METRO

Sarah Forbes Bonetta- The Yoruba Slave Who Became Queen Victoria’s Goddaughter

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2024

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Sarah Forbes Bonetta was originally born ‘Aina’ in 1843 to Egbado parents of the Yoruba ethnic group.

Her father was the high chief of Oke-Odan, an Egbado village in western Nigeria, till he was killed in 1848 when King Gezo of Dahomey, one of the notorious slave raiders in the 19th century, raided his village. Sarah’s parents and siblings whose names are unknown were killed in the raid which turned Sarah, an Egbado princess, into a slave.

Many of the villagers captured during the raid were made slaves and sacrificed to the gods of Dahomey but fortunately for Sarah, she was saved by the quick intervention of Captain Frederick E. Forbes, a British naval officer who was on a visit to Dahomey kingdom to persuade King Gezo to abolish slave trade…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

Captain Frederick E. Forbes persuaded King Gezo to present Sarah (then Aina) as a gift to Queen Victoria, he said: “She would be a present from the King of the Blacks to the Queen of the Whites.” King Gezo agreed and thus Sarah’s life was spared and subsequently she was named Sarah, Forbes, the captain’s surname and Bonetta which was the name of his ship (HMS Bonetta).

On the 9th of November, 1850, Captain Frederick Forbes took Sarah to Great Britain to meet Queen Victoria at Windsor castle. The Queen admired Sarah’s intelligence and ability to learn quickly.

Even Captain Frederick wrote: “She is a perfect genius; she now speaks English well, and has great talent for music… She is far in advance of any white child of her age in aptness of learning, and strength of mind and affection…” Shortly after, Captain Frederick Forbes died and so Sarah was sent to the Schoen family in Palm Cottage, Gillingham. Queen Victoria adopted Sarah as her goddaughter and sponsored her education.

Being the Queen’s goddaughter, Sarah had unlimited access to Windsor castle like other members of the royal family. Shortly after Sarah began to live with the Schoen family, she developed a health problem due to the damp weather of Britain.

Queen Victoria arranged for her migration to Sierra Leone to continue her education at the Female Institution, a CMS school in Freetown where she excelled in music and her academics. In 1855, Sarah returned to Great Britain.

Portrait of Sarah Forbes Bonetta Davies photographed by Camille Silvy

In January 1862, Sarah Forbes Bonetta, now 19 years old, attended the wedding of the Queen’s eldest child, Princess Royal Victoria, as a guest. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Seven months later, she was offered a marriage to Captain James Labulo Davies, a 31-year-old wealthy Yoruba businessman who lives in Britain. Sarah was reluctant to accept the offer due to reasons known to her but she eventually accepted after much persuasion.

The wedding took place in August 1862 at the St. Nicholas Church in Brighton, England. It was such an extravagant one; dignitaries from different parts of the world were in attendance.

Sarah Forbes Bonetta and James Labulo Davies

The new couple moved back to Africa and settled in the town of Badagary in Lagos, Nigeria. Shortly after her marriage, Sarah Forbes Davies had her first daughter and requested for permission from Queen Victoria to name her Victoria.

The Queen granted the permission and also adopted baby Victoria as her goddaughter. In 1867, Sarah and her daughter visited the Queen then returned to Lagos where she had two more children named Arthur and Stella. Sarah was diagonised with tuberculosis and later died on August 15, 1880 at the age of 37. She was buried in Funchal, Madiera Island, Portugal.

It was such a sad moment for her family. Queen Victoria wrote in her diary, “Saw poor Victoria Davies, my black godchild, who learnt this morning of the death of her dear mother”. Queen Victoria took good care of Sarah’s children and maintained close contact with them.

Till today, the decendants of James Labulo Davies and Sarah Forbes Bonetta Davies lived in England, Sierra Leone and Lagos, Nigeria.

Thanks for reading,

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METRO

Plumber reveals which creatures are capable of coming up a Toilet.

