MEMORIES OF MERCEL

MERCEL AUSTIN

Husband of Esmie Grant-Austin

Son of Ernest Austin

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 Memories Of A Proud Father Who Gave His All.

So much was given in a time when no-one had clocks..., time were been told by measuring one's shadow in the sun. A person could tell the difference between 9 a.m. and 12.00 noon. Reflection of one's self could only be seen by looking in water. The 50's and early 60's this generation will look back and think how uncivilized things were, but things were less complicated. A village would grow a child and respect was equally given to all who were older.

There is not a lot know of Mercel during his younger days. He was born in the year 1912. His mother's name was Georgia Morgan and his father's name was Ernest Austin. Both parents were from the Paris of Trelawny. Mercel loved and farmed in Trelawny for many years after he moved to Craighead. He would go to the farm in Warsop, Trelawny Mondays to Saturdays and on Sundays he would go and spend time there visiting his friends and family.

Mercel was very hardworking. He put the needs of his children before anyone. He was also the monarch of his family. His sisters and brothers all looked up to him. He always strive to have bigger and better things that everyone. He was very proud and also very materialistic. He also loved to show off about his accomplishments. He would brag about his children with people who would listen and also with people who did not want to listen. He would pray for his children and his children alone, even when his wife Esmie would tell him that you not only pray for your children but all children. Nothing, just nothing, was too good for his children. He taught them that the sky was the limit. He gave his all to them and asked nothing in return.

A good example of this, he went to the market one week to sell his produce and while walking pass a furniture store on Princess Street in Kingston, a circular chair caught his eyes. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. He stopped in the store and asked the salesman, “About how much dis ya sing-ting is for?” The salesman said to him, “Mr. It is a whole lot of money so should not even ask.” ( In those days, the regular monthly salary for a working class executive was roughly forty pounds per month. He got upset and said to the man,” mi ask yu how much.” The owner came up and said to him, “even though I do not think you can afford it I will tell you. It is for 250.00 pounds.” The following week he walked into the store, counted 250.00 pounds and told the man that he came for the chair. The man was very shocked that he could have afforded the chair as only people in government and bank jobs were buying those chairs. Not only was the man shocked, but he went with the delivery truck to see where such a poor looking man was going to put such large chairs. He assumed that all country people lived in two room board and straw houses.

He was a very hilarious man, even though he did not think so. A story can be told and this is a true one. He stopped going to Trelawney on the weekends when one of his older son played a trick on him. His son met a girl in Trelawney but the girl did not know his first name. The girl wrote a letter and addressed it to Mr. Austin. When the letter came to the post office it was delivered to Mercel instead of his son. Mercel did not think his son was old enough to get a love letter and that all the love verses in the letter were meant for him and that someone was trying to destroy his marriage so he stopped going to Warsop on Sundays. Meanwhile his son knew that the letter was meant for him but was afraid to tell Mercel.

Every single morning before he left his house for the farm, he would help his wife Esmie to plan his children meals for the day. His question to her was. “What are the children going to have for lunch and for dinner?” He never put himself before the children.

Mercel loved to dance and he loved to give speeches. He was never a shy man. No matter how huge the crowd was he was never intimidated by it. He spoke whatever was on his mind regardless of whether or not the person was a lawyer or just a manual day’s worker.

Mercel was married for more than 55 years to Esmie and he still called her “G” which meant love to him. He always told her how much he loved her; even in front of the children and it always made her blush.

He is gone forever but not forgotten.