Every Thursday morning, there is a hustle and bustle, greetings and laughter as vendors and customers meet on the pavement of Victoria Village’s Middle Walk Road at what is now known as the Victoria Market.
At this spot, fresh vegetables and other produce can be purchased from a growing number of vendors. A coconut bun, milk fudge or even a slice of sweet bread, complemented by a cold bottle of local juice, can also be had. And if you are still not satisfied, you can throw in fresh fish, a pointer broom or even items of clothing.
All of this and more can be found at the newly minted market from 5 a.m. every Thursday. While the location is temporary until a permanent site can be established, with the founders hoping for a structure to be constructed, it is situated just a stone’s throw away from what is known as the Emancipation Hut, the building that served as the pay office during apprenticeship.
Victoria Village is iconic as it holds the distinction of being the first village purchased by formerly enslaved Africans. It was once a cotton plantation known as Northbrook (or Northbroke) and was renamed Victoria Village by the freed slaves following the purchase.
It is over the rich history of their ancestors that Amanda Wilson, Brian Smith and Eartha St. Kitts decided to come together and establish the now-bustling roadside market.
“It stemmed from a family meeting of the Cudjoe descendants. We were planning the family reunion and the idea of a market came up because a lot of us are farmers. We reflected on the market that used to be at Belfield Road many years ago, which started way back from emancipation,” Smith told Kiskadee Watch in an interview.
The family reunion idea is now a reality, and the number of vendors has grown from three to more than 10.
Villagers on their way to work stop and purchase fresh produce before making their way to the four corner to get transportation. Others, like Mona Roberts, ensure they take advantage of the market before preparing for work.
“It is early and I don’t have to rush to other markets to get what I need, so for me this is good,” she said as she quickly snapped up a few bargains.
Others come to shop, but they also get to meet friends and relatives, and conversations are rich with history as they reflect on village life and share jokes during their mingling.
Soon-to-be 70-year-old Hilda Barnwell, better known as ‘Cousin Hilda’, was the market’s first customer. She learned that it would be opening through a Facebook link sent by an overseas cousin.
“So I came out and it was dark, but I sat down at the corner and waited. Then I saw Brian come and start setting up a tent, and I asked if it was there the market was setting up, and he said yes. So I just sat back down and waited for them to start selling,” Barnwell said in an interview.
As she spoke to Kiskadee Watch, she was interrupted ever so often as many wanted to have a word with ‘Cousin Hilda’, who has lived in the village all her life.
“Right now I am shopping for three persons — me, my nephew and my daughter,” she said with a laugh as she counted her remaining funds.
“Come and get your fresh vegetables. See how nice this pumpkin looks? Take a piece,” she called out to passersby as she multi-tasked — being interviewed, shopping and helping vendors attract customers.
‘Cousin Hilda’ was rewarded for being the first customer with a hamper filled with an item from every vendor at the market. Today, she ensures she goes to the market with her purple-ribbon-decorated hamper basket.
“I just love it. I just love coming to the market,” she said, first pointing to the basket and then to the group of vendors.
For her, it is not just about shopping; it is more like “going to the market where friends meet,” and she spends the entire morning chatting and browsing.
Shared idea
In an interview with Kiskadee Watch, Smith said that following the family meeting, the idea of establishing the market was shared with farmers in the village, inviting them to come on board. While many are still unable to make it to the market, vendors are purchasing their produce and reselling it there.
The market opened its “doors” on April 2, 2026, with two vendors. By the third week there were three, and the numbers have continued to grow, now standing at more than 10. Smith explained that before opening, permission was sought from the police and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
Smith is the owner of Always Fresh Poultry Farm, which mainly produces eggs sold in various parts of the country, while St. Kitts owns Eartha’s Kitchen. It is from this kitchen that shoppers can purchase sweet treats while picking up their vegetables. Smith mainly sells eggs and ground provisions.
“The response has been very positive; customers are coming out and the numbers keep increasing. Customers are coming from as far as Paradise,” Smith said.
“We are looking for a space to erect a permanent market, and our eyes are on the area right behind where we are now, where the old Brethren church used to be,” Smith shared.
Through a newly formed market committee, with Smith serving as chair, St. Kitts as co-chair, and Hilda Barnwell and Collin Hunter as community representatives, they hope to engage the relevant authorities for a permanent piece of land.
Smith is a retired economics teacher, and for him the market is a reminder “of where we started from. The village was bought by our ancestors, who pooled their money to purchase it.”
“Victoria is a farming community, and it is good to sell our produce among ourselves. It creates employment and brings about economic stability within the community,” he posited.
He said it was his economics background and passion for farming that led him to open his business.
“I always had that drive and passion for business. From a small child, we used to sell fruits in the village. We were always selling something. We always saw selling as a means of income. So, from childhood, that spirit of selling and hustling was part of our upbringing,” Smith said.
The village
It was on November 7, 1839, that 83 freed slaves pooled their money and purchased the plantation, renaming it Victoria Village.
The 83 men and women who had been freed from slavery paid 30,000 guilders for Plantation Northbrook, a cotton plantation of about 500 acres, and today that plantation is fondly referred to as the “first village.”
Victoria is also said to be the first village along the East Coast to have streetlights. The village was once a leader in the production of ground provisions and fruits and had thriving coconut and cassava industries.
According to historical records, the former slaves who purchased the plantation came from five plantations — Anns Grove, Dochfour, Enmore and Hope, among others. It is recorded that two-thirds of the money was paid immediately in coins delivered in wheelbarrows, some of them still encrusted with mud from the fields. The remainder was covered by a promissory note that was redeemed three weeks later.
Located some 17 miles from Georgetown, Victoria today is home to approximately 3,000 people.
The Victoria Market is now situated almost opposite an Emancipation Arch commissioned in August 2024. The arch was created by a talented young artist.
According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the government, in partnership with residents of Victoria Village, constructed and installed the Emancipation Arch in recognition of the resilience, sacrifices and indomitable spirit of African ancestors.
The arch was designed by then 14-year-old Kayden Meusa, who disclosed that he had conducted in-depth research on Victoria’s history to develop the design.
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