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| Barrington Young obituary | Barrington Young obituary |
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| My very good friend Barrington Young, who has died aged 87, was one of the first black train inspectors in the UK. He was also a stalwart of his community, and worked hard to ensure that black children in Britain were educated about their Caribbean heritage. | My very good friend Barrington Young, who has died aged 87, was one of the first black train inspectors in the UK. He was also a stalwart of his community, and worked hard to ensure that black children in Britain were educated about their Caribbean heritage. |
| Born in Kingston, Jamaica, to David, a carpenter, and his wife, Evelyn (nee Pennistone), he attended St Anthony, a Catholic school in Kingston and trained to be a printer. | Born in Kingston, Jamaica, to David, a carpenter, and his wife, Evelyn (nee Pennistone), he attended St Anthony, a Catholic school in Kingston and trained to be a printer. |
| Barrington came to Britain in 1954, encouraged by his brother, Vincent, who was already living there, having joined the Royal Air Force in 1944. A union closed shop meant that Barrington could not get a job in printing, so he took work at a cotton mill in Royton, Greater Manchester, where he was paid half what he had earned in Jamaica. | Barrington came to Britain in 1954, encouraged by his brother, Vincent, who was already living there, having joined the Royal Air Force in 1944. A union closed shop meant that Barrington could not get a job in printing, so he took work at a cotton mill in Royton, Greater Manchester, where he was paid half what he had earned in Jamaica. |
| Eventually he started working on the railways, where he stayed for 39 years, working first as a shunter, then a goods guard, passenger guard, and senior conductor before becoming the first black train inspector in the north-west. Barrington regaled everyone with stories about his time on the railways. He built an elaborate train set in his cellar and was an enthusiastic member of the Manchester Model Railway Society. | Eventually he started working on the railways, where he stayed for 39 years, working first as a shunter, then a goods guard, passenger guard, and senior conductor before becoming the first black train inspector in the north-west. Barrington regaled everyone with stories about his time on the railways. He built an elaborate train set in his cellar and was an enthusiastic member of the Manchester Model Railway Society. |
| In 1956 he married Hertha (nee Brück), who worked in the cardroom of a cotton mill and later as a tailor and dinner lady, and they moved into the house in Old Trafford where they raised their family. | In 1956 he married Hertha (nee Brück), who worked in the cardroom of a cotton mill and later as a tailor and dinner lady, and they moved into the house in Old Trafford where they raised their family. |
| Barrington was passionate about the importance of education. After retiring he became involved in a project called Mapping Our Lives, under whose auspices a group of Caribbean elders went into primary schools in Manchester and Trafford to share stories of their island heritage and of making a home in Britain. | Barrington was passionate about the importance of education. After retiring he became involved in a project called Mapping Our Lives, under whose auspices a group of Caribbean elders went into primary schools in Manchester and Trafford to share stories of their island heritage and of making a home in Britain. |
| Deeply concerned that so many black children did not understand their own history, he participated in many Caribbean projects and societies and became a strong supporter of the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource centre in Manchester. He kept himself informed about world events, history and politics, and was passionate about the need for social justice. He was also a committed Christian, active in the Church of God of Prophecy in Bury. | Deeply concerned that so many black children did not understand their own history, he participated in many Caribbean projects and societies and became a strong supporter of the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource centre in Manchester. He kept himself informed about world events, history and politics, and was passionate about the need for social justice. He was also a committed Christian, active in the Church of God of Prophecy in Bury. |
| He is survived by Hertha, their children Karen Elizabeth, Barrington and Ellie, and by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Another son, Anthony, predeceased him. | He is survived by Hertha, their children Karen Elizabeth, Barrington and Ellie, and by eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Another son, Anthony, predeceased him. |
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| Jamaica | Jamaica |
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| obituaries | obituaries |
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