Published

3 days ago

December 17, 2024

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Plumbers often encounter surprising situations in their line of work, and one of the most bizarre is dealing with creatures that have managed to make their way into homes via the toilet. While this is a rare occurrence, some creatures are capable of navigating the plumbing system and emerging from toilets. Here are some of the most notable culprits:

1. Snakes: Snakes are probably the most alarming creatures that can come up through a toilet. This usually occurs in areas where snakes are common, like warmer climates. Snakes are skilled at navigating tight spaces, and plumbing pipes, especially those that are old or cracked, can provide a way for them to enter homes. They are drawn to warm environments, and a toilet, especially in bathrooms, can seem like a convenient place to hide…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

2. Rats: Rats are notorious for entering homes via plumbing systems. While they typically use drains, sewers, and vent pipes to infiltrate homes, they can occasionally end up in toilets, especially in areas with significant rat infestations. They are attracted to the water source, and in search of food and shelter, they may find themselves in the bathroom. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

3. Cockroaches: These pests are agile and can survive in sewer systems, making their way up into homes through pipes. Cockroaches thrive in moist, dark environments, so a toilet drain can be a perfect route for them to enter.

4. Fish: In rare cases, small fish, particularly in coastal or swampy regions, can come up through plumbing pipes, especially if the local sewer system is interconnected with bodies of water. Though it’s more of an anomaly, fish like catfish have been found in toilets in these areas.

5. Alligators: In extreme cases, alligators in areas like Florida have been known to make their way up through toilet pipes. This is typically only possible in cases where the alligator has already entered the sewage system, often by the stormwater system, and has found an access point into a residential building.

While these incidents are uncommon, they are a reminder of the importance of regular plumbing maintenance. Properly sealing pipes and ensuring there are no gaps in the plumbing system can reduce the likelihood of such unwelcome guests making an appearance.

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METRO

Airline pilot explains where your poo goes when you flush it on a plane

Published

3 days ago

December 17, 2024

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TikTok influencer and pilot Garrett Ray got candid about what happens to your number two

Sometimes, holding in your number two just isn’t an option – particularly when you’re on a plane.

There is no saving someone who absolutely needs to take care of their business when they’re 37,000ft in the air, and it’s one of those rights of passage that just needs to happen.

Unless you’re Andre the Giant who left passengers ‘gagging and crying’ after taking the ‘world’s biggest poo’ mid-flight. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

But what happens when you go to the toilet on an aeroplane…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

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METRO

The girl waved to the train driver every day. 3 years later, something amazing happened! –

Published

3 days ago

December 17, 2024

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The saying, “We don’t value what we have until we lose it,” can be applied to many things in life. For some train conductors in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was their friendship with a little girl named Rio, who waved to them every day from the window of a building next to the railroad tracks.

Three years after the start of this unusual friendship, train conductors noticed that Rio stopped appearing at the window. There was a note taped to the window that broke their hearts. Briana Hefley Shepard posted a touching story on her Facebook page:

“My family’s business moved to a new location about three years ago. The store was located right next to the railroad tracks, which meant that everything that happened with the locomotives was perfectly visible from the window…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

“Rio liked it. The guides noticed Rio waving to them from the window and began to wave back. Over time, this became their ritual: they would sound the horn, she would run to the window, they would open the windows, wave to each other, and smile. Tears came to my eyes every time I saw it.

“Then, a few weeks ago, Rio went to school. Having her start going to school was harder than I expected. But it was even more difficult for me on that first day when the train arrived and she was not at home. They sounded the horn and opened their windows, but I was the only one who could answer them. I stood in the window, cried, and weakly waved my hand at them.

“The next day, I wrote a note. I simply wrote: ‘She went to school.’ I heard a beep, ran to the window, and picked up the note. This was three weeks ago. Oh, how I cried. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

“This morning, a few minutes after the store opened, someone knocked on the door. It was a man wearing a bright yellow shirt with earplugs hanging around his neck. I thought it was a construction foreman who had come to talk about the repairs we wanted to do in the store. I was wrong.

“This man came in to ask about the little girl with blond hair who was waving at the trains. He was one of the guides, and they all wondered what happened to her. That day, the train was small. They stopped it in front of the store, and he decided to go into the building.

“The guides assumed that she had started going to school but wanted to make sure. He said her attention always lifted their spirits. For three years, they waited every day for this moment. They missed her and wanted to do something for her. He asked if they could give her anything.

“I replied that, of course, they could give her a gift for her birthday, which would be in a few weeks.

“This unusual friendship, which lasted several years, was something incredible. Knowing that this affected them as much as it affected us fills me with love and hope. Today’s visit and their kindness towards Rio confirmed my belief in kindness and humanity. I will never forget this day.”

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