ON May 29, 1920, a beautiful baby girl was delivered by a midwife, who happened to be one of the baby’s grandmothers. Such occurred at a home in Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
The parents of the baby girl, Charlie and Carolyn Burrowes, named her Albertha.

On Friday, 100 years later, Albertha Burrowes, having added the surname Hicks, by way of marriage, celebrated her centenarian status at her 81 Dennis Street, Campbellville, family home.

“Attaining such an age is certainly an achievement of recognition and celebration,” said Ms Hicks, during a telephone interview with this publication, on the eve of her birth anniversary.

With most of the details of her life still fresh on her mind, despite losing her left eye through cataract and her right leg due to being afflicted with diabetes, Ms Hicks, in clarion tones that belie her advanced age, described her life’s journey, so far, as being remarkable, productive and adventurous.

The last of six children, Mrs Hicks recalled starting school at Parika Anglican School, Parika, East Bank Essequibo, but subsequently moved to live at Charlotte Street, in the city, with an elder sister. “My sister got married at a very young age, about age 16, and my parents thought because she was married at such a young age, I would have been a good companion for her,” she said.

According to her, it was at the behest of her god-parents who were devout Catholics that she was enrolled at a Catholic school and later was also sent to private lessons. At age 28 years Ms Hicks said she gave birth to a daughter. Sometime later, she struck a relationship with Milton Hicks who worked on an American ship as a bugler and got married. According to her, “Milton stole my heart”.

In 1950, Ms Hicks travelled to London with her husband and began setting up home. She also started working in that country in an administrative capacity. Her first trip back to Guyana was in 1965, as she was anxious to reunite with her daughter and grandchildren.
She said she also began renovating the Dennis Street home which resulted in her making several trips between London and Guyana between 1965 and 1994. He husband died in London in 1994 after 65 years of a blessed marriage, she added.

It was in 2007 while she was working as an Administrator of homes for homeless people, that Ms Hicks recalled she lost her right eye to cataract. Not long after her right leg was amputated due to her suffering from diabetes.

Fitted with a prosthetic limb, Ms Hicks said she continued working and even travelled to Guyana a few more times, even visiting the magnificent Kaieteur Falls. She retired from her job in 2012 and returned to live permanently in her homeland, Guyana.

Now a grandmother and great- grandmother of two, respectively; great, great- grandmother of two and great, great, great-grandmother of one, Ms Hicks said she has been blessed with a wonderful family inclusive of nieces and nephews, who go all out to ensure that she is happy.

Currently she has a grandson and great, great-grandson living with her to keep her company, but Ms Hicks proudly related that she insists on doing her own cooking, cleaning, laundry and ironing, although she has a helper. This is, however, much to the disagreement of the other family members and relatives.
“I am a clean freak and that irritates them, as they feel that I should be resting myself at my age,” she added.

According to her, she cooks meals with the aid of a high-chair that she had transported from London specifically for that purpose; sit in her wheelchair to do her mopping and other cleaning. Family members meanwhile take turns to transport her to and from which ever location she wants to go to do her shopping. On those shopping jaunts which she thoroughly enjoys, Ms Hicks says she uses a walker.

A bit disappointed that the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying restrictions have placed a damper on the elaborate celebratory plans that were in train for the `special’ occasion, Ms Hicks said she in nevertheless overjoyed to be celebrating such a `golden’ milestone.

Her immediate plans were to spend it with just close family, but added, “Trust me, as soon as all this is over and God spares my life I will be having my `big bash’”.
“Right now I am just grateful and overjoyed that God has spared my life will fairly reasonable health and strength to celebrate this glorious occasion,” she remarked.