STEPHEN Cornelius and his wife Shelley would leave their home in Dora at 04:30hrs and walk for six miles to the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, where they would catch the 06:15hrs Tata bus to Georgetown. In those days – more than 40 years ago – there were no taxis to take them through the trail as they have now, so it would’ve either been to “foot it,” or travel some 47 miles by river.

The couple, who eventually became parents to 10 children, would have to often make the trip to do business in Georgetown and shop groceries for their family. As hard as it may seem to make the trek out, coming back would prove to be even more difficult, as it meant that they would’ve now had loads to fetch.

But it seems as if this couple did it all in a breeze. They remember those days as the happiest and said the walking provided the exercise they needed and helped them stay healthy. Now celebrating 46 years of marriage, there’s hardly anything that either of them would go back and do differently. They both are satisfied with how their lives have turned out.

Shelley, 67, was born in Kwakwani but left her 14 siblings to live with another family in a community along the Demerara River. “My mother used to supply the woman she lived with, with newspapers and would go to gaff, so I saw her since then,” Stephen, 75, fondly recalled during an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.

Later, when he got older and went to farm down the river, he’d buy bread at the family’s residence. “I had other girlfriends,” he laughed, “But maybe this one and I meshed.” And that’s how it all started.

Stephen did various jobs to look after his family while Shelley was a housewife who was quite talented with sewing and embroidery. There were hardly any avenues available for recreation so Shelley ensured the children had enough books and the radio. And that’s what kept their company most times. Perhaps it is why Stephen is hoping that the authorities will provide sports equipment at the school for the children there.

The Trip to Georgetown
With 10 children on hand to look after, the couple knew that it was essential to find someone to stay with them whenever they had to come to the city. One day though, a miscommunication happened, resulting in the children being left alone. When they returned, they saw their oldest son fetching water from the well to make tea for his siblings, having already made the fire. That’s when they thought that perhaps they didn’t need anyone after all to babysit.

The children were careful and responsible, having been well trained by their parents. So they knew exactly how to conduct themselves when they were alone in terms of safety and security. “We left them by themselves with strict instructions. We said if any ship is passing, just look from the window; don’t go outside or don’t go down to the river. Don’t play with matches,” Shelley recalled.

This does not mean, though, that they didn’t do the things that are typical of little children. “One time, they told us they pelted this bald head man with an Awara, and they were telling me as if it was a joke. They would come and tell me all the bad, mischievous things that they did when we were away. So we were able to discipline them and show them out what bad they did.” Eventually, they too would walk to the highway and wait for their parents to help them fetch in the load.

All of the children turned out well, with four of them being in the teaching profession. Even though they’re no longer living with their parents, they’d ensure that they still contribute financially to the home and help to transport them in and out of Dora whenever they need to.

Parental Guidance
About eight of Stephen’s siblings live abroad in America and Canada. He’s been invited on occasion to travel but always declined, especially when his children were young. “I didn’t even consider leaving my family for a few months on vacation, because I believed they were in need of parental guidance; they were now growing up,” he shared.

While many people left the community to pursue greater ambitions, Stephen was always looking for a way to get away from Georgetown whenever he had to be there. “The bright lights never got to me,” he said, adding, “Some people left for school and never returned. But I used to get away from town to come home. Now, everyone is going for the bright lights.”

Shelley said knowing how to regulate her housework properly made it easy to care for her 10 children. “It isn’t really hard, you know; it’s how you make it,” she said. “You just have to know how to set your housework. Mr. Cornelius would get up and light the fire, put the water to make the breakfast; I would go and wash the clothes early. Or I would wash in the afternoons and then hang out next morning.”

By 10am most days, Shelley would be finished with all of her chores. “If you know how to regulate your work, you can have a lot of free time.”