Detailed plan of the Robbstown and Lacytown in Georgetown Guyana.

The plan depicts Georgetown at the beginning of British colonial rule of Demerara-Essequibo; the colony, with the addition of Berbice, would later become British Guyana. The plan is superbly detailed and shows the town’s Dutch and Britsh heritage, most strikingly in the names of streets such as New Bond Street, and Regent Street, and districts such as Stabroek and Vlissingen. Also depicted are: the old St George’s church built in 1811, upon land donated by Joseph Bourda whose name is mentioned in the title of the plan; the Union Coffee House; Marhall’s hotel; the colonial hospital; Vlissingen’s house; and the several wharfs and jetties along the banks of the Demerara river. The plan was commissioned by the heirs of the recently deceased, Joseph Bourda, in order to be gain a clearer understanding of the make-up of their estate.

Joseph Hadfield, land surveyor for the ‘United Colony of Demerary and Esseyucho’, would be responsible for the design of the Parliament building, the construction of which was begun in 1829, it opened for parliamentary business in 1834.