My Grandfather

My Grandfather by Ariana Seymore

My grandfather, Cecil Alexander Watson, Sr., was born on March 22nd 1937. Although he is fully Jamaican, he was born in British Honduras, which is now known as Belize. He lived there until he was three years old, then his family moved back to the parish of Saint Ann in Jamaica.

His mother, Hilda, died when he was ten years old because of childbirth complications, as well did the baby. Within the next six months, three younger siblings and his maternal grandmother also died.

My great-grandfather, Simon E. Watson, originally migrated to British Honduras to find work as a baker. While there, he worked and sent money back to Jamaica to his aunt who he entrusted to save the money for the purchase of Jamaican property. To his surprise, my great-grandfather’s aunt, who raised him as a boy, used the money to buy property for herself. My great-grandfather was in trouble with the law from suing his aunt and losing the lawsuit. This caused a huge family dispute leaving my great-grandfather broke with four children to support after the death of his wife. Not having a job, a wife, or the finances to support his family, my great-grandfather sent his two daughters and oldest son to live with other relatives.  My grandfather Cecil stayed with his father Simon.

My great-grandfather and grandfather became homeless for three years. My grandfather dropped out of school in 9th grade and was not able to finish the rest of his education. They traveled by foot from township to township building temporary shelter made from bamboo, tree branches, and banana leaves. During those three years they lived from the natural resources of the tropical countryside.  As they traveled from property to property, they carried seedlings with them to plant carrots, peas, and yams.  “There was a Country Fair 30 to 50 miles away from where we were living [first contracted house] that we took samples of our carrots to; they were planted with natural resources, no fertilizer, no manure. The carrots were monsters compared to everyone else’s,” my grandfather explains. A man they met rescued my great-grandfather and grandfather by agreeing to have them stay on his land in exchange for cultivating and harvesting crops for him. My great-grandfather was eventually able to negotiate the purchase of land from this property owner in Saint Thomas. There, they built a two-room mud and mortar house with their own hands and dug a well for water. They later added two more rooms to the house. The house and property still exists in the family today.

My grandfather said he went many days without eating; however during their time of homelessness in the countryside, a stray chicken followed him and became his pet. “She was like a dog; wherever I went, she went [laughs].” She would occasionally lay an egg for him and his father to share.

At age 18 my grandfather’s sister, Inez, invited him to come into the city of Kingston to learn the automotive trade as an apprentice at the Motor Automotive Center. My grandfather became an auto mechanic.  When he moved to the United States he became a top automotive mechanic and specialist for British-made sport cars at Hollywood Sports Car. His hard work ethics and determination that he learned while he was homeless helped him to maintain a very successful automotive career.  My grandfather, Cecil Alexander Watson, Sr., was able to overcome challenges he faced in the workforce as an immigrant and a man of color with exceptional skills.  He uses his story to empower us and says, “If I could do it, so can you. Keep your focus and know that what you do counts! Do your best to be your best. You are a Rising Star!”