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GailÂ’s
father met her mother through a mutual friend, Lee, whose family owned
a Chinese restaurant on Barton Street.
Education
I
listened intently to my father as he told stories of his childhood
in Jamaica, and to conversations between him and his friends
of the 'old days', when they first arrived in Gloucester.
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| Gail
Johnson |
Gail
was educated at Widden Infants School, Widden Junior School and
Colwell School for Girls, broken only by a few years, when she went
to live with an aunt in Cardiff.
Inspired
and encouraged by teachers and her headmistress, Miss Lewis-Thomas,
Gail was the first person in her family to attend university, and
studied for a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in History and American
Studies at Swansea.
After
a short spell in the Civil Service, Gail took an evening course
teaching English as a foreign language to adults. She enjoyed it
so much that she decided to embark upon a career in teaching and
studied for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Cheltenham
and Gloucester College of Higher Education (now the University of
Gloucestershire).
Teaching
The
first teaching appointment was at Deer Park School in Cirencester.
She also worked as a curriculum development teacher for multicultural
education in Gloucestershire and for a few years as a member of
the African-Caribbean Teaching Unit in primary schools in inner-city
Bristol.
Gail
returned to work in Gloucester as a community social worker for
Gloucestershire Social Services, again working within the African-Caribbean
community. She currently combines all of her knowledge, experience
and skills in her role as the co-ordinator of Widden Sure Start
Early Years Centre in inner-city Gloucester, working with pre-school
children and their families.
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| Gail
with daughters Katie (13) and Sara (8) |
Gail's
interest in the history of the African-Caribbean community in Gloucester
stems from her own childhood.
"I
listened intently to my father as he told stories of his childhood
in Jamaica, and to conversations between him and his friends of
the 'old days', when they first arrived in Gloucester.
"They
were few in number, and looked after each other, facing, at times
and in many ways, a very hostile reception. I was fascinated by
their stories and wondered why they had left their idyllic paradise,
and why they had not returned considering the difficulties and hardships
they had faced.
"I
was full of admiration for their resilience, and acutely aware of
the expectations they had, not necessarily for themselves, but most
definitely for their children."
During
her time at Swansea University, Gail had met students from all over
the world. Her love of history was deepened by the fact that her
eyes were opened to an aspect of the subject that had been largely
unknown to her before - namely black history.
Pride
"It
filled me with pride to read of black heroes and heroines, and of
a rich and varied history that spanned time and continents. At the
same time, it also saddened me that I had not learnt this from my
textbooks in schools, that most of my knowledge came from the work
of black historians."
It
filled me with pride to read of Black heroes and heroines, and
of a rich and varied history that spanned time and continents.
At the same time, it also saddened me that I had not learnt
this from my textbooks in schools, that most of my knowledge
came from the work of Black historians.
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| Gail
Johnson |
On
returning to Gloucester, Gail wanted to put something back into
her community.
So,
with a fellow teaching colleague, George Douglas, taught Black History
as well as Mathematics and English at a Supplementary Saturday School
for African-Caribbean children, set up by the West Indian United
Action Group.
Moreover,
she was fortunate enough to be able to create her own resources,
and to help educate other teachers about the contributions made
by black people throughout history, whilst working as a curriculum
development teacher.
'A
Long Five Years'
In
1995, building on earlier research material drawn from the Gloucester
City History Project (1988) led by Paul Drake, Community Arts Officer,
GlosCAT Trade Union Studies Employment Research Group, and items
collected by the late Tony Ayland, Gail produced a booklet entitled
‘A Long Five Years’.
It
is a permanent record of a photographic and reminiscence project
carried out entirely by volunteers, recording the lives and experiences
of GloucesterÂ’s Caribbean elders. It focuses in particular
on the reasons why they came, and how they now felt about the Caribbean
and Britain having reached retirement age.
Gail
admits that the request from the Gloucestershire County Library,
Arts and Museums Service, to write the history of the Caribbean
community in Gloucestershire, was one that filled her with both
fear and excitement. "I knew it would be a battle in terms
of time, fitting interviews and writing around a full-time job and
caring for my family, but I could not miss the opportunity to build
upon my earlier work."
She
believes the experience was not only fascinating and enjoyable for
her personally, but also tremendously important as a way of recording
these stories for posterity.
Vital
role
"Caribbean
people have played a vital role in the history of Britain and the
City of Gloucester, and their story must not be lost as each of
the elders in the community pass away. Moreover, their contribution
continues to be made, and I will continue to ensure that it is remembered."
Gail
says that she loves her work, and was thrilled to be awarded an
OBE for services to education in Gloucestershire in the 2001 New
Years Honours List. She received the award from the Queen at Buckingham
Palace in March 2001, accompanied by her proud father and daughters,
Katie (13) and Sara (8).
»
See 'Introduction'
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