ARRIVING 2: MORE FIRST IMPRESSIONS

NORMA: My first impression: It was a dump! We were invited to the "Mother Country" to work for London Transport, J Lyons, the Post Office and the hospitals. Those who came in first helped the others. They only brought over the most highly educated people from Barbados.
People started coming from 1954. We all had to take a test to show our abilities to do certain jobs. In 1958 I came by boat from Barbados, then train to Victoria. Then I took a Greyline coach to Watford. Then I went to Handsworth, Birmingham where I spent 5 years. I came to London training to be a nurse, got ill with rheumatic fever and had to leave.
In 1963/64 I came to St Ervan's Road, North Kensington for work at J. Lyons. The landlady where I lived was Jamaican.
People started coming from 1954. We all had to take a test to show our abilities to do certain jobs. In 1958 I came by boat from Barbados, then train to Victoria. Then I took a Greyline coach to Watford. Then I went to Handsworth, Birmingham where I spent 5 years. I came to London training to be a nurse, got ill with rheumatic fever and had to leave.
In 1963/64 I came to St Ervan's Road, North Kensington for work at J. Lyons. The landlady where I lived was Jamaican.