Surrounded by her family and close friends, Joyce Carrington was in an upbeat mood
as she celebrated her 100 th birthday on June 1 at her home in Taylor’s Land, Bank Hall,
St. Michael.
In attendance was President of Barbados, His Excellency, The Most Honourable Jeffrey
Bostic whom she had looked forward to meeting. “Thank you for visiting with me this
morning, it’s an honour…”, she told the President.
Of his inauguration on November 30, last year, she remarked “I was so proud of you,
watching you…I said he deserved it, all these years, he deserved it. Now, I see you in
person…”
During her interaction with President Bostic, Ms. Carrington recounted that she was
raised by her aunt and grandmother (who was born in Emmerton Lane). They raised her,
she said, to be “poor, pleasant and decent”, a lesson she passed on to her two
daughters.
Joyce added that the community looked out for each other and didn’t allow anyone to
“go to sleep hungry”.
“We poor people got along. We ate what little we could get…we had a lot of food in the
ground…ten pounds of sweet potatoes for ten cents…. you didn’t go to sleep hungry,
you looking for me and I looking for you. That doesn’t happen today, this is a different
time”, she stated.
Noting that she lived through the Second World War she reflected that “we were happy,
even if we were hungry, and we lived”.
Expressing concern over today’s youth, “It hurts sometimes to see what is going on with
the young people…I don’t like it at all…it gets me so hurt.” she said.
“When we grew up as children in poverty, we never did those things. We had
respect…[But now] its gone, it’s no more don’t care how you try to talk to them…if you
can’t put them right, don’t put them wrong”, she remarked.
While attending the Grace Hill Primary School, now Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School,
on July 26, 1937, she was informed of the uprising which was unfolding in Bridgetown.
She commented: “The day I remember best is the riot… that morning we were in
school…”. She added that while at school, a lady said to her “you know they’re rioting
down in town and you’re still up here”.
She added: “…so all we began to run, and I tell you run, run”. She remembered the
mounted police, who weren’t “making sport” coming up “Bank Hall on their horses”
which instilled some fear and anxiety which still resonates today.
Calvin Mascoll, in a tribute to his aunt, described Ms. Carrington as “a very tight family
person…a wonderful aunt, always warm, always friendly” who made him feel welcomed
when visiting.
Norma White, one of her daughters, said her mother took care of her autistic son as she
had to go out to work and there was no other assistance available back then.
“May your day be filled with joy and hope for the year ahead and may God continue to
bless you, watch over you, all the days of your life”, she wished her mum.
President Bostic presented Ms. Carrington with a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of non-
alcoholic wine and a personalised card which she read aloud.
He remarked ”I really am happy to have been here and whomever is responsible for
taking care of this national treasure, you’re doing a fantastic job…thank you very much.”
Ms. Carrington, who was a seamstress and a family caregiver, has two children and
three grandchildren.
