A woman who fought a 50-year campaign for justice over an alleged land theft has died just days before a court hearing into the matter is to be held.

The funeral of Barbara Brown, who died on December 6 at age 92, was held yesterday at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity.

In 2021, Mrs Brown and two of her siblings filed a complaint with the Commission of Inquiry into Historical Land Losses, claiming that property left to them and four other relatives by an uncle in 1972 was “stolen” through the actions of parties including lawyers, estate agents, government officials and financiers.

The commission found in the Browns’ favour, concluding that “several men were part of a criminal conspiracy” to dispossess their uncle of his land.

Barbara Lucille Brown was the second of five children born to Gladwyn “Jack” Ming and Isabelle Ming.

She was raised on Canal Road in Pembroke and attended West Pembroke School. However, she left school at age 12 after the death of her mother.

Claiming not to enjoy studying, she instead devoted her energies to raising her siblings and helping her widowed father run the household.

Mrs Brown’s maternal instincts spread to other children in the extended family, including two nephews.

In 1955, she married Walton Brown and the couple went on to have five children — Deanna, DeVerne, Walton Jr, Charles and George.

Although devoted to family, Ms Brown held down several jobs, waitressing at The Hog Penny and working as a housekeeper at the Hamilton Princess Hotel.

She moved into caregiving, a career she enjoyed for almost 40 years before reluctantly retiring at 83.

In a tribute read out during yesterday’s service, her four surviving children said: “Family was extremely important to our mother and she remained the glue for her siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins over the many years.”

She founded the annual family picnic more than 60 years ago.

“During our formative years, Mommy instilled lots of values in us, especially around the unity and support of family. She always reminded us that you need to have morals and show dignity and respect.”

Both parents passed on a strong work ethic as well as the value of getting the education they had not been able to receive.

The tribute added: “We don’t know how they pulled it off, but we were all college-educated, with three of us abroad at the same time.”

In an interview with The Royal Gazette in 2021, Mrs Brown said that she hoped the Commission of Inquiry’s findings into her family’s claim would be acted on.

She said: “I’m almost 100 and I would like to have closure while I’m still on this earth because it’s been a long, painful battle.”

One of Mrs Brown’s three sons, the late Walton Brown, had been instrumental in establishing the commission when he was a Progressive Labour Party MP. He died at the age of 59 in 2019, a year before the commission began its work.

In October, Mrs Brown’s two surviving sons filed a writ on her behalf against Butterfield Bank, claiming that it breached its fiduciary duty by “engaging in constructive fraud, reckless conduct and deliberate concealment” to cover up the illegal actions of associates.

An initial hearing into that allegation is expected to be heard before the Chief Justice today.

Yesterday, Mrs Brown’s youngest son, George, said he was saddened that his mother had died before the land dispute had been resolved.

Mr Brown said: “It’s been a long, painful battle as my mother had spearheaded her family’s pursuit of justice for over 50 years. Her wish was for the family struggle to be over before she passed away.

“Our mother, who came from a generation that had contributed so much to overcome centuries of struggle that Black people have faced, has finally passed the torch.

“She was a trailblazer, a true freedom fighter who never gave up on trying to hold those accountable for her family’s loss of inheritance.

“Here we are now, at the doorsteps of justice. It is bittersweet that she is not here to witness victory, but at the same time I’m happy and grateful to know that she laid the foundation for my brothers and me to conquer injustices brought about by the wrongdoings of elites in the past.

“The political structure and lack of legislation back in the bad old days was prevailing. The triangle of trickery between lawyers, bankers and realtors took advantage of the voiceless, the marginalised and the uneducated.

“This actually was a form of discrimination, but my mother was fearless in her pursuit, and we as a family will not give up until justice prevails.

“My mother, in her 93rd year, had no more physical fight in her, but her spirit and legacy will always be with us.”