Mr. Joshua Lumsden (left) is presented with a 'centenarian cup' by the Custos of St. Thomas Leonard Saunders. - ContributedBy Deon Green, Freelance Writer
CEDAR VALLEY, St. Thomas
BORN DECEMBER 1900, Joshua Lumsden of Cedar Valley in St. Thomas describes himself as a skilful farmer who has carried that skill even to his golden years.
Only recently, the National Council of Senior Citizens, through its St. Thomas chapter, recognised him as the oldest man in St. Thomas at the turn of the new century.
The father of eight, he describes himself as an ardent party fan in his younger days, but later turned to Christianity attending the Baptist church in his community.
Now blind, he was once a prominent farmer, a skill which helped him to provide for his family. "Even now that I am blind, I transferred the skills I had when I was young."
He recognises people by their voice. "Mi did great like, skilful and now mi is a happy man ... life is nice, mi respect mi age."
Joshua's son, 75- year-old Standford Lumsden, said in the earlier days his father was a strict man. "We couldn't go out late, we have fe come in by 6 o'clock, him have fe know weh everybody deh."
At the function to honour the senior Lumsden, Major Desmond Clarke, of the National Council for Senior Citizens, reminded his audience that in the next 5 to 10 years an additional five per cent of the population will be senior citizens as a result of better health care and a reduction of infectious disease.
Mr. Lumsden was presented with a 'centenarian cup' by the Custos of St. Thomas Leonard Saunders at a senior citizens awards function in Morant Bay, recently.
