Spotlight - "Mind The Gap" the story of Evelyn Roberts
Evelyn was born in Barbados in the West Indies in 1926. Her mother Doris was a sporty Lady who preferred the company of men as they talked about boxing, her favourite sport.
She was a free spirit, a rolling stone and she could not deal with the responsibility of bringing up a child. This duty fell to Evelyn's aunt who looked after her until her death.
Doris did then take care of Evelyn, she was more settled and became a good mother.
Evelyn remembers her mother singing. She would take her to the "The Service of Songs" an event held every year when her mother would sing, she had a beautiful voice. The choir, mostly women would pracitse throughout the year for this very special occasion.
Doris died at the age of 79.
Evelyn liked school, she was bad at maths but liked English and geography. She wanted to move to England in the 1960s but was put off by the news of black killings in London. These events mirrored the unrest in America's South where racial tension was rife. However Evelyn later renewed her desire to move to England.
Evelyn went out with her first boy friend in 1947 and had her first child. She met her husband Fred, a mechanic soon after in 1949 and had two more children.
Evelyn decided to take a course in Barbados run by the London Underground. The LU were looking for workers from the West Indies to take positions after training.
Evelyn took an 8 week course which included English and she had to pay $40 for rent in advance for her accommodation in London. Her liaison officer, Mr Brewster sorted out the accommodation which was part of the relocation
arrangements.
Even though Fred promised to move to England with Evelyn and family, he did not go. He realised that his job was too good and could afford to lose it. He stayed in Barbados with the children.
Her mother helped to look after the children while Evelyn found her feet in London
Evelyn's First job was a station cleaner. Evelyn recalls "It was not a glamorous job, infact I had to clean up vomit from the night before".
She cleaned the station platforms for 13 years. (I think she should get a medal for that alone!)
Her next job was "A Fluffer".
'Fluffers' (cleaners) working in a tunnel on the London Underground in 1955.
Acknowledgement: Copyright London's Transport Museum
Photographed by Dr Heinz Zinram, Dec 1955
A team of women tunnel cleaners or 'fluffers' remove fluff and dirt from the floor of an unidentified tube tunnel. The women worked at night during Engineering Hours when the power for the rail tracks was switched off.
20th Century London caption: This picture shows a team of 'fluffers' cleaning in an Underground tunnel in 1955. They are using special fluffer brushes that helped them collect the dust and fluff from around the rails. This was important because if the dust built up, it could affect the trackside equipment or cause fires. Fluffers went to work every night once the electricity to the tracks had been switched off. Some of the women in this photo are holding carbide lamps. These burn acetylene, which produces a very bright flame.
Evelyn was part of a team of 9 women with greasy clothes and dirty faces, they looked like they had been in a fire.
Evelyn remembers Friday nights. "I took home made food into work and my friend Bernie took in whiskey".
They would have a little party and then work through the night. Evelyn recalls, "One weekend Mertle had too much whiskey and was ill, she was sick". "She carried on working not realising she had lost her teeth".
"It was my other friend Rosie who found them on the platform in the morning" . Evelyn (and myself) laughs "She worked the shift without her teeth, she was a bit tipsy"
Evelyn worked another 13 years as a fluffer so worked for the LU a total of 26 yrs.
She remembers that they all had to have an eye test when they reached their 50th birthday. Some of the ladies wondered if they might loose their jobs, but Evelyn's eyes were fine and she worked until retiring at sixty.
Evelyn's son Tony lives in England, her other son and one daughter, Barry and Heather live in Barbados and her other daughter Jackie lives with her in Star Road.
Evelyn has lived in the parish for 25yrs. Jackie was christened at st Andrew's. Since Evelyn retired she has been able to come to church every Sunday.(previously shift work prevented this)
Evelyn has been on the welcoming team, infact I remember her handing me a hymn book when I first came to St Andrew's.
She has also been on the church cleaning rota and has visited walsingham 9 times.
Even though Evelyn suffers from a bad knee, aches and pains (wear and tear) she soldiers on and is a fun bubbly person. I look forward to her arrival in church and the chat we have every Sunday morning.
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