Claudius St Elmo Hinds

Cornelius St Elmo Hinds 

“I was born in Barbados in 1942. I used to hide from school and go to the sea and fish. My father Cleophius died when I was four months old, so my mum Naomi brought six of us up on her own. That’s why my brother came to England, so he could send us money. I arrived here in 1960 and the flight cost £70. My brother sent me to Hackney Technical College because I could not read or write. Every time I think of Britain, I think I should be back home really because here is like a second hell. In Barbados you can go in the sea anytime, night or day you don’t feel cold. Every day is sunshine. When I hear people bragging about Britain, I’m not sure why, as I still haven’t got used to this weather.”

”When I came here people were very racist. I did a bit of labouring, and I got pushed around and told to stick it up my arse. I didn’t have it easy. I lived with my older brother in one room. Money temps everybody and that’s why people came here to work. I know people say Great Britain but I say, ‘great money’. At college I learned arithmetic, maths and English and then he sent me to learn cabinet making also. I became one of the best cabinet makers in the country. My first pay-packet was two shillings and four pence an hour. They were so racist; they did not want to give me that. They thought that was too much for me. I told the foreman, if I leave you will need to pay two men to do what I do. I made cabinets of the highest quality for Westgate Furniture on the Lea-bridge Road in Hackney. It was a very industrial in that part of Hackney back then. I worked there for eleven years and then I started collecting bits of wood and started making my own and selling them. I used to get my few bob that way.”

“I’ve lived in Dalston for so many years I know every single street in this borough. I have been engaged three times, but I broke the engagements off because of what the girls told me. My first girlfriend Doreen was from Jamaica had anaemia and was a Christian. She went to the church, and I used to go to the pub. The ‘Crown and Castle’ on Kingsland High Road in Dalston. She had a difficult ex-partner, and he threatened me. So, I left. But she still rings me on the phone. My second girlfriend could not have children because she had an abortion, but it was done the wrong way. It caused a strain on our relationship, but I loved her too.” 

“You know Ridley Road Market, where the meat shop is on the corner. That was called the Ridley Arms. People used to come from all over England and black men would go there and enjoy themselves. That pub would make more money than five or six of the ones around here now. They played good reggae music and music from America. Black people would move together and there was never any trouble. We used to dance with English girls and had so much fun. Great times. All the fellows from the West Indies were strong and Stylish back then, so we had no problem getting the girls. We lived a good life.”

“If it hadn’t been for the men from the West Indies and Ireland, the queen would not have had a crown on her head. At that time, we worked day and night. We know how we suffered.”

“Although I was a cabinet maker which was skilled, I did not earn very much so when I took two weeks holiday, I would go and get another job. I went to an agency in ‘Rathbone Place’ and they sent me to do cleaning and pot washing in ‘Finsbury Square’. I even pot washed pots in The Bank of England and saw the gold bars in the basement. Gold, they stole from Africa.”

“I have two sons that I really love, one name is Orland. I named him after my brother who died at the age of thirty-four. The one that brought me here in the first place and sent me to school. He was a welder at Fords, and he got burnt and they gave him tetanus. I’ve got another brother who also lives in Dalston, and he treats me like a kid. He is ninety-three, ten years older than me. My son works and he behaves himself and he shows me respect and that’s why I like him. But I don’t like the other things he tells me, like he is gay. I don’t press him about it. Most of my family are bible people. He was born on the 29th of December 1970, and I love him so much. He lives in Muswell Hill. His mum put him into care when he was young, but I went and got him out. My sister helped me get him back and we cared for him together. His mum told social services that I drank and would not be able to look after him, which was not true. But to keep social services happy my sister took him in. I have another son, and he smokes cocaine. He robbed my place to get money. But I love him too and have forgiven him.”  

“I’ve been back to Barbados four times and as I say Britain has not done a lot for black people over the years. We put money in Britain’s pocket, and we should never forget that. Indian people had it tough back then too. They couldn’t come out after seven at night because the teddy boys would beat them. I used to see Indian men labouring and they would treat them so rough. Even worse than they treated us. The Teddy Boys started on me once. They took my hat and said come here ‘Wogi’ and said they were going to beat me up. I gave them a left and a right hook and one of them dropped to the floor. I got my hat, picked up the bicycle and I left. They were still running behind me but there was no way they were going to catch me. I used to get scared if I was coming out. It wasn’t easy.”

“I think London is just like me and no other man can dress like me. I’ve been always like this. My brother Orland who died used to send me clothes when I was young in Barbados. That’s how it started and that’s why I can’t wear rubbish. I used to get my suits made at Lanvin tailors. I’ve got style.”

“If you are trained to do a lot of things when you are young it does a lot of good to you when for you get old. Even when I lived with my woman, I cooked and washed clothes. I am confident and sensible, and I think this gives me tolerance and I never think that anyone is better than I am. If you got a little bit of common sense, it makes you tolerant too. You don’t worry about what people are saying, you just carry on.”