New Government House - completed in 2003

The first Government House on this site was built around 1874 and destroyed in the 1924 hurricane (an oil painting of it, as it might have looked in 1923, hangs in the drawing room). In the mid-1990s, it was determined that the post-1924 building was no longer fit-for-purpose, but a spirited local campaign led to its preservation (ultimately as the Old Government House Museum), and to the construction of a new Government House in the western part of the existing garden. Earlier in the 1980s, the Governor’s Office building had been constructed on the eastern side of the garden.

Following negotiations between the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the BVI Government, a design was agreed which provided for a downstairs public area, and an upper floor for private and guest quarters. 

Following completion the Governor’s family moved into the new Government House in November 2003.  The most notable guest to stay at the new house was HRH Princess Anne in February 2005.  In addition to the house, the development included a simple rectangular Reception Hall and terrace which lies between the new and old Government Houses.

 

Old Government House - now a Museum

THE GARDEN

The Old Government House garden was developed in the 1970s by Margaret Barwick, wife of the then Governor and a noted antipodean horticulturalist whose work at Government House and the Botanic Gardens means that she is still fondly remembered.  The present Government House garden was landscaped by a BVI company (Minines) as part of the construction project.

 

 

 

ENTERTAINING/EVENTS

 Government House Dining Room

Government House is used frequently for entertaining. The type of entertainment varies from formal dinners, to informal buffets and large receptions. Government House is also used to host fundraising events run by local charitable organisations such as Red Cross, Virgin Islands Search & Rescue (VISAR), Diabetes Assoc., HIV/AIDS Foundation.  A recent fundraising event held by Rotary raised in excess of US$140,000.

The two largest annual receptions are the Queen's Birthday Party held in June and the Christmas Party in December, each with over 600 invitees from a wide cross-section of the community.  The Reception Hall is also the venue for the regular Naturalisation ceremonies, presided over by the Governor.