Naturalised Baronian celebrates 92nd birthday
Reminiscences
Guyana Chronicle
May 9, 2004
NINETY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Jessie-Ann Deborah Skeete is a Berbician by birth and recalls going to live in the village of Beterverwagting in her late 30s.
She later married a Bajan she met there and has since made 'Baron' her home.
But she says that even though she has been living in the village for more five decades - "donkey years" is her description - she does not consider herself a Baronian.
"You got to born hey," before they accept you as one ah them own," she said.
Jessie-Ann Deborah Skeete was born on May 5, 1912 in Litchfield, West Coast Berbice, to Ann Luctria Semple and London Joseph and is the last of three children.
She remembers leaving the village in 1940 to live and work with Magistrate Veersammy and his family who resided at Lot 47 Stanley Place, Georgetown. She was then about 30 years old.
After being with them for sometime, she said the magistrate was transferred to the West Coast of Demerara. Jessie explained that the mode of transportation to that part of the country then was by a steamer which left Georgetown on Mondays.
Jessie said she didn't favour that new arrangement so she told the magistrate she didn't want to go.
"It had to be that when these big shot people used to meet at their regular parties they used to talk and boast about their housekeepers, because a family-friend of the Veersammys, the Cedoffs from Main Street asked me to work for them," she said.
"They had a daughter, Doreen, who was getting married in three months to a chemist named Duncan from the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estate, and the Veersammys gave me three months pay to ensure I was there to work for Doreen. I went home to Berbice and they sent for me when they were ready," she added.
Jessie said she worked with the new Duncan family in LBI for two years before she left.
"The cook and I just couldn't get along, she didn't see eye to eye and I sense at some time she woulda set me up, so I left," she told the Chronicle.
Her brother, Phillip Joseph, who was a policeman, also advised her to leave.
"I told him of the problems I was getting and ... and he told me to leave before I get myself in trouble," she recounted.
But she said during the period she worked in LBI, she was befriended by James Warde, his wife Ozepha, her mother Mamma De DeHeart, Arthurlye Able-Rodney, Baby who was Arthurlye's sister, her son Loris and Agatha Gittens.
It was Ozepha and her mother who took Jessie to live and work with them.
Jessie by then had earned the nickname 'Duncan Canary' because as she proudly remarked, "when I was living with the Duncans, my uniform always used to be neat and crisp and I used to have the men eyes turn whenever I step on the road, I was a looker then."
Jessie eyes glowed when she spoke of the chance meeting she had with the Bajan, Frederick Skeete, who later became her husband.
It was an Old Year's night and she and the entire family with whom she lived attended service at the Roman Catholic Church.
"We were heading home when we noticed these two men heading in the same direction. They either went to church too or were going to a dance, but I remember when they were about to pass me the one with the funny twang say to his friend, is a woman like this one I would want for a wife."
Jessie admitted that while she was accustomed to hearing complimentary remarks from men, she was more than flattered by Skeete's comment.
According to her, the Bajan, who she subsequently learnt was living with the Calders in the village, may have been making enquiries as he "showed up at the house" some days later.
"At first I didn't like him one bit, not the best bone in he," Jessie confessed, but said on the advice of her family who reminded her that she "was getting big", she said she started to "take him on."
Jessie and Frederick eventually tied the knot in 1948, noting with a smile "man he was a sweet man; the women them plenty, plenty."
She bore him three children, Samuel, Fitzroy and Luctria (deceased).
Jessie admitted that she has lived her life to the fullest and has no regrets.
"Girl, I had shops. I used to keep dance, big, big dance right under this same bottom house (the downstairs of her home), hold picnics and excursion to Number 63 Beach. I was also a Special Constable reaching up to the rank of Sergeant, (and) a Village Councillor.
"I used to dance, people hey can tell you 'bout my parties," she said.
Asked now that she has aged what she enjoys most, Jessie said she enjoys porridge, cook-up and soups.
And, with a burst of laughter, "Gi me a V8 juice any day. I love V8. I like me 'lil tups too, meh high wine and milk, whiskey, brandy, beer and Malta" and even offered to break the seal of her birthday drink with this reporter so we can "knock some whiskey".
The senior citizen also has her religious side. She told the Chronicle that she is at peace with her Lord.
"He is my closest friend now," she said. Testimony to this was the fact that she was found reading her Bible when this reporter made her first visit.
Her wish though is that when she passes this life, her body must be taken back to Berbice, re-emphasising, "I'm a Berbician, so let them take me back there."