大象传媒

People in story: Cherita Brown
Location of story: Jamaica/England
Background to story: Civilian

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Aisha Foster-Robinson, Lisa Siliya and Cherstyna of the Back in the Day project on behalf of Cherita Brown and as been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

The following extracts were taken from an interview, which was conducted by the above named persons on the 27th of October 2005.

Q: Which Caribbean Island were you living during the war?

"I am from Jamaica. I was born in Clarendon but grew up in Spanish Town, St Katherine. I was born in 1924 so that makes me 81".

Q: How old were you when the war started?

"I don鈥檛 know my dear. In Jamaica when we were young we knew nothing about war - we only heard people talking about war but didn鈥檛 listen. Its since I come over here that I heard people talking about war, War, War!

Back home in Jamaica I didn鈥檛 worry about the war. I was too busy doing hard work and looking after animals.鈥�

Q: Do you remember anything about the day War was declared?

"I was carefree. I didn鈥檛 know anything about war. Only heard grandmother say that in the war people couldn鈥檛 get this and that鈥� and other things.鈥�

Q: Did any of your family go to war?

"My elder brother鈥檚 father was in the war. Reason why I know because he has a white hand, a black man with white hands and when asked he said that it was burn off during he war.鈥�

Q: Did you have a large family?

"I don鈥檛 come from a large family鈥y mum have four of us and I have three children.鈥�

Social Life:
Q: Did you have a boyfriend when the war was on?

"I wasn鈥檛 developed enough to fall in love鈥 lead a sheltered life. I was a child for a long time. I had my first boyfriend when I was 20鈥� I was 3 months pregnant before I even knew I was pregnant.

鈥淔irst Husband died before I left Jamaica鈥o I was still living with my mother. When I was 27 my mother gave me a beating all because of a lie my stepsister told on. When she finished whipping me that day I packed my things, beg a lift and left.

鈥淚 got married at 28. My husband taught me about life. Met first husband in church back in Jamaica.鈥�

Q: What clothes were fashionable at the time?

"鈥楲ong something鈥� body draws come over our whole body we had to open the back and step in not even the front way that we couldn鈥檛 get into it and someone else had to button it up for you, so when you want to 鈥榳ee wee鈥� you couldn鈥檛 pull it down or up yourself.鈥�

England wasn鈥檛 what Cherita expected. Her first impression of England was similar to that of other people that came over from the Caribbean. When she first arrived she thought that the houses where factories because they had chimneys. She also thought that the snow was just like the crushed ice she uses to eat in Jamaica. She remembers how she tried to pour syrup over the snow.

鈥淚 only came to England to visit because of my uncle. I came specifically to make money. I left my children in Jamaica to come over just for a short while but then decided to stay for years.

鈥淢y uncle sent for me after me sent (a letter) and asked him for 拢29 to be used to do sewing. My Uncle said that he is not giving me money but if me want money then me would have to come over to England and work to get the money. I didn鈥檛 come to England with intention of setting down. Came here to get 拢29, to buy a sewing machine, and go back.鈥�

The first job Cherita got was in a factory where they processed chicken - Waldins Poultry. She mentioned that there were a few black people working there. Her friends actually told her about the job which was on the production line. She had to catch the chickens and scrape them out.

"I was the fastest worker鈥ever got sacked from a job鈥lways left with a good record."

Q: Where do you consider home to be?

鈥漇till Jamaica though when I go home people look at me strangely. Last time I went home was 1995 and all I could do was sit on the verandas can鈥檛 stand the heat in Jamaica I am more comfortable in England."

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