Postby *$kїđž!™ » March 28th, 2011, 12:55 am
here was one woman who worked very hard for the under-privileged people of our country, who gave of her time and efforts freely so that those people may have an easier life. Her name was Audrey Jeffers. She was born on Baden-Powell Street, Woodbrook, Port of Spain on the 12th February, 1898. She was born into an upper middle class family, a fact that did not deter her from her mission in life.
Although her performance was above average, it was not in her destiny to pursue an academic career. From early childhood she was deeply affected by the poverty that surrounded her in the wider Port of Spain area, for she herself came from a well-to-do environment. She was moved by the plight of the people from the barrack-yards and shantytowns that dotted the cities.
At the young age of 15, in 1913, Audrey sailed for England to study social Science. When World War 1 broke out in August 1914, she served with the West African troops and organized a West African Soldiers Fund through the West Indian Committee to which people in Trinidad and other countries contributed. This ability to organize equalled her compassion for the downtrodden and her eagerness to serve, and this would serve her cause well in the future.
Audrey returned home in 1920 and established a Junior School at her parents' home in St. Clair. The house, which was known as 'Briarsend' since it was in a newly-developed area, and in one of the most convivial surroundings that could be found in the Port of Spain of those times. It overlooked the eastern end of the Queen's Park Oval.
The school was doing very well indeed, and this young, vibrant crusader should have been pleased with herself. She was providing a much-needed service to the young black children who needed it the most, and she was also gaining the reputation of being a teacher of excellence. But being the person that she was, she was not happy to be living in such comfortable and gracious setting, whilst there was widespread suffering, poverty and ignorance all round her.
Audrey took it as a personal challenge to work for the upliftment of these people, to dedicate her efforts in their service. She could not accept that some people could live in such good circumstances whilst for the vast majority misery and depression were the order of the day. Inevitably, she moved into social welfare. In 1921 along with young woemn who shared her vision, Audrey formed the 'Coterie of Workers'.
It was to her good fortune that her parents, Mary Layne and Henry Israel Jeffers, enjoyed the company of these dedicated young ladies and approved of their activities. They relied heavily on the goodwill of the senior Jeffers. Briarsend became the headquarters of the Coterie and the centre of its activities such as bazaars, concerts and dances etc., for many years.
This active young woman, Audrey Jeffers already very popular amongst those who benefited from her generosity and foresight, and who regarded her as a modern day heroine, received the unequivocal support and encouragement, not only from her mother but from her elderly friends as well. And her own powers of persuasion meant that a great number of young women willingly rallied to her call.
In order to impress upon their minds, as a matter of paramount urgency, the ideas of service and dedication to the community, she often took them to the Jeffers' holiday home down the islands - a home known as Plymouth, and in that relaxed and congenial atmosphere she imparted the essence of here philosophy; selflessness, devotion and service.
Due to her energies a great deal was accomplished by these committed young lasses. They, too, happened to be of rare quality and many of them (the magnificent Lystra Charles for example) made themselves memorable by their outstanding work in the community. The country could not have been better served at this time by a so courageous group of people.
For the Coterie, May 26, 1926 was a particularly unfortunate year for the group embarked on its plan to provide hungry school children with a mid-day meal. The first venue for this venture was constructed at Warner Street, New Town, a short distance away from the Jeffers' home. For some reason the building was called a 'breakfast shed' despite the fact that it was to provide lunch.
This 'breakfast shed' immediately became popular with the school children of the surrounding New Town and Woodbrook districts. Not long afterwards came the main Breakfast Centre on Edward Street which supplied other venues. Nevertheless, it became a popular sport for the children of the city who flocked there for perhaps their major meal of the day. In this time of abject poverty, when many of the nation's school children went without the benefit of a mid-day meal, the school kids of Port of Spain were not so deprived.
Before long the Coterie took their enterprise outside of the city, setting up 'breakfast sheds' in Barataria, San Fernando, Siparia and even Tobago.
Although it had opened its arms to the young children of the nation, it was not only with them that the Coterie was concerned. It was concerned with setting up homes for the aged, homes for the blind and as well for young ladies in trouble. But Audrey was still far from contented. As far as the 'breakfast sheds' were concerned, Audrey knew that mothers depended on them because they did not have the fathers in the homes to assist with providing the meals and other necessities.
The situation was make more complicated by the fcact that many of these mothers had little babies at home and so could not go out to work. Audrey at once went to their rescue by establishing day nurseries, the first one being opened in John John in December 1940. She named it the 'Cipriani House', revealing the great admiration she had for this champion of the poor and tireless social workers. Little did she know that the great man himself admired her tremendous courage ad dedication, thinking her to be a shining light in the otherwise gloomy and depressed city.
At that same time Cipriani was himself was trying to solve the problem of ridding the city of slums by building low cost houses for workers. It was Captain Cipriani, thinking of Audrey's great work, introduced legislation while he was the mayor of Port of Spain, to allow women to be elected as city councillors.
This was very appropriate and in the first such elections, which took place in November of 1936, Audrey had a sweeping victory to the position of being the first woman to be elected to the city council. She was now in a better position to carry out her mission than she was able to as a private citizen, and she spared no effort in doing so. In the city council she constantly waged battles on behalf of the deprived school children, the aged, and the blind and the homeless.
Her efforts reached greater heights when in July 1946, Audrey entered the Legislative Council, having being nominated by governor Bede Clifford. Prior to that she had been appointed to Franchise Commission to look at the question of adult franchise. Another of her accomplishments in the Legislative Council was to let the government know that it was its responsibility to look after the poor and the needy in the society.
It is a testimony to her caring and foresight that there are today well-equipped nurseries, breakfast sheds, homes for the blind and aged, and hostels for single women. She had made an indelible contribution to social welfare. For her work she received the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and at the first Independence Day Awards Ceremony in 1969, Audrey was honoured with the Chaconia Gold medal for social service, posthumously. The newly made highway along the Port of Spain foreshore was named in her honour as well. She died on June 24, 1968 at the age of 70, having lived a fulfilling life.
