My Journey to England

I was born in the district of Belvedere, in the parish of Westmoreland, County of Cornwall, Jamaica, West-Indies on the 28th September 1931. I was the eldest of four children; there were two boys and two girls. I went to a small infant school in Belvedere. At the age of seven, I went to the Kew Park elementary school until I was 15. After school I went to work for the Local Government, checking stones which were used for road building, for the public works department. I then worked as an Air Engine Operator at a sugar factory near Montego Bay.

On the 28th of December 1954 I boarded the Napoli, a ship that was used as a troop carrier during the Second World War, and travelled to England. Quite a few Jamaicans boarded the Napoli that day. We sailed out of the Kingston harbour at exactly 1pm. From the deck of the ship I waved goodbye to friends and relatives and sailed off in to the unknown.

After leaving Jamaica our first stop was Tenerife in the Canary Islands. On the Saturday we sailed across the Azores, six days later and we reached Genoa. The following morning, Friday, we boarded a train and journeyed through France to Marseille. There was a ferry waiting to take us to Dover. In Dover we got a train into Victoria station. I stayed with a friend for a few days in Hearn Hill, South East London. The following morning I went to the Labour Exchange in Brixton. I was offered a job as a bus conductor in Huddersfield. I had just enough time for a meal and to collect my luggage. I boarded a train to Huddersfield accompanied by the Superintendent of the Huddersfield Transport Department, a Mr Barran, along with seven more recruits.

West Indian workmen tack-coating the prepared road ready to receive the pre-mixed surfacing Catalogue Reference: (PRO) INF 10/43/001

I am very proud to say I was one of the first West Indian bus conductors in Huddersfield. I have also worked in Nottingham, Derby and called up for National Service in March 1955. Working on the Railways at the time I was exempted from military service but joined the Territorial Army. In England I have made many friends and I have many treasured memories. Since retiring I meet up with old friends every Christmas Eve for a drink where we exchange Christmas Cards. I still remember some of the food of Jamaica, such as ackee and saltfish, curry goat and rice and peas. There are also some alarming sounding soups, such as bull-foot and cow-foot, turtle soup and pumpkin soup.