This correspondent confesses at the outset that his best efforts have gone astray trying to make the 100th birthday celebrations for Aunt Helen Wainwright (née Richardson) the central element of this feature.

The year 1914 was an eventful one when Helen was born in her family homestead in Tucker’s Town. The First World War broke out that year. Three of her older uncles went overseas for front line service in the all black, but white officered Bermuda Contingent of the Royal Garrison Artillery (BCRGAs).

Before the BCRGAs got home from France a committee of the House of Assembly cooked up plans for the compulsory acquisition of the choice properties owned by the black families for the post war development of the Castle Harbour Hotel, the Mid-Ocean Golf Club and other white-only facilities.

More that 500 acres were owned by black families, of which more that 100 acres belonged to Helen’s family. They stoutly refused to sell, swap or otherwise yield. Family historian Denny Richardson, in his lectures on the Tucker’s Town land-theft, quotes his Aunt Helen’s account of how the latter’s aunt sat outside the homestead and was forcibly taken to the new residence designated for the Richardsons in the Devil’s Hole sector.

A heartbreaking element was the fact that an uncle, wounded at the war front with the BCRGAs had one leg amputated. He was homeless when the vets finally got back in Bermuda, kicked out of Tucker’s Town under duress, every day the most that he was able to do was sit at a wall near Devil’s Hole watching traffic go by. One day he fell, struck his head and never recovered.

Aunt Helen married into the Wainwright family; had one son who became father of ten children, all of whom grew to esteem their grandmother Helen, then a resident in the Knapton Hill area.

With the onset of Helen’s 100th birthday the family laid on plans for a grand weeklong celebration, starting this past Sunday at the BLU bar and grill in the old revamped Belmont Hotel. The day before the event Aunt Helen was stricken, and on doctor’s orders the Sunday event was cancelled. Some 300-odd family and friends were duly informed.

Aunt Helen is now a resident at the Frances Telford Nursing Home. She was in fine spirits and looking good for her natal day on Wednesday when close relatives and friends descended on her, watching as she graciously cut the huge birthday cake featured at the top of the front page of Thursday’s Royal Gazette.

Exclusive photos of Aunt Helen with her adoring nephews and nieces went astray as we indicated earlier and will await my follow-up.

Eileen cool on her 92nd

We focused a week ago on Eileen Tucker. Her four children, more than two dozen grands and great grands were planning to fete her on her 92nd birthday, which was last Sunday. Eileen had indicated she personally was not inclined to make a big thing for her natal day, but her offspring showed her better than they could tell her. They actually besieged her on the lawn of the Horseshoe Bay, South Shore Road, Southampton landmark that is her home.

Eileen was born on Scott’s Hill Road, Somerset, the eighth of the 12 children of Florence and Howard Simons. Howard’s grandfather was John ‘Hudder’ Simons, one for the founders of the annual Somerset-St George’s Cup Match. It seems that all the Simons’s were great all-round players or fanatic supporters who used to eat or sleep the game from back in the day right up to now.

At one stage brothers such as Arthur, Elliot, Obrien and Austin (Toes) Simons made up Somerset’s cup team, and the rest were from four or five of their first cousins, the Hunt clan, such as Alma (Champ) Amon, Delbert (Shark-Eye) and Eric.

Eileen deserves a medal for keeping the Simons’ legacy alive. Her son John Tucker became a spectacular cup team captain. His son is Janerio, who this year was dubbed ‘Mr Cup Match’ for his all-round run-getting, bowling and fielding performances, even though he got out for a duck in Somerset’s first innings.

Trailblazer Estlyn Delores Harvey

The First Church of God, North Shore Road, Pembroke, one of the largest in the Island, was packed to overflowing a week ago when hundreds turned out to pay last respects to Estlyn Delores Harvey.

Officiating Bishop at the celebration of the life of Estlyn was the Rev Dr Vernon Lambe Sr, MBE.

Estlyn was born July 6, 1941 and passed on September 8, 2014. She was eulogised as an amazing lady, a true angel on Earth. From the New Life Christian Community Church in Richland, Washington State, Rt Rev Calvin (Skippy) Ball submitted a tribute to Estlyn on behalf of the families at Friswell’s Hill where he and Estlyn grew up. He said she was a dignified Christian woman, full of respect and always willing to help others. She was an outstanding example of what it meant to be a daughter of the rich soils of Bermuda. She made a difference in the lives of many people. She did it without fanfare and without seeking to be noticed.

She was an honorary life member of the Bermuda Public Services Union, and among many other things a director and vice-chairwoman of Age Concern from June 2008 until her passing. Claudette Fleming, head of the organisation, paying tribute to her colleague and friend declared she will be remembered as one of Age Concern’s most dedicated members.

A graduate of the Berkeley Institute in the 1960s, Estlyn told a group at the National Stadium how she had no idea what she wanted to do. The main careers offered to graduates then were nursing or teaching, neither of which appealed to her. She got a job at Belco where the late C Eugene Cox was the head. He was a graduate of Ryerson University. During discussions with Mr Cox, he mentioned a course in public inspection at Ryerson. She said she immediately called the principal officer and said she wanted to be a Public Health Inspector. He said: “But you are a woman.” She replied: “I know I am.

“After that meeting it was left up to me to come back and prove myself that I can do anything that I wanted with God’s help,” Estlyn told a group of students years later. At Ryerson she had many challenges, being the only woman of colour among 40 men. At her graduation she was told she was the first qualified female Public Health Inspector in the western hemisphere.

She returned to Bermuda with determination to make an impact in what was deemed ‘a man’s world.’ She was paid less than her male colleagues. She had to fight for survival; the goalposts kept moving; she aspired to be a specialist Health Inspector and then Chief. She struggled with her superiors to be seconded to England. There she topped her class, received her diploma and was made a member of the Royal Society of Arts.

She continued preparing for upward mobility, studying at night taking Queen’s University courses to earn a bachelor’s degree. Again, she said God was on her side. She aspired to the top position of Chief that required a master’s degree. She entered a Webster University Master’s Degree in Management course being offered at the US Base at night. Studying hard she received her degree just before Government’s Chief Environmental Health Inspector retired in time for her to apply for his position.

Her male challengers were unaware she was taking her master’s, and after a two-hour interview with the Public Services Commission she was appointed the first female and first Bermudian Chief Environmental Health Officer over a male applicant. As chief she was leader to 30 employees and three sections that included Safety and Health, Vector Control and Environmental Health; and enforcement of 28 pieces of legislation regarding food, water and air pollution, pharmacies, day care centres, seniors’ homes, hairdressers, barbers and tattoo parlours.