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‘Gran’ Is Happy To Have Strength At 100

Celebrating her birthday on October 8, 2024, was one of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Muriel Walker, who was joined at her residence in McClean’s Gap, Britton’s Cross Road, St. Michael, by family members and close friends.

The President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason was one of her specially invited guests.

Mrs. Walker shared with Her Excellency that she is “happy ”, and attributed her happiness to having “the strength to welcome, to say hello”, noting that “not too many people make this journey”.

The centenarian, who has a deep trust in God, believes that people are worrying too much, and this can affect their longevity. Mrs. Walker admitted that she faced several challenges growing up, and in those days, “it was not a nice time”. Noting that one had to have “a set mind”, she said: “Young people have to set their mind to be somebody or to be nobody.”

She also stressed the need to enjoy life and to always be truthful, cautioning that when it comes to the truth, we should always be prepared to prove it. “You can’t always be on your guard, live a life… ya got to show that ya telling the truth,” she said.

Mrs. Walker also shared that individuals need to take charge of their lives and not watch what others are doing or gaining. “You have to get a grab of your life, not ‘she’ life or ‘he’ life, you(r) own life and decide what you can make out of your life,” she pointed out.

As part of his tribute to his mother, Hugh Walker, the centenarian’s only child, shared that his mother instilled in him good morals and the need for a good education. Mr. Walker remarked: “If it is one thing that mum always made sure of, that she impressed on me, ‘always get a good education’, and to be strong and truthful and to live life in a positive manner.”

Born in Josey Hill, St. Lucy, Mrs. Walker, attended St. Clements School, St Lucy, and later, Speightstown Girls School. As a result of her large family, she was invited by a family friend to stay with the family as they had no children. During her stay with that family, she performed many domestic duties for the family.

After school, she became a domestic for several families until she met and married Harold DaCosta Walker (now deceased) and they eventually settled down in the current location of the family home in McClean’s Gap, Britton’s Cross Road, St. Michael.

While married, Mrs. Walker remained at home and raised their only child. She took the initiative and converted some land next to the house into a kitchen garden, to help feed the family and to earn some money. Some of the produce included bananas, plantains, sugar apples, pumpkins, passion fruit, green peas, and avocado.

*President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, presents centenarian Muriel Walker with a bouquet on her 100th birthday.*

The centenarian was very active in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, at Collymore Rock, St. Michael, and earned a licence to preach. She served as President of the Women’s Association and was appointed as a Church Missionary.

Mrs. Walker was instrumental in raising funds for the Church to assist with the building and general maintenance. She was happy to be able to show the awards and certificates of appreciation she received due to her work at the Church.

While not as physically active as before, Mrs. Walker continues to engage with her friends and family. She listens intently to church services and receives communion at home.

The centenarian enjoys eating everything, strives to be as independent as possible, and turns to her caregivers only when necessary.

When Dame Sandra inquired about how she would spend the rest of her day, Mrs. Walker replied: “Enjoy you all’s company, get something to eat and go and lie down and sleep and when I wake up, I [will] pray.”

Dame Sandra presented the centenarian with a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of non-alcoholic wine and a personalised card. She thanked Dame Sandra for the gifts, and at the flowers, she remarked: “They are pretty…. This is my joy.”

At the end of her visit, Her Excellency said: “It has been a pleasure being here and I want you to enjoy the rest of your day… Thank you all for having me and it has been a beautiful morning. I thoroughly enjoyed it and please continue to take good care of her, she is a treasure.”

Mrs. Walker has one living sibling, a son, and one granddaughter

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SPECIAL POLLING DAY NOTICE

Local

FundAccess To Host Legal Clinic Workshop from May 13th

Entrepreneurs will soon get another opportunity to learn about critical legal matters that are key to the operation of their businesses.

FundAccess will be hosting The Legal Clinic Workshop, which will commence on Tuesday, May 13, and continue each Tuesday, until May 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The workshop will be facilitated by Attorney-at-law Ondene Kirton and participants will discuss Understanding Business Legal Structures; Contracts & Agreements; Employment Law & Compliance; and Examination of the Various Laws Relating to Small Business.

