Finding a place to work

Many people had arrived with trades and skills that they were able to utilise, such as the carpenters and cabinet-makers, mechanics and drivers.

People arriving with trades such as tailors and shoemakers had to learn new trades. In the main, they were employed in the manufacturing and engineering industries.

Research has highlighted the following employers (some are no longer in operation) of many of the earliest newcomers: Gloucester Aircraft Company in Brockworth; Gloucester Foundry; the Extrusion and Die Company; RHP Aerospace in Stonehouse; Brimscombe Foundry; the gas works in Bristol Road; Kell’s Foundry in Charles Street; Grigg’s Timber Yard; Hall’s and Keck and Fielding and Platt.

Many West Indian women worked as nurses

Many of the women, who arrived later, found employment in the service industries, especially nursing and in factories, such as Wall’s Ice Cream. The Wall’s factory expanded after moving its head office from Wembley to Gloucester in 1963 and still remains a major employer of African-Caribbean people.

Byron Thompson

Byron Thompson came to England from St Catherine in Jamaica in 1955 on board the SS Santa Maria.

Byron Thompson came to England from St Catherine in Jamaica in 1955

He travelled second class among 673 passengers and remembers the journey as 'great fun but too long. Passengers followed the route on a wall chart with a pin showing the progress. "It seemed to move only half an inch at a time. We thought we’d never get there."

Byron hadn’t really wanted to go to England. "My friends had all gone and I wanted to join them. They sent me photographs and told me of the great life they were living."

My friends had all gone and I wanted to join them. They sent me photographs and told me of the great life they were living.

Byron Thompson

He originally wanted to study law but did shift work and couldn't go to school. "By the time I had sorted myself out, I had got married, had children, bought a car and had lots of bills."

However he had always wanted to be self-employed so in March 1960 he bought his first truck – a Ford Thames Trader – and has never looked back.

First home

When Byron bought his first home in Derby Road in 1958 he let out rooms to friends of friends - many from the parish of St Ann in Jamaica. He was also able to help a number of people to raise the fare for their passage to England.

"I’ve had a good life in England," he says. "No regrets. I’ve been doing something that I love. It’s been rewarding."

»See 'Finding a place to live'
»See 'Building a community'