The Sunday Times Magazine • 7Mum’s advice to me and my brothers and sisters was
that, being black and part of a minority, you are always
going to have to work twice as hard to get what you
want out of life. That’s something that has stuck with
me. Hard work brings its own rewards and I hope she
is proud of what I have achieved.
Lynne
I left Jamaica on July 12, 1963. Luckily we had enough
money to fly rather than sail, but three of the children
stayed behind with family for as long as it took for
Norris and me to find work and set up a home. That was
the toughest part, leaving the little ones. In Jamaica we
only had summer weather, but I knew England had four
seasons and it could be very cold. Even though we
landed here in July, it didn’t feel warm to me.
Thankfully it wasn’t many months before we were
all reunited in Bolton. I had a five-year plan to get the
children started with a good education, then return to
Jamaica. Of course it didn’t work out like that because
Clive and his younger brother Garfield came along.
I wanted to be a teacher in England but was told I
would need to retrain, so I found a job in a factory as a
seamstress. I’d never been inside a factory before — it
was new to me but I enjoyed making clothes.
Church was important to our family, so Clive always
went to Sunday school and said his prayers. I had
wanted to attend the Catholic church close to our home
in Bolton, but the priest said no because, even though
our house was 100 yards away, just across the road, it was
a different diocese. I don’t know if it was discrimination.
Clive was a good boy at school and took part in the
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Years before I had
cheered the Queen and Prince Philip when they visited
Jamaica as part of their first Commonwealth tour in
November 1953.
I didn’t expect Clive to be a doctor or anything
particular, I just wanted him to be clever enough to have
a career and enjoy his work rather than go to a factory.
I was very pleased when he went to study law. It’s true,
I wasn’t happy when he said he wanted to be a journalist.
We eventually agreed that he would try it for a year and
see how he got on. Obviously it turned out well, but I’m
sure he would have been a brilliant lawyer too.
When Clive first appeared on television it was
exciting for all of us. We wouldn’t miss a programme.
He’s on so much now that, to be honest, it has worn off.
I am proud of what he has achieved but I found it a big
worry when he was reporting on wars around the world.
Covid has made it difficult to see Clive but we speak
on the telephone. Sometimes I watch his reports on
television, then call to say he looks thin in the face.
I’m 85 now, with 14 grandchildren and six great-
grandchildren, so family gatherings can be large but
happy moments. I’m thankful all my children have done
well for themselves, which is the reason I came to
England all those years ago. I just wish Clive would eat
a little more food nInterviews by Jeremy Taylor
Photograph by Stephen Burke
Mastermind is on Mondays at 7.30pm on BBCSTRANGE HABITS
Clive on Lynne
She kisses her teeth
when she wants
to show her
displeasure. I get
a look and know
I’m in troubleLynne on Clive
He loves Manchester
City. Once as a child
he couldn’t eat his
favourite supper
because he was so
upset when they lost
a match [the FA Cup
final, 1981]