Albert Samuel Wilson

As a young boy, he attended the Beecher Town Elementary School. After leaving elementary school, he went to the Parish of Portland to complete an apprenticeship in carpentry. 

After finishing his apprenticeship, he returned to Beecher Town to find work. Work was hard to find. This was around the time that England was asking for people from the commonwealth to come to England to work.

Albert was an ambitious, independent, and strong-minded young man. So much so that he decided to tell his father that he wanted to leave home to go to England. His father was not keen on the idea, but he was determined. 

With the money he saved as an apprentice carpenter and the money he earned after he returned home from Portland, he saved enough money to buy a ticket to travel on a ship to England.

The Journey to England

In 1959 Albert set off on a journey to England that took 15 days, stopping in Italy for a day, where he got to enjoy some of the sites. The ship finally docked in Manchester. From Manchester, Albert boarded the train to London Victoria, where it was planned that he would be met by a friend of a friend from Jamaica. Unfortunately, he could not find his friend, but as he had his home address, he made his own way there by taxi. 

The next day, he was taken to the labor exchange where he was given a work permit and his first carpentry job in London at a building site near Acre Lane in Brixton. This was the start of Albert becoming a remarkable and respected carpenter. His skills were always in demand in the building industry where he worked on large and small building projects in and outside of London. He never struggled to find work and he never missed a day of work.

While in England he never forgot his parents in Jamaica and would frequently send them money and make trips back to Jamaica to see his family. 

In 1961, Albert met his future wife, Ivy Williams in Brixton,Southeast London. They were married on March 2nd, 1963, at the Methodist Church in Clapham North, Southeast London.

In the early years of their marriage, they bought and lived in their first house together in East Dulwich, London. While living in Dulwich Ivy gave birth to four of their five children, Patricia, Christopher, Martin, and Dezreen, who sadly passed away at an early age. 

They later moved to East London where their fifth child Yvonne was born. They lived there for many years. In the early 1980s due to an economic recession, work became hard to find. Albert left for New York. The rest of the family followed, except for Christopher and Martin who stayed in London. 

They spent over 30 years in New York, before retiring to Florida. They were married for over 51 years until Ivy sadly passed away on the 16th of October 2014, eight months after leaving New York. Albert will be remembered by his family and friends for his generosity, charisma, and determination to succeed in life. He would often captivate you with his stories of growing up in Jamaica, and his time spent in England, Canada, and New York. 

His knowledge of the building industry was immense and he was able to turn his hand to many trades. Albert also had a passion for gardening. He had “green fingers” – an ability to plant flowers and vegetables, which would always grow into magnificently eye-catching displays. His work was admired by many, as was his love for cooking and baking. But most of all he will be remembered for the love he had for his family and friends.

Albert’s legacy will live on through his siblings, children grandchildren and great-grandchildren

Albert is survived by his 6 sisters, Ionie, Bernice, Doris, Wilberine, Dezrene, Joyce and his brother James. Albert had two more brothers Edgar & Vernal who have sadly already passed away. Albert is also survived by his 3 children, Patricia, Martin, Yvonne; our brother Christopher sadly passed away; his grandchildren, Shadeen, Priya, Veshal, Rebecca, and Jasmine; and his great-grandchildren, Kieran, Kingston, Mya, Kymani, Kynaston, and Kamiyah.