Gilmour WestcarrRemembered by Bernard Westcarr (nephew)
Photo © Westcarr family
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Uncle Gil was born on 10 January 1927 in Reynolds District, St Catherine, Jamaica. He attended the Old Works Elementary School at age 7 through to age 16, where he sat and passed the third Jamaica Local examination. That was an achievement in its own right. During the Second World War, Winston Churchill, courtesy of the British government, sent out a clarion call to the nations of the Commonwealth requesting for recruits to enlist in the British Army, Navy and Air Force, to serve in the war. Uncle Gil was one of the many thousands who answered the call and came to England in 1944 to serve in the RAF. Whilst here he was stationed at Wolverhampton and then in Filey, East Yorkshire. Uncle Gil was demobilised in 1947 and returned to Jamaica. The day he came home is etched in my memory forever. I was holidaying with my grandfather John in Water Mount, and I clearly remember him giving me a plastic toy plane. That was magic! My friends and I had countless hours playing with it. He soon joined the Jamaica Constabulary Force and served for many years. However once again he answered Britain’s call for manual workers to rebuild its shattered economy and returned to England in 1952. Initially he lived at many addresses in Gloucester before buying his own house in the late 50s at 352 Barton Street. He lived there for over 45 years. He met and married Lynette Brown in 1956, who sadly died in 1999. Although Uncle Gil worked at Gloucester founders, Walls Ice Cream and Hoffmans in Stonehouse, his real passion was for motor vehicles - so it was not surprising when he bought his first lorry and began doing subcontract work for Tom Morris’ haulage company. He subsequently went self-employed, buying other lorries while employing family members and friends. He was a valued member of the Black Elders’ Day Centre in Gloucester for 8 years but his health started to fail him in the later 5 years of his life and he died unexpectedly but peacefully on 11 February 2012 in Gloucester. He was survived by his children Jaki and Milton Errol, Sharon Terry, 8 grandchildren and many other family members. Gilmour's service number was 715487. |