TheAuthor:Special Section
Walking Back ... in the Daysof Cayman Past
Profile of an outstanding Cayman family
There is, in Grand Cayman, a very smallbut highly-respected family called Harris. As a young man, Mr.Teddie Harris, who was born of West Bay parentage, officiallychanged his name from Hydes to Harris.
Registered at birth as Teddie Osmond Harris Hydes, he simply droppedthe name, Hydes, and became plain Teddie Osmond Harris. But everyoneknew him as Mr. Teddie.
Mr. Teddie, from his early youth, was a seaman. He sailed squareriggers and three masters in those early days of sailing. He provedto be a great seaman.
It was while on a ship that often called on Cuba that, by somequirk of fate, he laid eyes on a beautiful Caymanian girl. Theywere both, at the time, visiting mutual friends.
Her name was Miss Lula Piercy and it did not take Mr. Teddie longto decide that he was deeply in love and wanted to marry her rightaway.
As Ms. Lula confided in me once: "Well, I didn't go to Cubato look for a husband; I had enough admirers at home from whichto choose a husband when I thought I wanted one. But Teddie wasso determined and insistent, that I told him that I would marryhim.
"I didn't really expect to see him again as I was leavingfor home soon. But, you know what? Ha!Ha!Ha! Within a couple ofweeks, Teddie was knocking on my door with a package of weddingaccessories, saying he was coming to get married the next daywhile his ship was still in port. So I married him, if only toget rid of him, I thought. Ha!Ha!Ha!
"But you know what? I don't want to be rid of this old man;not for a hundred years. Teddie is the sweetest husband a womancould find anywhere."
Yes, indeed. Here was an exemplary couple whom I had the privilegeof knowing very well for several years before they passed on.
Out of that blessed union came four daughters and one son. Thesewere children of whom any Royal family could be justly proud andit makes one very sad to think that all but one of that happygroup have passed away.
The first child born to the couple was a daughter who was promptlynamed Lula Mae. Lula after her mother and Mae after the monthin which she was born. From birth, Mae was a beautiful child.She grew to become a beautiful young woman and retained that beautyright up to the day she died. Even as she lay in her casket, shelooked the essence of beauty.
The second child was also a girl. Said Mrs. Harris: "Boy,was I disappointed when I learnt it was a girl and not a boy;I wanted a son so badly." Thank you Mrs. Harris; it was thefinest job you ever did; a chip right off the old block. Sybil,as she was called, became my wife and a darling of a woman.
Take it from me, fellows, if you want to find a wife you can treasure,get closely acquainted with her mother first. A good mother issure to produce good daughters that make good wives.
In the process of time two more daughters and that long soughtafter son were added to the family. The girls were named Jennieand Greta and the boy Austin, also called 'Bossie'.
Mae, who died recently, got married to Charles Winton of WestBay. She was 25 at the time, and he was fresh out of the TrinidadNavy and a leading seaman. The union produced two sons, CharlesJnr. and James.
Like everyone else in the Harris family, Mae was highly respected.She also had numerous friends and was very active in society.A regular Church goer, since Sunday School days, she joined thePresbyterian denomination in her adult years.
She was a staunch member of the Christian Endeavour Society andwas at one time President of the Women's Guild, then known asWomen's Fellowship.
During the early days of tourism, she ran a small guest housefrom her home for several years which allowed her to make manyforeign friends in addition to the ones she had locally.
Mae led a very full life indeed and brought much honour to thefamily. Miss Mae, as she was affectionately called, died aftera brief illness. She was over 78.
I thank God for having been so closely associated with this outstandingfamily for over 35 years.
TheAuthor:
Mr. Percival Jackson, known throughoutthe Cayman Islands as "Will" Jackson, is a born EastEnder. He is a man of many experiences: A Home Guard during WorldWar Two; A former policeman, a seaman for 22 years who sailedaround the world; and a retired businessman.
Mr. Will has been a Justice of the Peace for the past 20 yearsand a Marriage Officer, whose one greatest interest is preachingthe gospel.
He is the author of three books, one which will be published ina few weeks. Obviously, his pastime is in writing of life in theold days of Cayman, and he has written many local articles forthe local media.
The pride of his life is his wife, Miss Sybil Harris of GeorgeTown, whom he married 35 years ago. They are now retired, enjoyinglife together, living in East End, by the Sea.