Beresford Nasralla left his home in Kingston, Jamaica and arrived at Tilbury Dock in London on 22 June, 1948, after a month at sea. He was a passenger on the Empire Windrush. 
We all obtained accommodation at Brockworth Hostel, where we were issued with ration books. I was able to obtain employment with British Rail. | | Beresford Nasralla |
At the age of 24, he had travelled to Britain with his friend, Kelvin, "to seek employment and see the other side of the world". He recalls there were troops from the Glorious Glosters on board who were returning to their homeland. He was to have travelled with his friend to Nottingham, where his friend's brother lived. However, he and his friend were separated on disembarking, and he found himself all alone. Kind English couple He went to Nottingham and lodged with "a kind English couple" for a week, but then left for Kent. Police in Kent directed him to Clapham South Deep Air Raid Shelter, where 236 of those who had arrived on 22 June had been housed before dispersal across the country to areas able to provide them with employment. Beresford came to Gloucester with fifteen others. We all obtained accommodation at Brockworth Hostel, where we were issued with ration books. I was able to obtain employment with British Rail. He retired from British Rail in 1988.  | | Beresford met his wife, Gloria, in 1954, at a house party in Lower Barton Street |
Beresford met his wife, Gloria, in 1954, at a house party in Lower Barton Street, where he and many other Jamaicans were living. She had left her home in Mount Regale in St Mary, Jamaica, to travel to England on board the Jamaica Producer, travelling first class for a fare of £99. She had been encouraged by her mother to train as a nurse and had written to an uncle who lived in London, asking him to find the address of the Gloucester Infirmary. Sheltered life Being an only child and having lived a "sheltered life", she did not want the bright lights of a big city. She had chosen Gloucester as her destination quite simply because it was a city she had come across when looking through her old geography books and maps of England. She did not come directly to the city, but stayed with her uncle in London and missed a term at the hospital while working in a factory, stitching straps on petticoats. Coronation year It was the year of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and the activities and preparations that were taking place fascinated her.
When I first came to Gloucester, there were only three other West Indian girls here - two Jamaican student nurses, Dorret Hall and Pearl Harvey, and a Jamaican woman called Mrs. Golding who lived with her husband in accommodation at a hostel in Brockworth. | | Gloria Nasralla |
When I first came to Gloucester, there were only three other West Indian girls here - two Jamaican student nurses, Dorret Hall and Pearl Harvey, and a Jamaican woman called Mrs Golding who lived with her husband in accommodation at a hostel in Brockworth. The Goldings were very kind to the young nurses and occasionally invited them for a meal. They were not allowed to cook meals at the nurses' home and missed home cooking. Life at the nurses' home was very strict. No visitors were allowed. After a "whirlwind romance" she married Beresford on 10 July, 1954. They held the reception at their newly purchased home in Regent Street. Distinguished career
Gloria enjoyed a long and distinguished career in nursing. She qualified as an SRN in 1958 and went on to do her midwifery training at St Pauls, Cheltenham. There followed many promotions; staff nurse, night sister, ward sister, nursing officer, senior nurse manager, specialist nurse and senior nurse giving support and advice. She retired in December 1992. | 
