Gombey Festival Honouree, September 2004
Mr. Norford arrived in Bermuda from St. Kitt’s in the 1920’s, and wed Katherine Archer. Together, they had five children – three girls and two boys. Charles Norford brought the vibrant dance of the Masqueraders from his native home of St. Kitt’s and formed the Norford Group in the 1920’s, the largest Masqueraders crowd in Bermuda at that time, of which he was captain of his crowd for over 20 years. These early masqueraders consisted of stilt dancers, bass drums, snare drums, a whistle and a triangle. As the years went on the Masqueraders became the Gombeys.
The Gombeys were present in Bermuda as early as 1761. However, Mr. Charles Norford, who came to Bermuda in the 1920’s brought a whole new energy and focus to the Gombey tradition here and may be commended for the Gombey tradition as we know it today. In 1947, Mr. Norford passed away and his son, the late Sinclair ‘Boxcart’ Norford took over the crowd.
At the time of his honouring, Mr. Charles Ebenezer Norford Sr. was survived by daughters Rev. Dorothy Tuzo, the late Viola Brown, Mildred Hodgson, and son Charles Norford Jr., as well as his grandchildren.
Note: Mr. Norford Sr. passed in 1947.
