
Points of interest
Linden is the largest urban centre in Guyana that does not have a university, since the University of GuyanaUniversity of Guyana
The University of Guyana, in Georgetown, Guyana is a public university established in 1963 by the Guyanese government.-History:Cheddi Jagan, then Premier of British Guiana considered that the University of the West Indies, to which his government had contributed since 1948, was not meeting the...
is located in Turkeyen, which is part of Greater Georgetown
Georgetown, Guyana
Georgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
.
The mining company runs a colonial-era guest house, with other hotels including the Summit Hotel and Starbonnet Bonnet Hotet.
Schools in Linden include Mackenzie High School, established in 1946.
History
The three villages that made up Linden were previously known as Wismar-MacKenzie-Christianburg, but was renamed/unified in 1970 as a township under the name Linden by then President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, also known as Forbes BurnhamForbes Burnham
Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was the leader of Guyana from 1964 until his death, first as Premier from 1964 to 1966, then as the Prime Minister from 1966 to 1980 and finally as President from 1980 to 1985....
, after himself.
In 1964, Wismar was the site of the Wismar Massacre, where rioting targeted at the Indian minority also led to the widespread destruction of property. The disturbances started on Wednesday, May 20, escalating to murder on May 25th before the arrival of British troops on Tuesday, May 26. During this period more than two hundred properties were destroyed by fire and more than fifty people reported physical assaults, including at least seven rapes. The riots also claimed five lives, R. Khan and P. Mirgin, Indian residents of Wismar were killed on May 25th, along with G. English, an alleged looter. B. Wharton died in a fire on May 27th, while I. Bridgewater was killed on the 28th. The Wismar Massacre decreased the Indian population in Wismar, before the riots it was estimated at 3000. This fell to about 300 by the following July, as more than 3000 Indians were evacuated after the riots. The Wismar Massacre was triggered by the general climate of political and ethnic strife within Guyana in 1964. The murder of an African couple in Buxton on May 21st was the most recent violent event, in a extended period of unrest and is considered the trigger for the Wismar Massacre.
On Monday, July 6th, 1964 an explosion blew apart the Sun Chapman launch as it sailed up the Demerara river from Georgetown to Mackenzie. Forty-three people died either due the explosion or drowned when the launch sank . Most of the thirty-three survivors, including the entire crew, were those fortunate to be on the deck or bow http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2010/07/07/%E2%80%98son-chapman%E2%80%99-victims-remembered-at-touching-ceremony/ "Son Chapman’ victims remembered at touching ceremony" Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News is a privately owned daily newspaper published in Guyana, South America. Kaieteur News columnists include Freddie Kissoon, Stella Ramsaroop, Adam Harris, and an anonymous columnist who goes by Peeping Tom....
, Georgetown, 7 July 2010. when the boat exploded. The Sun Chapman exploded shortly after leaving Horadia about sixteen miles from Mackenzie. By July 8th, thirty-two bodies were recovered from the river and taken to the Mackenzie Hospital morgue to be buried . Some badly decomposed bodies were also buried at Horadia .
With forty-three fatalities, the sinking of the Sun Chapman is the single largest loss of Guyanese life. Most victims were Lindeners traveling home from Georgetown along the Demerara
Demerara
Demerara was a region in South America in what is now Guyana that was colonised by the Dutch in 1611. The British invaded and captured the area in 1796...
river. The river was commonly used for this journey before the Linden-Soesdyke highway was constructed in 1966. The explosion was caused by a bomb, but the persons responsible and the type of explosives used remains unknown, this has led to numerous theories about the bombing.
Linden websites
- Guymine.com - Guymine.com is Linden's premier website
- Linden Fund - Charitable fund focusing on Linden
- Real Guyana - Only Guyanese Language website (non-English)
- http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/guyana_rel_1991.pdf