-family to hold memorial next year

THE remains of renowned author E.R. Braithwaite were on Wednesday last cremated in the United States, where he had been living, family members have confirmed.

There was no funeral for the late “To Sir With Love” author; instead, there was a very private viewing, at which Braithwaite’s two sons, Ron and Francis, were present. They had arrived from England where they reside. Guyana’s Representative to the USA and the OAS, Ambassador Riyad Insanally, was specially invited to represent Guyana.

The body of the late author of “To Sir, With Love”, “Paid Servant”, “Honorary White”, “A Kind of Home coming” and other books was cremated. His wife, Genevieve, says that a memorial will be held at a date to be announced, but that would certainly be after the holidays are over; possibly in late January or early February.
E.R. Braithwaite died at the age 104.
He died suddenly in Maryland, USA. Braithwaite had gone with his wife, Genevieve, to a mechanic shop to have their car checked up. There the educator, author and diplomat suffered a heart attack while waiting for the one-hour work on the vehicle to be completed. He was rushed to hospital, where he received immediate medical attention, but passed away peacefully shortly after.

Dr. Eustace Ricardo Braithwaite, CCH, was last in Guyana in August 2012, as a special guest of the Government of Guyana. That was on the occasion of his 100th birthday. He was appointed patron of the Inter-Guiana Culture Festival that year. Braithwaite also attended a performance of the play “To Sir, With Love: A Guyana Version” by Mosa Telford, which was produced by the National Library. During that final visit to his homeland, he was also conferred with the National Award of the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH).

President David Granger has, in a statement, said that Guyana deeply mourns the passing of the late educator, author and diplomat. President Granger said Mr. Braithwaite was an eminent Guyanese and distinguished diplomat.

“Mr. Braithwaite lived a full and remarkable life, having authored ‘Choice of Straws’ (1965), ‘A Kind of Homecoming’ (1961), ‘Paid Servant’ (1962); and most famously, the 1959 ‘To Sir, With Love,’ which was made into the 1967 British hit film of the same title, starring Sidney Poitier and singer Lulu.”

Born in Georgetown on June 27, 1912, Braithwaite attended the St. Ambrose Primary School in Alberttown before moving on to Queen’s College, Guyana, and then the City College of New York (1940). He joined the Royal Air Force as a pilot during World War II, before leaving to attend the University of Cambridge (1949), where he earned a Master’s Degree in Physics.
Braithwaite later became a School Master in London during the period 1950-1957, a Welfare Officer at the London County Council from 1958-1960, and a Human Rights Officer of World Veterans Federation from 1960 to 1963.

He was the first Guyanese to hold the post of Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), in 1967. This led, subsequently, to his election as President of the UN Council for South West Africa in 1968. He later served as Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela.