Beryl Anderson, Jamaican matriarch. - Winston Sill Photo BERYL ANDERSON is said to be among the first three women in Jamaica to drive a car when the automobile was first introduced here in the early 1920s; she retired her Volkswagen Beetle when she was 90 years old. Until then, she was regularly seen on the roads of Kingston in her white VW.
"She travelled from Morant Bay to Kingston as if it was nothing," niece Pamela Seymour-Thomas tells Outlook.
Beryl Anderson, resident in St. Thomas for much of her life, during the years when her children were growing, drove her daughters to boarding school at St. Andrew, going faster and faster with the young ones egging her on. Complaints to her husband, made in good humour by inspectors of police who knew him, did not make a difference. She was very careful and was a good driver. Recently, family and friends celebrated the 100th birthday of the intrepid spirit that is Beryl Anderson. Born 100 years ago on September 10 in 1903, Beryl Anderson is the wife of the late Dr. Arthur Alexander Anderson, and the mother of three daughters, including Dorothy and Jean Anderson who currently reside with the matriarch at her Kingston home.
Pay tribute
Dr. Arthur Anderson, soon after he got married to Beryl.
On Wednesday, September 10 this year, family, friends, work colleagues and other well-wishers gathered to pay tribute. Mrs. Anderson was described as "a remarkable woman of substance and grace".
Among the guests assembled on the lawns of Mrs. Anderson's New Kingston home was Maxine Henry-Wilson, Minister of Education and a representative of His Excellency, Sir Howard Cooke, who presented a letter to the honouree on the Governor-General's behalf. The occasion was sponsored by Allied Insurance Brokers, to which Mrs. Anderson was connected.
The centenarian worked for R.S. Gamble/Lloyds of London (circa 1926) for 23 years, and also for Grace, Kennedy which acquired the R.S. Gamble insurance portfolio in 1972 through its subsidiary, Allied Insurance Brokers/Davidson Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Mrs. Anderson completed her employment, long after her normal retirement age. It was so hard to let her go.
She was "word perfect" in typing and shorthand, recalls niece Pamela.
'It was not bad at all'
About her centenary celebration, Mrs. Anderson commented with typical dryness, "It was not bad at all". The best moment, she said, was when she received a plaque with the Lord's prayer from her grand nephew. "Every day I say this prayer. It was beautiful. I can't tell you how I felt when I saw it." Mrs. Anderson can no longer see, but we all know what she meant. At 100 years the simpler things of life emerge as those things which are most valued.
It was in 1903 that Beryl was born in Race Course, Clarendon, to father Eustace Callum and mother Estelle Adina. She was one of six children five girls and one boy. "My mother was a very strict person," she recalls. "She loved us and did everything for us, but we had to obey. She brought us (her sisters) up to be proper ladies."
As a young lady, Beryl was on her way to England to learn nursing when Dr. Arthur Anderson returned to Clarendon to practise as a doctor. They fell in love, and all plans for nursing were shelved and she got married to her doctor, moving to Morant Bay, to a house overlooking Bowden Harbour. The view, including that of ships passing, was panoramic. The Andersons first child, a boy, died, but the three girls were born in good health thereafter. At home, nieces and nephews were constantly underfoot, especially during the summer. Says Pamela, "she (her aunt) has been the matriarch of the family."
Everyone was at home when in 1951, a hurricane destroyed the family house. In their large six-bedroom home, the rooms caved in one after another until the family took refuge in the cars in the garage. An animated discussion ensues about the hurricane which is still vivid in everyone's imagination. They remember the bowl of eggs which, mysteriously, were not broken and the cats and dog which disappeared, only to return a few days later. There was no water after the hurricane and the family lived on coconut water for days. After the hurricane, the family moved to Spanish Town where Dr. Anderson was placed in charge of the leper colony. Shortly before the doctor died they came to Kingston to live. Beryl Anderson has taken every change in her stride. However, according to Pamela, when the car was taken from her at age 90 that "did not go down lightly".
The matriarch played piano up to fairly recently and still does chores around the house. She bathes and dresses herself and washes the dishes after every meal. Her daughters are very understanding of their mother's need to be independent. None of her daughters were married and Mrs. Anderson comments that they are "too choosy choosy," but is clearly happy that they remain so close by. "Dorothy looks after me. She is so strict, not even a piece of cake..." Dorothy comments that she should not have cake, as they only just found out that she has diabetes.
At home, Mom is still the peacemaker. Daughter Dorothy told Outlook that her mother does not like conflict in any shape or form, even if it has nothing to do with her.
She also cannot be persuaded not to do her bit around the home. Dorothy is always saying "Mum put your feet up", but her mother is unstoppable. Although the matriarch is always saying that she is now ready to meet her maker, apparently He will be hard put to meet her lying down.
