CLEMENT "BOUNCIN'" WILLIAMS - B.Sc (UWI), M.Sc (Reading Univ.-UK) DOB: AUGUST 13, 1948 Status: MARRIED Spouse: Cynthia V. Williams TWO(2) Children: Clement Jomo Jihan Adika Career Highlights? High School Teacher: Mathematics and Natural Sciences? Curriculum Development Officer and National Coordinator High School Sciences? Caribbean Examination Council - Examiner (Chemistry) Taxi and Tour Operator? Actor, Artistic Director and Producer Community Theatre Group? Author and Playwright I loved it all! Especially the portion about the entrepreneurial prowess of the author's mother! AMAZING! Being first generation Kitty-Nevy I don't have the privilege of the oratory exchange between one generation and another about life on St. Kitts and Nevis in years gone by. This book provides me with that oratory exchange; ranging from food and beverage preparations to reasons for the creation of communities which I pass often on my current day's journey to aspects of our Health, Education, Economic and Political systems. Thus presenting great evidence of the tremendous strides our Federation has made over the decades. Whether from the Federation or the wider Caribbean this book will cause some to reminisce, others to be educated and for all to take pride in the wisdom of our people! - Unoma Allen, M.Sc. Lecturer CFB College, St. Kitts.
My Early Life On St. Kitts and Nevis
An autobiography of the first 22 yearsBy Clement Bouncin WilliamsAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Clement Bouncin Williams
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4772-6487-4Contents
FOREWORD.....................................................................xiCHAPTER 1 My Maiden Journey to Nevis........................................1CHAPTER 2 My Early Years....................................................5CHAPTER 3 Slum Clearance and Electrification................................18CHAPTER 4 The Letter Writer.................................................24CHAPTER 5 Early Schooling...................................................27CHAPTER 6 Extra-Curricular at Basseterre Boys'..............................36CHAPTER 7 Shaw Avenue, McKnight.............................................45CHAPTER 8 Social Life In McKnight...........................................52CHAPTER 9 Grammar School....................................................70CHAPTER 10 In the Labour Movement...........................................89CHAPTER 11 Teaching as a Non-Graduate Assistant Teacher.....................99CHAPTER 12 The Christena Disaster...........................................112CHAPTER 13 National Arts Festival 1970......................................116CHAPTER 14 Off to University................................................118
Chapter One
My Maiden Journey to Nevis
My earliest recollection of my life is based on a visit of my Uncle Allan and his wife Sarah to St. Kitts and Nevis in 1953. I remember that I was taken with my mother and father, Uncle Allan and his wife to Nevis. We left St. Kitts on the big boat called "Vagabond".
As I walked onto the pier I was horrified by the fact that I was actually walking over water, because then, the pier was made of wooden planks placed crossways with spaces wide enough that I could see the wave movement of the sea beneath me. I stepped every step that I made in such a manner that my feet would never miss one of the planks, with the fear that if I miss-stepped; I would fall through and end up in the sea. My parents both laughed at me and held my hands in a manner to assure me that I would not fall through those small spaces. My parents walked with such confidence, it made me feel safe.
We got to the boat, my father was the first to get on and he spoke to a tall dark man who was one of the crew of the boat. Uncle Allan then lifted me over the plank at the edge of the pier and handed me to the safe hands of my father, and then Uncle Allan helped aunt Sarah on and then my mother and he then skillfully skipped onto the boat with ultimate ease. Later he boasted that he had not lost the skill he had acquired in his teenage years as a boy often sailing to St. Kitts with coconuts. Other persons came onto the boat and at the same time the crew was also loading on cargo of rice, flour, cornmeal and other food stuff. All was set for the sailing, passengers were already seated and the sail was hoisted by winches that were nothing but block and tackle pulleys. We sailed out of the Basseterre Harbour mid-afternoon in brilliant sunshine. It was a calm day and we sailed off with great ease. Outside the pier I noticed the boat was going towards the Fort Point, towards the West, and not directly to Nevis that was to the south. I remember asking Uncle Allan why we were going to the Fort and not to Nevis. He said to me that the wind was not blowing right so the boat would have to make tack. not knowing what that meant it did not bother me because I was in the safe company of my parents and my new found uncle and aunt. it was a long, long sail as the sun had started to fall from the sky. It was not until the darkness had fallen that the boat reached to Nevis. Persons who had traveled with us were angry that they had not gotten home to Nevis earlier. The 'Vagabond' must have had one of its slowest crossings that day. We left the pier in Charlestown and walked up the street for a few yards to the upstairs level of the home of another new-found uncle, Uncle Edmund. Uncle Edmund was so happy to greet us, especially Uncle Allan whom he had not seen for a long time. Uncle Edmund called his wife Eulalie who again was very happy to see us and greeted all of us. Aunt Eulalie prepared supper for us; we had a choice of Vienna sausage or corned beef with bread and hot Ovaltine. I had Vienna sausages, fixed with some kind of sauce that was very delicious. To this day I will choose Vienna sausages anytime ahead of corned beef.
The main purpose of Uncle Allan's visit to St. Kitts and Nevis was to introduce his wife Sarah to the extended family. Uncle Allan had left Nevis in the closing years of 1930's and lived with his wife in Trinidad.
I remembered the next day. We got up early and everyone seemed to be up and about. I went outside of the house where we slept. the environment was strange, with wide open fields and animals of all types were everywhere; chickens, sheep, goats and pigs. I remember asking for the latrine, and was shown an outhouse that seemed miles away. Someone had to follow me. It was different, coming from the inner city slums of Newtown where everything was close but in Jessup, the homestead of my paternal ancestry, the latrine was built as far away as possible from the house. We were at the home of Uncle Son (George) in Jessup; I am not sure how we got there. I guess for the first time I compared and contrasted urban and rural life styles. We had breakfast, but what were most interesting to me were the sugar apples and the deep red, many seeded plums (the type one had to roll and soften so as to make it taste sweet). I remember being introduced to two new cousins; one was about two or three years older than I was and the other a baby in a crib. I remembered the older one as a show-self. He wanted to show his competence in climbing and ran up and down from tree to tree a skill that was remote to me at that time. That was Esmond (George Scarborough—Taxi Operator) and the baby was Austin (former Commissioner of Police). I remembered Uncle Son for his dark complexion and welcoming smile. His wife Rita was of a much lighter complexion and was very friendly.
Uncle Allan and my Father were greeted everywhere they went in the village and received gifts of provisions, eggs and coconuts, a warm welcome for two sons that had returned to their village of ancestry.
We did a tour of the island by car, driven by Uncle Edmond. The thing that has stuck in my memory from that tour was a visit to the New River estate Sugar factory. My father was hailed as a hero because he was working in the modern Sugar Factory in St. Kitts and by that time had reached the rank of Foreman of the cane Rake division.
I can vividly remember the return journey to St. Kitts. It was a fair day in brilliant sunshine and a good breeze was blowing. We set sail on the open windjammer called "Valiant". The ride on the Valiant was completely different from that on the "Vagabond". I can recall looking at the bow of the boat as it was cutting through the water. Sometime later I remembered noticing the outline of the Basseterre harbour. As we sailed closer I began to see a landscape that I was familiar with. The oil tanks of Pond's Pasture were first to reveal their full details, the Fort Point, then the almond trees on the bay front, the Government Treasury, the Public Market and then the stores. We sailed back in to the treasury pier in good time. I have always wondered if the names of the boats had any significance to the quality of the trips we had.
...
