How was the fate of an Englishwoman who first married a black migrant 60 years ago

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

It is difficult to surprise anyone today with interethnic marriages, but 60 years ago in Great Britain it was unheard of for a white girl to marry a black man. But true love knows no boundaries and prohibitions, and such a marriage took place. Dominica immigrant Andrew and Englishwoman Doreen carried their feelings throughout their lives, despite universal condemnation.

Doreen passed away in June last year, before that she and her husband lived for six decades, such strong marriages are now a rarity. This couple had many reasons to part, it seemed that the whole world opposed them, but they never gave up and did not betray their feelings.

This couple went through racial discrimination, as well as rejection of their union by both families. They raised two children - Penny is now 60 and Chris is 52. To protect their children from abuse as much as possible, the parents decided to send them to a private school. Despite the intolerance shown towards Andrew, he did not give up, the couple worked hard and even managed to get their own home in London. Andrew, 86, still lives there with Chris.

Andrew and Chris met in February 1956. Andrew was among the first immigrants from the Caribbean, he had just arrived in the UK, and the fateful meeting took place. It was a time when slogans could be seen throughout the country: "No blacks, no Irish, no dogs."

Andrew managed to get a job as a laborer at the famous Selfridges company. In Dominica, he was an experienced carpenter, but here he agreed to any job, worked seven days a week, lived in a room with eight guys, giving half his salary for her. At the firm, Andrew once saw Doreen, she worked with wealthy clients and looked attractive, like a model. It was love at first sight. Andrew soon met a girl he liked, their dates took place on the roof of a shopping center, and once he confessed his love to her, in response he heard that it was mutual.

During their dates, people on the street turned around, Andrew and Doreen often received comments in their address, many were surprised to see a mixed couple. Having invited Doreen for dinner for the first time, Andrew cooked rice, beans and chicken, which caused bewilderment among the girl, she was used to the fact that only pudding is made from rice. There were many more amazing discoveries ahead of the couple, because their cultures were completely different. But since then, Doreen and Andrew have never parted.

The lovers found only a few establishments in London where they could spend time without feeling the gazes of others on themselves. Six months after they met, Doreen realized that she was pregnant. The couple had to find housing, owners who would agree to an interethnic couple and an illegitimate child. After a long search, they managed to rent a room in the northwest part of London.

When Doreen told her parents about her romance, they made a big scandal for her, and her younger sister completely suggested getting rid of the child, giving him to an orphanage. The young parents did not agree to such a step. A few weeks after Penny's birth, Doreen's parents decided to get to know their granddaughter and son-in-law. Doreen's mom was surprised to see that Andrew knew how to cook and wash clothes, doing everything around the house. Her attitude towards him gradually began to soften.

With the birth of her child, Doreen had to forget about her career, even though she was one of the most promising employees in the firm. Not a single nanny wanted to sit with a baby who was born to a mixed couple. Andrew had to work for two. In the evenings, he attended school, where he formally mastered the profession of a carpenter, after which he began to work on construction sites.

Doreen and Andrew tried to give their daughter the best. They bought for the baby the same Selfridges stroller that the Queen used (they had a big discount, like the company's employees). They rode with this stroller in the subway, because they did not have their own transport, and they always attracted the attention of passers-by. The couple got married in August 1961, moved into the house of Doreen's relatives, from whom they rented several rooms. There was very little space, they decided that they would have to wait with one more child until there was an opportunity to improve their living conditions. Chris was born only 8 years later.

Even when the children grew up, the attitude in society towards blacks remained negative. Chris recalls how, during one of the boat trips along the Thames, their family had to get off the ship, as one of the passengers was indignant: a mixed couple was traveling with them.

When Doreen was 74 years old, her health deteriorated: she began to have heart problems, then - dementia. Then Andrew promised that he would always take care of his beloved and kept his word, until the last day he was by her side and helped in every way. Doreen died at 87. That morning Andrew, as usual, saw to it that she took her medicine, made her a cup of tea, and began to feed her breakfast. She ate four spoons and signaled that she did not want more. “She opened her eyes wide and looked at me. Then I closed them and … I called Chris, said that my mother was dead,”recalls Andrew. He assures that he will forever remember her last look full of love and tenderness, even though at that moment she was already very weak.

In 1947 in the USSR launched a campaign against marriage with foreigners … The reason for this was the possible discrimination of Soviet women abroad.