I remember being a little girl living in St. Helena. I remember some good times such as climbing trees, scaling and gutting fish, picking black berries and collecting mushrooms. Most of the times that were great always seemed to be before I was 12 years old.
After the age of 12 it seemed that you would have to be very careful of young boys on the island. A lot of young girls become pregnant, some as young as 15 years old. This can be shown by going to to the castle where the birth records are stored.
I remember feeling relieved when I was taken to Jamestown to live. There were no flex bushes to drag me into and unlike deadwood there was actual street lighting at night.
Whilst shopping in Portsmouth I frequently come across a few beggars. I always throw a few pence in their hats and move on my way. However, last week, a young girl had begged me for a small bit of dosh. As I gently placed a pound coin on her plate a cold shiver went down my spine. She said to me that she was only 17 years old and needed a few pennies for some food and drink.
I felt like I was looking at myself in the mirror. It appeared that she had dual heritage and might be from another county. I remember that at 14 years old, like her, I was also homeless. She was homeless, hungry and alone in the freezing cold at night. Even though our lives were similar at the time, I had been homeless in the the blazing hot sun.
She was covered in blankets a wooly hat and felt scarf. In comparison when I was homeless I was wearing a t-shirt and hot pants, which were in fashion at the time.
Since the Hardings left who were taking care of me at the Salvation Army House, everyone was wondering what to do with me. There was a plan that I shall go to live with a woman named Mrs. Gladys Joshua. She lived in a neat little cottage past Hutts Gate. The Hardings dropped me off with my little suit case and I just wanted the ground to swallow me up as I knew that I was going to miss the lifestyle in Jamestown. After just two nights Gladys decided to throw me out of her house. I stood there dressed in a little pair of shorts and a T shirt and watched my little suitcase being thrown by Gladys tumble down her steep path. As it fell the suitcase split open and the contents of the suitcase spilled out. I stood there there and thought to myself, “Well, I have had worse days and things can’t get any worse now can they?”
I was 17 years old, homeless, cold and with no mother or father. The thought of going back to my grandfathers house was far from my mind. I still had my pride and I was not going to give him the satisfaction to say no and I didn’t really want my auntie to see me absolutely destitute and homeless. I proceeded to walk toward Jamestown and I thought that I would sit on the Macket steps as Jamestown was well lit up at night.
I did have a job at Longwood and I had been waiting for Mrs. Cooker to come back from her trip to Capetown in a months time. They would provide me with a meal and I would be able to have a shower and do my washing.
Whilst walking along the Tomb Road a blue and white mini pulled up and the driver stopped and asked me if I wanted a lift. Of course, in dire need I said yes. Little did I know at the time but this lift was going to change my life. The man in the car was about 17 years older then me and I told him what had happened. He then said that he would ask his sister if I could stay at there house for a month. She agreed, so that is where I ended up staying. I was living with someone that I didn’t know or even particularly like, only at least for a roof over my head. Most nights I slept at my job which was to look after the three small children.
My cousin Gordon Yons wife Ivy would also cook me a meal after she found out that all I had eaten was a tin of Philchard’s on my days works. I also would stay at their house from time to time. I shall never forget Gordons and Ivys kindness. I continued to stay with this man when I didn’t have anywhere else to live as I didn’t want to impose on Ivy and Gordon.
I can remember one particular day clear as ever. The young family that I had been working for said that I could leave work early. I would usually finish work at 3 O’Clock but they said that I could finish at 11 oclock today. The man that I had been staying with would always pick me up at 3 O’Clock there wasn’t anyway for me to let him know that I finished 4 hours. I decided to walk along the Road and a neighbor Mr. Dan Francis gave me a lift.
When I arrived at the house, where I was staying with this man, I glanced over and saw his car in the drive and walked up to the house. All the curtains were drawn but his window wasn’t shut securely. I pulled the window open and I couldn’t believe what I had just seen. I started to be sick! The man that I had been living with was in bed nude with his sister. He jumped up very quickly and I was surprised that she wasn’t as quick, then I saw why, he had tied her to the bed. After he saw me he ran out of the house and I had to untie her.
He later would swear blind that he wasn’t having sex with his sister but I had seen her with him doing it.
After seeing that I vomited for days and I never went back to his house again. Eventually, I had found myself a room to rent. Thank goodness!
While I was living with this man I felt so ashamed that my grandmother wouldn’t be happy. If she knew that I was living together with a man that was having sex with his sister, she would shun me as this was highly frowned upon. It was so shameful and if I hadn’t have caught them, I would never have known as this awful man was always spiteful to his sister in front of me and I felt quite sorry for her. He would say the most unkind nasty things to her. I think that she may have had mild learning difficulties and it wasn’t a good situation for me as I was good friends with her daughter.
Even though I left the nasty man continued stalking me. Wherever I went he was close behind me.
However, ashamed to say, I found out that I became pregnant from him. I didn’t tell anyone and nievely thought if I didn’t tell anyone it would go away, but it didn’t.
My foster mom took me to the doctors for an abortion but Dr. Noals started to laugh. I asked him why was he laughing to which he replied, well in about three weeks time you will be having a baby. I just couldn’t beleive what I was hearing! Three weeks later and after a 2 day labor I gave birth to a healthy 4 pound girl.
I stayed in the general for two months until she had gained weight and she was nearly 6 pounds when I took her home to Mrs. Corkers. Mrs. Corker would look after her and help me tend to her needs. Things did get worse before they got better but I loved and cherished my little girl.
I now believe that God had shown me what a bad man he was for sleeping with his sister.