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Pearl Clareta Thomson was born on 1st June 1917 in Rose Garden, Portland, Jamaica to James William and Clara Rebecca Collins.  Her father James was a teacher, builder, lay preacher and farmer. Her mother Clara Collins nee Richardson was the much loved child of a businessman who was disappointed when she left her studies early for marriage.

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Image courtesy and copyright of Gail Carr

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Pearl’s thirst for knowledge was insatiable from an early age. She worked hard at school because she enjoyed it. She lived in an environment where learning was positively encouraged; particularly as the alternative was to work on the family farm.  Pearl relished the challenge of learning but also of imparting knowledge to others. She always knew that this was how she wanted to spend her adult life and often commented that her school days were the happiest of her life.

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Pearl's headmaster, Mr Herbert Clifton Anglin recognised her potential and employed her as a ‘pupil teacher’. This enabled her to undertake teacher training as an external student. In reality this meant that she would attend study blocks in school holidays. Despite being an external student, she qualified with the third highest marks in the island that year.

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Pearl and Donald married when she was 30 pictured here after they had moved to Bedford

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Pearl and Donald married when she was 30 pictured here after they had moved to Bedford

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Image courtesy and copyright of Gail Carr

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Once qualified Pearl embarked on a series of teaching positions throughout the island honing her craft.  She was very supportive of both her family and complete strangers alike.  At one point she had two students living with her and supported them financially. One of them was a nephew, the other the son of a nurse in difficulties.  In January 1948 at the age of 30 when she was truly considered to be a spinster, she married Donald Gregor Thomson a shopkeeper and tallyman of Fairy Hill Portland.

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The couple had three children.  Pearl continued to teach and Donald ran his shop and assisted his parents around the family farm despite this life was hard for them. Their long term plan was to open a boarding school.  To that end Pearl left Jamaica in 1954 to undertake training as a Dietician in New York. She worked in a hospital at night to support herself and to help with the upkeep of her family back in Jamaica whilst studying by day.  It was an exciting time to be in America and despite working hard she had fond memories of her time over there, meeting and living with her cousins and experiencing things that were not possible in Jamaica.  However by the time Pearl had qualified they had abandoned their plan of opening a school and Donald emigrated to England. He came to Bedford as his youthful companion and cousin Reggie Beckford had settled there.  Pearl joined him in 1956 having made the decision to devote her life to God.

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Pearl with support from Donald decided she would move to America for 3 years to study Nutritional science. The aim was that Pearl would return to Jamaica and set up a specialist boarding school teaching that subject. As it turned out things took a somewhat different direction for the family.

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This was a new chapter in Pearl’s life. As many of the West Indian community who arrived during this period can attest, living and working in 1950’s Britain was difficult. Despite all of her own personal investment in educating herself she was told her qualifications were invalid.  In schools she would only be able to work as an unqualified teacher.  Even with her newly obtained American qualification she was only able to secure a position preparing food in a hospital kitchen, rather than organising diets.  Needing an income she took work in London as a seamstress with her cousin Cissy Holgate who worked for a large department store.  She would stay in London during the week and return for the weekends.  She told one story of accidentally landing in a first class train carriage with her newly purchased mop broom and bucket and being rescued by a bowler hatted gent when the conductor wanted to shoo her to the correct third class carriage.  Small acts of kindnesses were never forgotten but Pearl became despondent.  She was unable to practice her new found faith in God, as local churches were unwelcoming and she also yearned to teach again.  As a sop to her persistent enquiries she was offered a place at Bedford Teaching College providing she could pass the relevant public examinations.  With her husband’s encouragement and support she did so, and commenced re-training at Bedford Training College entering the register of qualified teachers on 1st August 1961.   A newspaper article of the time noted that she was the first female West Indian teacher in Bedford.

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Reggie Donald's cousin came to England first, settling in Bedford. Donald decided to join him, with Pearl following shortly afterwards in 1956. Image courtesy and copyright of George Beckford.

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Journey from America to Southampton and arriving in Bedford.

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Journey from America to Southampton and arriving in Bedford.

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Pearl Thomson, Gail and Gregor reunited at last 

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Pearl Thomson, Gail and Gregor reunited at last 

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Pearl joined her husband Donald in the UK in 1956, but her children stayed in Jamaica until the couple were settled and secure. Pearl decided to re-train as a teacher, as well as working in a sewing factory in London, in order to help support her husband and family and to provide a suitable home, before she sent for her children in 1959 who she missed greatly during that time. Image Courtesy and Copyright of Gail Carr

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Throughout those years the absence of her children was acutely painful.  Finally there was enough saved to send for them and they arrived in April 1959.  Finding suitable accommodation was an near impossible task, but they were eventually able to rent a maisonette at 15 Ashburnham Road from the Co-oporative Society.  A few years later they were able to purchase their own property as many West Indians did at the time.

