Haldon’s Story

Further Info

This story was made by members of the Malcolm X Elders Forum (based at the Malcolm X centre in St Pauls) working with staff from the Museum of Bristol and Watershed.

The participants, many of whom had moved from Jamaica to Britain in the 1950s, wrote the stories of their younger lives, which were recorded, and edited into short films by Paddy Uglow, using participants’ photos and other photographs (used under Creative Commons license).

Other project workers were Ruth Jacobs, Sarwat Siddiqui, Jackie Winchester and Aikaterini Gegisian. The project was supported by Bristol’s Museums, Galleries & Archives.

Transcript

I came to England in March 1956, to find work. I was on my own so I came to Bristol because my brother, Trevor Downer was working here already, and he said Bristol was very good. So I came to Bristol, which was very nice.

It didn’t take long to get a job, at first it was working at Temple Meads Station. I missed my wife, Sandola, and in August 1956 she arrived in Bristol, but the children had to stay with their grandma in Jamaica, and it was 5 years before we could send for them.

I worked in the British Cake and Iron Mill at Avonmouth for the next 15 years, and I learned the engineering trade. I was making parts for planes and things. Then in the ‘70’s I got a job at Kelston Engineering Company.

One day I was working on a machine and a man called Harry was jealous of me. I was having my supper in the canteen, near the window, when Harry came up and pushed me through the window. I fell out of the window, and cut my head. I was covered in blood. One of the other workers took me to Frenchay Hospital, and I was there for 5 weeks. I had to have a skin graft.

When I came out of hospital, I went back to work for the same firm. Harry was still there, and in those days I didn’t know that any action could be taken against him. Harry came to my house to make an apology, but I decided to get another job.

After that I went to work for Rolls Royce, and the people there were much better. My son is working there still.

Credits

Ambulance picture created by random_reality, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

Chimneys picture created by David Light Orchard, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

Doctors picture created by juicyrai, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

Filton picture created by Z303SA, used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 licence.

Health chart picture created by cso237 (taeb), used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

Jamaica picture created by gailf548, used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 licence.

Rolls Royce picture created by RussellReno, used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 licence.

Station picture created by dizzSA, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

Trains picture created by Joe Dunkley, used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 licence.

All media not otherwise credited created by the story author, or permission obtained, used under copyright licence.