Dear Editor,

I am originally from Friendship district, Bunker’s Hill. I lived only a few chains from where Rex lived. My relatives still live there but they did not know him. They are a younger generation and only heard about him. Mr Nettleford was born in Falmouth and at the age of about three or four years old went to live with his grandmother, Ms Florrie.

I saw his mother once. She was a beautiful lady. While living with his grandmother, young Rex went to infant and elementary school. In fact, he attended both Falmouth and Unity Elementary schools. He was very bright and excelled in all his lessons. He started playing the drum from an early age, and you could stay far and hear him beating the drum. When you were closer to his home you would hear his grandmother singing and if you were as lucky as I was, you would see him dancing to the beat. I think Rex got his first cultural lessons from her. She was often singing and dancing in an African style.

I saw his mother once. She was a beautiful lady. While living with his grandmother, young Rex went to infant and elementary school. In fact, he attended both Falmouth and Unity Elementary schools. He was very bright and excelled in all his lessons. He started playing the drum from an early age, and you could stay far and hear him beating the drum. When you were closer to his home you would hear his grandmother singing and if you were as lucky as I was, you would see him dancing to the beat. I think Rex got his first cultural lessons from her. She was often singing and dancing in an African style.

One of the school principals, Mr Clifford Winston Francis, a dedicated, knowledgeable and accomplished man with a passion for learning, took in Rex as he did many other boys whom he helped. He cared for them and gave them extra lessons at the cottage. Rex and the other boys went to Unity Baptist Church on Sunday and I would see them as they walked along.

In those days only people of means sent their children to secondary school. Rex took a scholarship and passed for Cornwall College. He excelled. In St James, Rex was nurtured by the SMO of Montego Bay Hospital Dr Herbert Morrison and his wife Janet. Dr Morrison was a member of the board of governors of Cornwall High and later cutos of St James.

Graduating from CC, Rex applied for a scholarship to the University of the West Indies and from there he got the Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University. His name is often mentioned over the years in Bunker’s Hill by parents when they encourage their children to excel, but Rex was not up and about the district as some children do, especially since he lived with Teacher Francis because those boys were not let loose. As they grew up, they began boarding at high school. His grandmother died in the early 60s and his mother last November, I was told. I was proud of Rex and his achievements, having had the same Teacher Francis and coming from Bunker’s Hill.

RIP, Rex.

Veronice Pickering-Allen

Portmore Pines

St Catherine