Dr. Claudius Roland Walker was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Claudius F. Walker. He was born on May 6, 1897 in Nassau, The Bahamas. His father was a school teacher who taught in many Family Islands. His mother Patience nee Robinson was a seamstress.

Dr. Walker attended the Boys' Central School, and at an early age of 12 he became a monitor. He was a gifted person, who also helped merchants on Bay Street with their accounts. Additionally he was a skilled tailor. As a young man he played the piano and organ and was very active in all aspects of St. Agnes Church, which he truly loved.

At the age of 19 he went to New York to study at Rhodes High School. On completion of his secondary education he entered Howard University in Washington, D.C. to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree. It was at Howard University, in a German class, that he met his wife Mabel Cordelia Holloway of Greensville, South Carolina.

After obtaining his degree from Howard University, he taught at Florida Memorial College, and then entered Meharry Medical School in Nashville, Tennessee graduating in 1929. That year he was also President of his class. He took and passed the Georgia State Medical Board Examination as well.

In October, 1930 he returned to The Bahamas as one of the few Bahamian medical doctors. He became involved in politics and was elected for the Southern District. He served for over twenty years in the House of Assembly. He was not re-elected after the 1956 elections. He was a good speaker and a well-read person and was able to lend much to the debates in the House of Assembly. Dr. Walker served on a number of Government Boards while he was a Member of Parliament. In addition he fought for the abolition of open voting and supported strongly the secret ballot vote. He was an advocate for the rights of women to vote. He worked for the betterment of all Bahamians whom he loved and the country which he cherished.

 
 
     
         

Dr. Walker taught classes at night to adults in The Bahamas Technical Institute which he organized. He was always teaching someone. He believed in education and worked untiringly in the education, political and economic power could be obtained by the majority.

He was instrumental in having the doctors and nurses at the General Hospital wear plastic gloves when dealing with certain medical cases and pushed for improved health services. Dr. Walker wrote the first constitution for the Medical Association of The Bahamas and was the physician of many Bahamians.

Because of the racial discrimination against black people at the hotels he built the Reinhart Hotel which accommodated groups from abroad particularly from the United States of America. The Reinhard Hotel located on Blue Hill Road was the place where many wedding receptions and social and civic activities were held. Dr. Walker also opened a restaurant in the 1940's for the benefit of his people.

A group of black leaders organized a weekly newspaper, The Voice of which Dr. Walker became the editor. The paper was used to educate the majority of Bahamians of their rights as citizens. Publication of the paper lasted for about ten years. The office of The Voice was a meeting place for Bahamians desiring a change in the situation in the colony at that time. Dr. Walker always encouraged and inspired people to achieve and to contribute to their country.

He advocated two storey school buildings, and the first one to be built was Woodcock Primary School on Hospital Lane. He used to say that there was much space in the air.

For his contribution to education he was awarded The Commander of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen. The Technical College was renamed the C. R. Walker Technical College which is now incorporated into The College of The Bahamas.

In the 1960s he started the St. Michael's Masonic Lodge Scottish Rites and he travelled to Scotland to have the plans formulated. He worked closely with the Masonic Lodge in Jamaica.

Dr. Walker's hobbies included writing poems and civic material, reading and travelling. He was gifted in mathematics and spoke Spanish, French and German fluently.

Dr. Walker and his wife, both made invaluable contributions to The Bahamas. They were the parents of seven children. He died on 15 November, 1971 at the age 74.

The C. R. Walker Secondary School on the Bailliou Hill Road is named in his honour.