Between two worlds

by Shirla Allen-Philogene – A review

Between Two Worlds is what I care to describe as a delightfully written book. It is the kind of book that once you take it up it is difficult to put down. It is certainly very reader friendly.{{more}} It is really the journey of a young woman from St.Vincent, in fact from the country side, to England to pursue a nursing profession. It was a journey from innocence, innocence of person and country, to England, the mother land that was just receiving an influx of black people from the Caribbean. The book describes her experiences as she undertook training in nursing and then her service with the National Health Service where she distinguished herself to such an extent that she was honoured as one of fifty women who made significant contributions to the National Health Service when it celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. There are two parts to the book. The first few chapters described her childhood days growing up in Colonaire, although the name like those of other villages and persons is disguised. The second part is about life in England as a nurse trainee and as a professional within the nursing establishment.

The first three chapters naturally appeal to me. There is a sense of history and a nostalgic feeling about the natural environment, about the peace and quiet of the country villages and the characters who populated those villages. There were Miss Daisy the herbalist, Teacher Sampson, Old Macree the village watchman, Doris, Eileen and Lucita the bakers and Norm the flutist who was not of the village but was there for every funeral. The village centered around estate, church and school. On a brief return from England, another poem sounded a different tone, “The village now stands still; for Silence, like a creeping vine, has robbed it of its will”. But there was a sort of order which today might be considered frightening. Everyone knew his or her place. Her mother took full responsibility for her moral education and she adhered to ‘certain strict tenets’ that she taught to her children. Her grandmother who managed the Post Office that was located at her home took her responsibilities quite seriously and would not even shake the hands of the members of her church who came to the Post Office. Her family was of the country gentility. There was respect in the relationships and good natured bantering. Her father was always late for the bus which constantly had to wait on him. But good humour prevailed on both sides as when a passenger would say, “Mi-sa-ar Allen, take care you not late for heaven when the time come.”

She moved from this idyllic setting to Kingstown on the death of her father. She remembered her first visit to Kingstown before she was five. Two things stood out, her walk past the Iron Man and the visit to Bata Store to buy a shoe for school. Many older folks could of course relate to this. It was from Kingstown that she left, first for Trinidad where she boarded the S.S Antilles on a fourteen day journey to England. Like others who had gone through the colonial education there was a certain vision and certain expectations about the motherland. She writes, “Although it was March and springtime, there were no daffodils and no flowers to be seen. The countryside was dark and depressing…My vision of England as that green and pleasant land faded further as the journey progressed and I wondered how I would survive”. Her first impression of that other world she was about to encounter!

The remainder of the book is about another journey, a journey that took her through a period of training as a nurse and then her movement through the National Health Service where she climbed to the very pinnacle. I am not sure how many black nurses were in the 50 that were honoured for their contribution to the National Health Service but it was good to know that at least one hailed from St.Vincent, a country bumpkin as she once described herself. Some of her experiences although largely related to her professional journey would have been felt by many other migrants from the Caribbean. The surprise that she could speak English well after being only three months in England, and after being told that they speak English there, their genuine surprise- ‘Do they?’- Ignorance, of course, of the extent to which the Colonial mother had attempted to make some of the people in its far flung Empire into black Anglo-Saxons. Shirla felt that the questions “were a sign of their preconceived ideas and low expectations of us.” She had to adjust not only to life in England but also to the demands of her profession. Once when she had reached the limit of her frustrations she sent a telegram home asking for Money for her return passage. When this got to the attention of the authorities, West Indian nurses were sent to persuade her to change her mind. One of them indicated that they all suffered the same humiliation and frustrations but that it was necessary to stoop to conquer. Her reaction was, “How low?” There was something within her, most likely related to the influences of her mother, her grandmother with ‘her stately bearing’ and her father. When on her first visit to Kingstown the bus had to wait on her because she had fallen asleep at her Uncle, one of the passengers said, “…Na tell me that she go late for heaven too.” Her father smiled and said “No, not if I can help it.” Shirla wondered what he meant by that remark. There was obviously a lot more in that statement than was first imagined.

Shirla Philogene liked challenges and was prepared to take them on. There were occasions when she was advised against taking certain measures because people were resistant to change. She persisted, however, and philosophised about it later. After one experience, she wrote, “Often people are more ready for change than we think. I have found that by experimenting with something new and meeting people halfway they can adapt to change.” This came out of a nursing situation but had meaning beyond nursing. When she applied to become the Professional head of the Soldiers Sailors Airmen and Families Association Overseas Nursing Service, her colleagues called her a traitor and asked if she was out of her mind to go and work for what they regarded as ‘a male-dominated society that has been governed by rank and privilege and you are female and black’, she simply said “Oh, Well!” She was well-known for wagging her index finger and was warned by her friends that she must avoid doing it at her interview since the military would not take kindly to it. At the end of the interview she had to admit to her friends that she did it as ‘an involuntary reaction to a tricky question’. She got the job, however.

Between Two Worlds is a Must Read. You do not have to be a nurse to enjoy this book. What stands out is the strength of character of that sister from St.Vincent who was not afraid to confront the establishment and to experiment. She could be said to have conquered that other world and for that they gave her an MBE.

Dr Adrian Fraser is a social commentator and historian.