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People
arriving with trades such as tailors and shoemakers had to learn
new trades. In the main, they were employed in the manufacturing
and engineering industries.
Research
has highlighted the following employers (some are no longer in operation)
of many of the earliest newcomers: Gloucester Aircraft Company in
Brockworth; Gloucester Foundry; the Extrusion and Die Company; RHP
Aerospace in Stonehouse; Brimscombe Foundry; the gas works in Bristol
Road; KellÂ’s Foundry in Charles Street; GriggÂ’s Timber
Yard; HallÂ’s and Keck and Fielding and Platt.
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| Many
West Indian women worked as nurses |
Many
of the women, who arrived later, found employment in the service
industries, especially nursing and in factories, such as WallÂ’s
Ice Cream. The WallÂ’s factory expanded after moving its head
office from Wembley to Gloucester in 1963 and still remains a major
employer of African-Caribbean people.
Byron
Thompson
Byron
Thompson came to England from St Catherine in Jamaica in 1955 on
board the SS Santa Maria.
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| Byron
Thompson came to England from St Catherine in Jamaica in 1955 |
He
travelled second class among 673 passengers and remembers the journey
as 'great fun but too long. Passengers followed the route on a wall
chart with a pin showing the progress. "It seemed to move only
half an inch at a time. We thought weÂ’d never get there."
Byron
hadnÂ’t really wanted to go to England. "My friends had
all gone and I wanted to join them. They sent me photographs and
told me of the great life they were living."
My
friends had all gone and I wanted to join them. They sent me
photographs and told me of the great life they were living.
 |
| Byron
Thompson |
He
originally wanted to study law but did shift work and couldn't go
to school. "By the time I had sorted myself out, I had got
married, had children, bought a car and had lots of bills."
However
he had always wanted to be self-employed so in March 1960 he bought
his first truck – a Ford Thames Trader – and has never
looked back.
First
home
When
Byron bought his first home in Derby Road in 1958 he let out rooms
to friends of friends - many from the parish of St Ann in Jamaica.
He was also able to help a number of people to raise the fare for
their passage to England.
"IÂ’ve
had a good life in England," he says. "No regrets. IÂ’ve
been doing something that I love. ItÂ’s been rewarding."
»
See 'Finding a place to live'
» See
'Building a community'
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