Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bermudas annual Peppercorn ceremony took place on 22nd April, attended by Governor George Fergusson and Deputy Governor Ginny Ferson. Also in attendance were Premier Michael Dunkley and Opposition Leader Marc Bean.
The ceremony is an important tradition for St Georges, a UNESCO world heritage site, which was the original capital of Bermuda. After the capital moved to Hamilton in 1815 the Old State House Building was leased to the Masonic Lodge of St Georges for a nominal peppercorn rent! Each year a single peppercorn is handed over by the freemasons in a colourful piece of pageantry enjoyed by hundreds of spectators.
This year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Bermuda Regiment, the ceremony was further enhanced by the Mayor and Corporation of St Georges granting freedom of the town to the Bermuda Regiment. The Governor, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Regiment took the salute as the soldiers marched past.