Built as a capable sloop in the 1920’s by Carter Rey of Wallblake, Anguilla.
Most of the white cedar timber came from Hope Estate in French St. Martin which was owned by Carter Rey.
Betsy sailed mainly between Anguilla and St. Kitts, and was at one time Anguilla’s life line arriving at the Forest every week with general merchandise for C. Rey & Co., Anguilla’s only store at the time. The cargo consisted of flour, rice, sugar, salt fish, canned goods of every description, bales of cloth, lumber, cement, galvanize kerosene, gasoline and motor cars. She also carried cotton lint in bales from Anguilla for transshipment to England.
Betsy R made several voyages to Macoris in Santo Domingo. On one trip there the Captain was tipped off that the National Guards were planning to seize the vessel on suspicion of cigarette smuggling. During the night the anchor was “slipped” and Betsy sailed away. At dawn the police launch gave chase and fired shots, but was no match for Betsy under full sail on a broad reach.
In 1930’s Betsy was beached in the Forest, was stretched and launched as a schooner, and continued the weekly trip to St. Kitts. On January 2nd 1955 Betsy was almost a total wreck in a freak hurricane, but was salvaged and repaired. In 1962 Betsy was beached in Sandy Ground and an engine was installed.
Sold in the 1980’s to clement Daniel, she continued the St. Kitts trade but later ran aground in Basseterre and was a total loss.
Anguilla SG?
http://gov.ai/angstamp/newreleases.htm