Family and close friends of Bertina Barrow joined in celebrating her 100th birthday on January 17, 2025, in Foul Bay, St. Philip.
Acting President, The Very Reverend Dr. Jeffery Gibson, also participated in the celebrations.
In paying tribute to her mother, Joyce Barrow noted that the centenarian tried to instill discipline in her children. “She was very strict…. She used to tell us, don’t look at nothing that nobody have…. Our time will come…. She was a nice person…and she raised [us] without fathers,” she said.
One of the memories she shared was the mandatory doses of cod liver oil, castor oil, and Epsom salts on weekends to “purge” their bodies from the foods they would have eaten during the week. She noted that often, one dose was not enough to complete the process.
In attributing his educational success to his mother, her eldest son, Richard Barrow, stated that his mother taught him “discipline”. He said she was very insistent that her children attend school, and she had zero tolerance for truancy. He further noted that his mother’s focus on their education helped him to be who he is today.
Mr. Barrow shared that while attending St. Giles Mixed School (now St. Giles Primary School) he fell into “bad company”. And, one day, rather than attend school, he spent time with his friends “in a gully ”, and his mother found out. He remarked that the next day “she got me up at six o’clock in the morning and beat my behind until I get to St. Giles School”.
“From that day, I never ever missed a school day…. I want to thank her for that and thank her for her care, her love [and] her encouragement,” he said.
Mr. Barrow added that, as a boy, he watched his mother feed “a community” earning only 17 cents a week, supplemented by a meal programme in Queen’s Park, St. Michael.
“I don’t know how she raised all of us…. I used to go up to Waterford Plantation …and…they’ll give her 17 cents…. I would watch my mother take 17 cents and feed all of us,” he remarked.
He continued: “Being I was the oldest boy, I would have to leave St. Giles School every day at one o’clock and head to Queen’s Park with the big skillet in my hand…and people used to make fun of us, and the same people who used to talk about the food we got from the park, my mother used to take it and feed the whole community.”
One of the centenarian’s daughters, Patricia Barrow, said: “The thing I remember about Ma, she always made sure that we were alright…. She always use to provide for us and made sure we had discipline, made sure we had respect…everyone in the neighbourhood loved my mum because anything she had, everyone could share [in] it….
“My mother used to make bush tea. Anybody sick, we getting our bush tea…. You sick today, you drink your bush tea tonight and you well tomorrow…. I thank God that my mom lived to see 100…and I thank God for everything she has done for all of us, supporting us, working for us, even when she didn’t have a stove, she would make a wood fire in the yard and she would cook our food….”
In his tribute to his mother-in-law, Edward Williams recounted Ms. Barrow’s visits with him in New York and her focus on healthy eating, noting that while she was there, he “always had a hot cooked meal” when he came home.
“She wouldn’t eat anything from a microwave or a can. It had to be fresh, cooked daily, so I know why she lived to be 100 years,” he stated.
Adding that Mrs. Barrow loved action-packed shows, especially Walker, Texas Ranger, he said: “Ma always rooted for the good guys…. She did not like the bad guys; she always rooted for the police, the FBI; whoever was the good guy, Ma was always on his side.”
Born in Massiah Street, St. John, Ms. Barrow, who is also affectionately known as “Ma” or “Berts”, lived most of her life in Waterford, St. Michael. An Anglican, she regularly attended service at St. Michael’s Cathedral, and in later years, St. Matthew’s Anglican Church.
During the cane harvesting season, Ms. Barrow loaded canes onto the truck. Throughout the rest of the year, she worked as a labourer on the plantation, and continued doing this work until her retirement.
Known for her cooking and penchant for feeding those within the community, Ms. Barrow’s favourite foods are ground provisions – potatoes, yams, and eddoes – and salt fish.
With a strong belief in the traditional Bajan remedies of castor oil, cod liver oil, Epsom salts, aloes, and bush tea, the centenarian daily made batches of bush tea, as it was in high demand by people of all walks of life.
Overall in good health, the centenarian still enjoys watching action movies, (despite challenges with her hearing), reading the newspaper, and attending church.
Ms. Barrow had seven children, but two of them are deceased. She has 14 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.
