How one woman filled her late husband’s shoes

By Indrawattie Natram

“LONG ago it was compulsory for females to learn a skill, whether sewing, knitting or making straw hats,- this made them more marketable and more empowered to face life’s challenges whenever thrown upon.” Those were the words of 97-year-old Ursula Dainty Corbin who had to put those same skills to use to fill her first husband’s shoes and provide for her children when he suddenly passed away.

Born on June 11, 1921, in Queenstown, Essequibo, Ursula was baptised at the St Bartholomew Anglican Church in Queenstown at the age of two. Shortly after, her parents moved to Georgetown. There, she attended the Roman Catholic School/Lady Fatima. At the age of 18, she moved to Vergenoegen on the East Bank of Essequibo, where she attended the Philadelphia Scots School. The school, she said was built by slaves.

During her time there she said persons had to be involved in needlework and machines were purchased from the popular Singers company. “You were studying yes but you had to know needlework; you had to know to sew, you had to know a skill,” Ursula said.
She later worked at the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate where she met the love of her life, Victor Hinds, who was an engineer on the estate. She said that life sparkled a little for her then, and from that union came their three daughters, Veronica Hinds, Carmen Hinds and the now-deceased Monica Dainty.

She was 20 years when she tied the knot with Mr. Hinds.
In 1955, her husband decided to return to her birthplace, Queenstown, where they settled. Her husband then constructed a beautiful wooden village house where they resided, but in 1957 Hinds died leaving Ursula to take care of her girls.

FILLING THE GAP OF FATHERHOOD
At the age of 35 years, Ursula had no choice but to provide for her daughters. She said it was then her sewing skills came in handy, as she decided to become a professional seamstress. “I had to do something to provide for my children. I was now a father figure for them. I had to put food on the table,” the woman said.

Apart from her seamstress job, she was a nursing assistant at the Suddie Public Hospital. But, she stated, that the job later became laborious and she left.

Struggling for quite some time as a single parent, Ursula decided to re-marry while in her 30s. She said with the blessings from her relatives she re-married Lenard Corbin who was a spiritual leader and a carpenter by profession. She recalled her life began to strive once more and she was blessed with three more children from that marriage- Alida, Patrick and Cathrine.

Mr. Corbin then passed away when Ursula was in her 60s however, by then her children were all grown and she opted to remain single and just focus on God.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
The granddaughter of deceased slaves, Yama Yaqusha, and Miche Johnson, Ursula said life is much better in 2018 as compared to the 1990s, adding that there are better opportunities for persons to uplift themselves in various fields.

She stated that long ago the roads in the community were made from “red-earth and brick” and persons were forced to use “trench water” from cow-dam for domestic purposes. She said the community had a well but persons had to traverse long distances to access the water and whenever they did sometimes it would be “red-ish” and not suited for consumption purposes. She related that she grew up in the days when children supported their parents by assisting in the homes and partaking in household chores.

Now, as she continues to age gracefully, Ursula said that at the age of 80 years her vision started to fade. She said however, besides being visually impaired and suffering from Filaria, she is happy and strong. She advised young people to be honest with themselves and to live life close to God. She also urged them to adopt a skill for their future.

Ursula’s daughter, Carmen Hinds Joseph, said she admires her mother’s determination and positivity to life. Joseph who lives in Brooklyn, New York, said that she usually visits her mother annually to spend time with her. She said her mother prefers to do everything for herself by simply feeling her way around. However, she is supported by her sisters and countless grandchildren.