‘As a Black woman, I had to work twice as hard to prove myself ’
Agnes Nesbitt, 86, from Leicester, came to the UK from the Caribbean island of Nevis.
‘I’d completed my nursing training in St Kitts, the neighbouring island to my home on Nevis, in the Caribbean, and I was inspired by my matron there to come to the UK. It was 1959 and on my acceptance, aged 21, I flew over with my boyfriend, James Nesbitt, to begin a new life.
‘I had family already living in England who had described it to me, but when I arrived, I was still shocked by all the fog and smog, and smoke coming out of chimneys.
‘I headed to Leeds, where my family were living, and applied to St James’s Hospital in the city. There, I was made to complete 12 weeks of basic training, all of which I already knew. I was one of just two Black nurses in the entire hospital. One fellow staff member asked me if this was the first time I’d worn shoes. Another asked me if I lived in a treehouse. Patients would tell me to take my Black hands off them, refusing to be touched or treated by me.
‘I relied on my Christian faith to deal with those hardships and thankfully made friends along the way, including Gertrude Hamel, who was German. We studied together but she often got higher marks than me, despite giving the same answers.
‘James and I married in 1964 and a year later, I became a midwife at Bond Street Hospital, Leicester’s first maternity hospital. As a Black woman, I had to work twice as hard to prove myself, but slowly I was offered promotions, first as a sister, then as a community midwife, before moving up to nursing officer at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, where I stayed until I retired.
‘During my career of more than 50 years in the NHS,
I was determined to help my community and developed an educational programme for the elder Caribbean community in Leicester, where they could get medical information and advice. James and I had two children, but having sadly lost a baby, too, I also helped to launch an initiative that means mothers who lose babies during childbirth now know where their babies are buried. But my proudest achievement in my career was to fulfil my dream of being the best nurse and midwife I could be. People told me they admired how
I worked; I’ve heard midwives quote things I taught them and I’ve received many wonderful letters and presents.
‘Sadly, James passed away five years ago, but I’m enjoying retirement and am still an active member of my church and community. I look back on my career with the
NHS as really good fun. I’m proud of what I have achieved.’