(EDITOR’S NOTE: My thanks to Raphael (Ray) Munnings for posting this historic “look down memory lane” of the Miss Bahamas 1961/62 contest. I remember covering that event as young reporter with the Nassau Daily Tribune, and I thought I would share it for readers of BAHAMAS CHRONICLE and to include in my files. As Ray noted in his introduction, “That year I had two sisters-in-law emerging as winners, Brenda Major Barry and Leonora Rodgers McCartney, as Miss Bahamas. Both these beautiful ladies went on to make their contributions to their communities and Country. Leonora has since passed on and Brenda continues strong representing.”)
NASSAU, Bahamas — It was the beginning of the most prestigious competition of beauty and brains on our shores. In those years, the winner received prizes like souvenirs and bouquets of flowers as gifts and the pageant was not held until after a round of eliminations, which was an event almost as big as the actual pageant night.
That year, eliminations were held at the British Colonial Hotel, now called Best Western Hotel, and the pageant held later that month at the world famous Cat & Fiddle Night Club, owned by the late Freddie Munnings, Sr. OBE. When the competition had ended, it had been announced that Liz Cooper was second runner-up, Leonora Rodgers first runner-up, and our first ever Queen of The Bahamas was Brenda Major (now Barry).
As soon as two weeks later, however, Brenda Major Barry stepped down as “Miss Bahamas” in order to pursue a career in nursing in London. Since the first runner-up automatically gains the responsibility of becoming the new queen in a situation like this, Ms. Leonora Rodgers was subsequently the new Miss Bahamas 1961/62.
Leonora was more than happy to pick up the crown and looked forward to representing her country at the Miss Pan American of Tourism Pageant (equivalent to present day’s Miss Universe) in December that same year. She was unaware at the time of the outcome of this entire turn of events as she made preparations for this adventure. She remembers receiving a suitcase as a gift, which came in quite handy for her trip to Port Au Prince, Haiti, where the pageant would be held.
She took along numerous garments, including a formal, cocktail and evening gown, tailored by Lillian Holbert. Pearle Cox, one of the founding members of the Bahamas Beauty Pageant Committee was her chaperone. Representing one of only three black girls in the international pageant, along with Miss Haiti and Miss Jamaica, and eleven other contestants from around the world, Leonora stood out with her poise, grace and beauty.
Toward the end of the evening, Leonora learned that she was tied in first place with Ms. Argentina as winner of the Miss PanAmencan of Tourism Beauty Pageant. They were both then called back on stage to once again walk the runway and answer one last question in order to determine the winner once and for all. She distinctly remembers the runners-up of the evening, then referred to as ‘2nd’ (Miss Haiti) and ‘3rd’ (Miss Canada). Leonora had come a long way.