Still unable to find a welcoming place to worship, Pearl and several others joined Pastor Tomlinson in worship at the Odd Fellows Hall at 100 Midland Road.  As the congregation increased, better facilities were required.  The Miracle Church of God in Christ now with Pastor Vaughan moved to a hut in Alexander Road.  Together with the other founding members and the wholehearted support of the wider West Indian community the land on which the old boxing hut stood was purchased and the church we know today was eventually erected.  Pearl threw herself wholeheartedly into the life and services of the church.  She instigated many things such as the Sunday School, Choir and played the piano. These she relinquished as other members came forward. There were fetes, bazaars, cantatas and trips to the seaside.  At home Pearl turned her sitting room into a printing press.  In order to produce inexpensive programmes for events she painstakingly typed out skins which where then run off on the duplicator and assembled. This involved the whole family overseen by her husband who insisted that documents were folded neatly and staples were straight.   Pearl enjoyed many years of fellowship at this Church and also visited many other churches and denominations.  Strong faith, early experiences in England and culture were common bonds.

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Pre-Fabricated Building for Miracle Church of God in Christ in 1969

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Pre-Fabricated Building for Miracle Church of God in Christ in 1969

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Image copyright and courtesy of Miracle Church Bedford

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Pastor Tomlinson was Minister for The Miracle Church of God in Christ in Bedford in 1961 when the Church met at OddFellows Hall on Midland Road, Sister Pearl Thomson was one of the early members of the church. Pastor Tomlinson passed the baton onto Pastor Vaughan in 1965. In 1966 they were offered a dilapidated hut in Alexandra Road, over many years this building became a Pre-fabricated building in 1969 and then with much community fundraising a full brick church building. Pastor Vaughan is pictured here with other ministers invited to the occasion behind him on the opening of the new church building, which was constructed in 1976. Pastor Vaughan continues to serve the church tirelessly after 60 years of service. Image courtesy and copyright of Miracle Church Bedford.

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Teaching was Pearl’s passion.  Her first teaching position in the uk was at Queen’s Park Junior School.  She was given a group of children with little or no grasp of the English language with the objective of giving them the skills to integrate into mainstream classes.   Pearl developed a range of suitable teaching materials which although effective but would probably be considered rudimentary today.  Of note was a plasticine farm with cardboard farmhouse, barns and fencing to which plastic animals and machinery were gradually introduced.  The homemade television was also a big hit.  In effect this was a covered cardboard box containing two wooden spindles on which paper was rolled in a loop from outside the box.  This allowed her to change the material frequently. Pearl credited her husband for the design of this box.   Mrs Thomson (as she was known) enjoyed her interaction with the children.  Always trying to devise methods to encourage a group or an individual she relished the challenges.  There was always and end of year party where she rewarded the children for their good work.   Pearl was observant and proactive.  Whether hiding a child without a coat indoors at playtime during cold weather or quietly taking a student to one side to resolve an issue.

She felt fortunate to be able to impart wisdom to a younger generation and to see them thrive and achieve their potential.  She was always encouraging and proud of individual achievements.   Some of her students might remember her ability to see from the back of her head, along with her frightening accuracy when throwing chalk!  During her teaching career in England, she taught at three schools, Kingsbrooke Junior School, Queens Park Junior School and Westfield School Senior/Middle School.

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Pearl's experience of teaching at Queen's Park Bedford

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Pearl's experience of teaching at Queen's Park Bedford

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Throughout her life Pearl travelled extensively. Perhaps the real reason for all the trips was her unbridled passion for all things to do with flying and the complete esteem in which she held anyone who could fly anything.   Once her flying days were nearly over, Pearl lived with her daughter and son-in-law.  At the age of 97 Pearl died peacefully in her sleep at home on Friday 19th December 2014.  She has enriched and touched the lives of everyone she has come into contact with: those she taught in Jamaica and Bedford, people she met on her many travels around the world, brethren she shared fellowship with through her work with the Church, and in her final years the community that welcomed and supported her.  Pearl is remembered for her love of God, love of education and her great love for others.

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Pearl speaking passionately about the importance of education for children and her dedication to that purpose in life.