A pioneer in ground transportation

By NORMAN ROLLE

From time immemorial up to the 1950s, live horsepower mainly propelled The Bahamas' transportation system.

The horse and carriage was an important mode of transportation of people, while the horse and buggy facilitated commerce by moving goods from place to place. Wind power facilitated inter-island travel - the sailboat was the chief mode of transporting goods and people between New Providence and the Out Islands.

How things have changed! In 2004, in New Providence with about 150-thousand population, motor vehicles equal or outnumber people who live here permanently.

The named Dan Knowles has long been etched in history as a pioneer in mass public transportation in The Bahamas. A Long Islander (he was born at Simms on March 16, 1911). He, like most of his compatriots, engaged in pothole farming, sea farming and fishing, the only forms of livelihood available on the Out Islands at the time.

Dan fell in love with the sea and before he moved to the capital permanently in 1930, he plied between Long Island and Nassau on a number of sailboats and before quitting, worked his way up to a captain - meaning he could find his way to Nassau from Long Island with a compass by day and by the stars at night. Dan was obviously proud of this status and the

captain identification stayed with him for life as he always wore a white captain's cap.

Dan was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Knowles who migrated to Fort Pierce, Florida shortly after he was born, leaving him in the care of his father and grandparents.

Settled in New Providence, in Kemp Road, with his wife, Remelda (formerly Major from Roses) and three young children - Naomi (Mrs Naomi Symonette), Kathleen (Mrs Kathleen Warren) and Ervin, a former MP and cabinet minister. With the help of his father-in-law, Johnny Major, he landed his first job at the Sanitation Department where he stayed for a short time before joining the Moore Dairy Farm on Cable Beach in the early 1930s.

At Moore Dairy, he first was a farm hand and later a milk deliveryman. In the late 1930s, he got his first car and shortly thereafter, he left that job and went into the taxi business, which was destined to make him a fairly wealthy man as well as famous. In short order, he was able to extend his fleet to three cars.

In addition, being highly disciplined and industrious – qualities he inherited from both grandparents – he saved his little money, determined to better his lot in life, however long it took him. These efforts prepared him well for the impending tourism boom.

In the 1950s, tourism had begun to take off ... with wealthy winter residents and high-end tourists swelling the Cable Beach strip.

Dapper Dan provided transportation for most of them and in the absence of colour brochures and other forms of promotional materials, his persona served as natural "word of mouth" advertising or referrals.

His business in this area experienced a phenomenal increase with his taxi fleet increasing to 12. His headquarters at the time were on Bay Street, adjacent to the Prince George Hotel, where he occupied a booth, actually a horse shed, where the Bank of Nova Scotia is situated at Bay and Parliament Streets. He would subsequently move to various premises in and around Bay Street before taking his expanding operations Over-the-Hill.

In 1950, having outgrown the downtown headquarters, Dan moved his transportation empire to its permanent home on Wulff Road, where he established a modern garage to handle the maintenance of his burgeoning fleet. By now, he had added a dozen self-drive cars, and three 40-seat buses, which were soon to be increased to eight.

In the 1950s, there were few good mechanics around, so Dan brought in two from Miami to work at his garage on consignment and to train his Bahamian staff, including his three sons, Ervin, Felix and Winston.

He set a standard for public service drivers that deserved emulation even today. He enforced strict dress code for his chauffeurs (he always referred to his driving staff and himself as chauffeurs, and he quite appropriately always drove a limo or taxi number one).

His chauffeurs had to be properly dressed and for him that meant custom-made double breasted suits; they always wore his signature white captain's cap; the vehicles were cleaned and polished daily; chauffeurs were never permitted to smoke, stop for gas while on a fare, or allowed to socialise with the guests; they had to be at locations for weddings and other functions one hour in advance.

Dan had a minimum education, having left Roses all-aged school, as it was customary at the time, at age 14. What he lacked in formal education though was amply compensated for in "common sense" and "mother's wit."

He parlayed what he had and it paid off. Out-going and debonair, he was naturally attracted to people, and became friendly with some of the tourists to the extent that his wife, Remelda, had to prepare native dishes at home for a number of "winter regulars," including the crew from the Flipper Movie Company.

This service led to the Three Queens Restaurant (named in honour of his three daughters), which he opened in 1949. This eatery became world-famous for its scrumptious native dishes and classy interior. It was a popular dining spot for tourists as well as residents from the very beginning and remained so until it closed in 1994.

Bahamians remember him mostly for his fleet of stretched limousines and the seven-seat taxis, which were fixtures in the country by the early 1960s. By this time other taxi drivers with the smaller five-seaters were beginning to complain; this was also the beginning of some competition, as the tourist season had began to stretch to year round, instead of seasonal (winter).

Passionate about the sea, he acquired a number of glass-bottom boats that took tourists on marine sightseeing. He also had a fleet of fishing boats and built a 36-foot yacht that was similar to Sir Stafford Sands' "Empress" He built one of the first small hotel Over-the-Hill - The Hibiscus Inn, Sears Addition, which property is now owned by the Catholic Diocese.

In 1980, Dan suffered a stroke that left him partially paralysed. A strong believer in the medicinal properties of the sea, the man who was a perennial captain would take a plunge at Montagu Bay four years later... early in the morning. His colleague Cliff Miller who usually accompanied him on his daily swim had walked away for a few minutes at which time Dan suffered another stroke and drown. That was Sept. 5 1984.

His legacy is being lived out in his youngest son, Dan Jr., who operates Dan Knowles Tours located on Soldier Road, just around the corner from the original operations on Wulff Road. One of the oldest businesses Over-the-Hill, Dan Knowles Tours is being carried on by Dan Jr. and his nephew, Steven Symonette. Says Dan: "My part of the operation consists of tours – First Class International Travel (FIT), school bus service and corporate staff transportation."

Although he was involved in many "public" undertakings, Dan was a private man, kind albeit to his immediate and extended family and friends. His eldest son, Ervin, recalls: "He surrounded himself with his brothers and school mates. Dan was kind. Family members and friends who he did not hire and who were not working ... I delivered an envelope to them every week."

In 1982 - two years before he died - Dan received the Ministry of Tourism National Tourism Achievement Award.

Dan Knowles was indeed an icon and a visionary. His life provides many lessons for today's Bahamians. It is an inspiration to all those who dare to succeed, despite adverse circumstances;

it is a shining example particularly for public service drivers - the dress code and the code of conduct he established half a century ago - are pathway to success and satisfaction for all who would accept.

Sidebar

Dan Knowles Family

Wife: Remelda Major-Knowles (pre-deceased him in 1982)

Daughters: Naomi Symonette

Kathleen Warren

Angela Achara

Sons: Ervin

Felix (deceased)

Winston (deceased)

Caption: Dan Knowles pioneered the transportation business in the 1950s. He received the Ministry of Tourism National Tourism Achievement Award in 1982. He died in 1984.

Posted: Monday February 16, 2004