Standford Walker
Sonia Morgan, Staff Reporter
THE COMMUNITY of Lincoln, Manchester is convinced that Standford Walker has reached the century mark. However, the man whose faculties are yet to elude him is adamant that he is 99. "I born June 11, 1904," he said defiantly. He should know, he is the oldest person living in his community.
According to Mr. Walker, his birth date was recorded incorrectly in school. He said "Teacher Wright wrote it wrong". He recorded his birth year as 1903, the same as his sister's. "We are not twins," he said, obviously still annoyed at the decades-old error. Of course that is the date he has used for years since back in those days, anything on paper error or not was permanent. So he is our honorary centenarian.
Mr. Walker's life trade is carpentry and he said he still nails the gutter leading to the tank at his house, which, by the way, he built. The construction of his home is one of his proudest achievements he said. He sees well, but walks around with a stick.
"Mi nuh healthy at all," he said, "mi neva believe mi woulda live 'til now." Mr. Walker said he has fathered eight or nine children and has outlived six of them as well as his wife. Mrs. Walker died at age 92. He said they got married in 1943 and he lived with her for 55 years. He still has fond memories of her. "It give me pressure (her passing). She was really a good woman. I want to think she was the best woman in the world." His marriage, he said was "pretty alright, we live in this house for 55 years and we never quarrel."
According to the elder, "Mi have whole heap of third droppings (grandchildren)", two of whom live with him. When Outlook visited they were not there.
Mr. Walker was one of those young men who escaped World War I 1914. "They come here to select me but mi was too young," he said, adding that he was glad he never went to the war. His recollection of Independence is good, but he said he never went anywhere although he could hear the celebration all around. He also remembers that his house remained untouched during the cruel winds of hurricane Gilbert. The train crash at Kendal in Manchester is another one of his tragic memories. "That was a very bad thing... oh my God. I never went down there... it was a very bad thing," he said, the tragedy still fresh in his mind.
These days, being the only person from his time causes him to get a little lonely. "All mi companion, every bit a dem dead." So he is left with the youngsters of today. Of course, this is always a hot topic for the centenarians (a topic they usually do not care to discuss). He looked at all of us and said, "Mi nuh ina unoo at all. A uno a mash up the worl'. Every day the world a reverse. In my young days the world was good now it spoil up." Elders hardly ever mince words.
He said cricket was his favourite sport. "When we have all cricket we leave from Lincoln to Spur Tree to listen it on the radio." At that time there was one radio in the entire area. After that his house had the first radio in the district.
One of the young men asked him a testy question to which he replied "walk off!" I had not heard that expression in ages, and we just had to laugh. We asked him his thoughts on courting, but he was reluctant to share them. He disclosed only that he was a "hot bwoi, mi was boiling up. Plenty girl did love mi."
Mr. Walker believes that discipline is a must. "You know weh the Bible seh? Don't spare the rod and spoil the child. When the child is wrong you should chastise him."
His hopes are the hopes of a man who has seen most of it, who has lived a fulfilling life and who is at peace. "I wanna meet mi Jesus ina the morning."