During those sessions, the participants will be exposed to sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations – pro and cons; how to choose the right legal structure for a business; the importance of contracts in business operations; avoiding common contract pitfalls; and employee rights & employer responsibilities, among others. Some of the pieces of legislation to be examined include the Employment Rights Act and National Insurance and Social Security Act.

Interested persons may attend the workshop in person at FundAccess’ Pinfold Street, Bridgetown location, or online via the Zoom Platform. To register, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3Fu09Jv.

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Centenarian Built On Firm Foundation Set By Grandmother

“Trust God first” is the mantra of one of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Athelstan Browne, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 29, 2025, at his home in Montrose, Christ Church, surrounded by family and friends.

One of his specially invited guests was President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

Mr. Browne shared that he grew up “not knowing a mummy” as his mother passed away at age 23, when he was two years old, and his brother was only one year old.

Crediting his grandmother for his upbringing, Mr. Brown remarked: “I had a real good, good grandmother that raised two of us, and everything we learn before we went to school, she taught us.”

Pointing to a humble yet deeply religious upbringing, Mr. Browne said: “I and my brother slept on the floor. Our grandmother spread things down there, and she just put the pillow under our head.”

He recalled that they had to sing the hymn “Under the Blood” before going to bed, and first thing in the morning before they had breakfast, which usually consisted of “a cup of tea and two biscuits”. Adding that the hymn was “our song”, Mr. Browne sang the hymn from memory.

Stressing that his grandmother was a great provider, he noted: “My grandmother had land, and she would work the land…. We would eat raw potato, raw okras, (green) peas, cucumbers…. The only thing we did not eat was raw yams and eddoes.”

Mr. Browne continues to enjoy his ground provisions “with a little rice”, as he likes his rice with green peas, and if available, chicken boiled with the rice. “I am a fish man,” he remarked, eating it either fried or with a “stew sauce”.

Continuing to nurture his Christian beliefs, he joined the Mount Ararat United Holy Church (currently in Dayrell’s Road, Christ Church) in 1967, at age 33, and has continued there ever since.

Once the Superintendent of the Sunday School at the church, Mr. Browne is still instrumental in providing leadership to the youth there. “I have a crowd of young people at church that love me…especially when I have to talk to them…. It is what they should hear and what they should have,” he said.

The centenarian was raised in Montrose, Christ Church, and attended the Christ Church Boys’ School (now Milton Lynch Primary School). After leaving school, Mr. Browne initially took to agriculture but then worked cutting soft stone in two quarries in Christ Church.

In 1947, at the age of 22, he decided to join the US Farm Labour Programme and took the first Pan American Airlines flight out of Barbados. Over 10 years later, Mr. Browne returned to Barbados and married Monica Browne (deceased). Together, they built the house where he currently resides.

Returning to his roots in agriculture, the centenarian worked at the Ridge Plantation, Christ Church, until retirement. He also planted and reaped ground produce at home, as well as planted and cut canes.

Mr. Browne, who is generally in good health and has a sharp memory, still works around the home and enjoys reading, which he does without glasses. He also keeps in touch with his family in New York and North Carolina, and will do some travelling, but he is always ready to return home.

After toasting the centenarian, Her Excellency remarked: “You are in the midst of a lot of love, and I am sure you are going to enjoy the rest of your birthday. I am really happy to have met you. I am grateful for the work that you still continue to do with our young people because a lot of them lack direction, and we, nowadays, don’t take enough time to sit down and speak with them…. We don’t remind them that they are important, that they are somebody.”

Mr. Browne responded: “You got to make them understand what … the Lord expects of them… We have to acknowledge the Lord.”

Mr. Browne has two children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. (PR/GIS)

Caption: President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, and Barbados’ newest centenarian Athelstan Browne take a walk outside during his birthday celebrations in Montrose, Christ Church