…….. Governor Melville began the work of creating a British colony out of a French one. The majority of people in Grenada spoke French, and for any official business transacted by persons who were not bilingual, interpreters had to be supplied. All government notices had to be posted in French and English. Melville now set out to change all that and more.
All the parishes, capitals and major streets in Grenada were renamed on 10 February 1764.
The former French quartiers became parishes in the English tradition.
Basseterre became St. George’s,
L’Ance Gouyave became St. John’s,
Grand Pauvre became St. Mark’s,
Grand Marquis became St. Andrews
Megrin became St. David’s.
The capital of L’Ance Gouyave was called Charlotte Town. The change of names upset the “New Subjects” as the French speaking Grenadians were now called, but there was nothing they could do, except to use the old names in defiance. This is why Gouyave remains the capital of St. John’s, although ‘Charlotte Town’ is recorded doggedly on the maps of Grenada.
PS: Robert Melville (Melville) was the first British Governor of Grenada
Taken from Grenada, A History of its people pg 68 by Beverly A. Steele
