Hog Island, not Hogg Island
Dear Editor,
It is obvious that someone in your editorial
department is convinced that the name of the largest
island in Guyana is ‘Hog’ Island and not
‘Hogg’ Island.
In one of your comments section, a reader attempted
to correct the spelling only to be told emphatically
by the moderator, “No, it’s Hog Island.”
As a young boy, I visited this island many times and I have always known it to be ‘Hogg’ Island. I could not locate any sources from Guyana with reference to the correct spelling or how and for whom the island was named, however a quick search on the internet proves that indeed it is Hogg Island and that the island is in fact named after Quintin Hogg.
Quintin Hogg (1845-1903), was an English
philanthropist and is the founder of the institution
now known as the University of Westminster.
He also worked in the commodities trade market and
was largely responsible for the modernization of the
Demerara sugar production at the turn of the last
century.
Mr Hogg was also an accomplished sportsman and
played in 31 football matched for Wanderers FC and
twice represented Scotland against England.
While in Demerara, he represented the colony in two
first class cricket matches.
Now, if anyone out there knows of a book of
historical facts like these on streets, town,
villages, islands, etc, in Guyana, please let me
know how I may obtain a copy.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Z. Rahaman
Editor’s note
Hog Island was not named after Quintin Hogg. Its
original Dutch name was Varken Eiland, which means
Hog Island. It was so named for the obvious reason
that it was home to numerous wild hogs, and when the
British took over the Dutch colonies here they
retained the name in English translation.
It is still the correct name for the island, although increasingly Guyanese are prone to mis-spell it. The current Gazeteer, the official reference book for the spelling of all Guyana’s place names, records it as “Hog Island.” Copies of the Gazeteer of Guyana are available from the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission.