Acting President of Barbados, His Excellency, the Very Reverend Dr. Jeffrey Douglas Gibson, has described centenarian, Emily Roach, as a “strong and resilient Barbadian who took responsibility for nurturing the household, particularly in that period we now call the Windrush Generation”.
His Excellency expressed this view during his visit with Mrs. Roach, as she celebrated her 100th birthday on Tuesday, June 23, in Lower Carlton, St. James, surrounded by her family and some of her closest friends.
Mrs. Roach shared that she lived in England for 39 “enjoyable” years, though she was happy to return to Barbados as it is “her home”.
She said she “felt very good” looking after her children, even though times were hard. One of her lifelong mantras has been: “What I have, I do with, and what I don’t have, I do without.”
The centenarian stated that she was firm with her children and insisted that they and her grandchildren attended Sunday School and Church, which they continue to do today. She added that she is “proud” her children also brought up their children in the church.
In his tribute to his mother, Tyrone Roach shared that she is a “lifelong cricket fan” who has “played a magnificent innings and still has a few more runs to make”.
He noted that she “faced many challenges growing up”, including losing her own mother at age 12, resulting in her having to cook and care for her siblings. This helped “her inner strength to grow,” he suggested.
“Mum’s resilience kept us together…in that one room board house in Melvin Avenue, Black Rock, where we were all born and lived, poor and happy…. That same resilience served her well when she eventually joined my dad in England,” he said.
The centenarian’s husband, Oswald Roach (now deceased), emigrated to England for work on the British Rail in 1955.
Her eldest granddaughter, Margaret Durant, commented: “Your strong love of God, your faith, your resilience, your wisdom, your love of family, friends, and your love of people are all examples for us to follow…. Your legacy will live on for generations, now and in the future.”
Jochelle Roach, one of the centenarian’s great granddaughters, continued: “We are blessed to have celebrated with you 100 years of being on this earth…, continue to be the light of our family, the matriarch, the glue that holds us together…. You have been our rock, the foundation…. You have a legacy and it is beautiful….”
Mrs. Roach was raised in Melvin Avenue, Black Rock and attended St. Stephen’s Primary School. After leaving school, she took on various roles, including raising her siblings and eventually her children, vending on foot across the island, performing domestic work on weekdays, and on Saturdays she worked as a shop attendant on the corner of Busby Alley, Bridgetown.
In 1962, she joined her husband in the UK, where she worked as a domestic. Upon his retirement, they moved back to Barbados and lived in their Black Rock, St. Michael home.
Married for 71 years, Mrs. Roach noted that while the marriage was not always easy, it was “love that kept us together”.
A devout Anglican, Mrs. Roach places her trust in God, to whom she attributes her longevity, though she never thought she would reach 100. When she awoke on Tuesday, she “prayed and thanked God” that she lived to see this milestone.
The centenarian has a sharp memory and is quick-witted. Her favourite foods include rice, ground provisions and pork. Much of her time is now spent with family, who enjoy listening to her advice and stories.
She recounted travelling at the age of eight on the now defunct railway system in Barbados, whenever there was an excursion at the church (the Pilgrim Holiness Church).
“It used to take you from Fairchild Street, just where the bus stand is, and you go up to St. Joseph, you pass through a road named ‘Ma Lady Hole’ and you…get to Bathsheba; the big rock still there,” she stated.
Strong in her reliance on God, she encourages anyone keen on living a long and healthy life to “look to the Heavenly Father for guidance” as “He will guide you through”.
She urged the youth of Barbados to “stop the crime”, noting that it is “too much”. She encouraged them to cherish the positive relationships in their lives and not react to the negative ones as we all “still have to live life”.
Mrs. Roach has 10 children (one deceased), 18 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.
