Red House/Ice House history

THE EDITOR: The Red House is a beautiful structure, cherished and admired by many. We all know that whenever tourists arrive in the city they do take pictures of this beautiful structure.

However, the first structure was built on February 15, 1844 and the land was bought from eight different people. In that same area we had the then “Government House” with a sign in front of it reading “Government Offices.” The first “Ice House” which sold ice to the people who could afford it then was behind this Government House building. The first shipment of ice was consigned to one Mr DP Cotton, and it arrived on September 17, 1844. I am sure that this gentleman must have been an American to know about this item. The structure Mr Cotton built was a temporary one to store his shipment of ice. He was selling a pound to a customer, and nothing less, at a price of five cents; in 100 lb quantities at a price of four cents a pound. Mr Cotton used to advise his customers to walk with their woollen blankets as it seems that this material kept the ice longer. So it seems to me that in those days the blanket was used by some for covering ice and not the human body.

Mr Cotton did not sell ice after 9 am on a Sunday because of the churchgoers. Refridgerators which were introduced were small and did not make Ice. The temporary Ice House structure was in the St Vincent Street area and was behind the then Government House. The “Ice House” did not remain too long behind the “Government Office House” which also moved to a new location. I believe that it may have been after the first fire of the then Government House that the name “Red House” was given to it. The Ice House moved to Abercromby Street and Marine Square corner. The place is now known as “Independence Square North.” The Ice House disappeared in 1977, when fridges became popular and they were making ice.

With the imported ice came frozen vegetables, fish and meat from the US. The first shipment of ice cream came to Trinidad on September 17, 1844 and was seen on the table at Christmas time. At some later date, the “Ice House” changed hands and it was bought by the firm of Croney and Co and they changed the name to “The Ice House”. The popular “Hotel de Paris” was opposite, at the corner of Abercromby Street and Marine Square. It was a popular Dance Hall for high class people. So will the government people know that a thing of beauty is indeed a joy for ever and not to be destroyed.

SATNARAYAN
JAGGERNAUTH
San Fernando