Nashauna Drummond, Acting Lifestyle Coordinator

Blossom Lamb-Evans Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

After 25 years, this mother of five continues to honour other Jamaican mothers for their valuable contribution to society. Blossom Lamb-Evans was born with astounding beauty that has not always worked in her favour. She has been through it all. She lost her mother at the age of 13, met royalty and was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.

Mrs. Lamb-Evans was born in Greenwich Town, of Scottish, Indian and Syrian descent. She was always winning beauty competitions. In 1966, she was voted prettiest woman of the year out of 98 portraits of Jamaican women. She has also held the titles Miss John R. Wong and Grandmother of the Year.

Rough Times

Her earliest memories are of getting up at 2:00 a.m to sell goods for her mother. "I was born in the selling mode," said Mrs. Lamb-Evans. For assisting her mother, she received five shillings.

Unfortunately, her mother died when she was only 13 years old and she had to live with her grandmother who didn't treat her very well. Her grandmother's dislike was because at age 21, she became an unmarried mother. "Though I had two of my children out of wedlock, they are feathers in my cap," she said. "But my grandmother said, get away from me, you are a disgrace."

Mrs. Lamb-Evans recalls days when she went hungry and all she had to feed her children was cornmeal porridge. "Many days I'm wrapping sweets but hungry. I slept during lunchtime to save money for milk for my two children. I had to survive on eight shillings a week. Sometimes I bought one patty and kept the change for my children. I went through so much for them and I'm proud of them," Mrs. Lamb-Evans reminisces.

Prayers answered

Mrs. Lamb-Evans is now the mother of five and after 40 years still owns and operates Blossom's Dollar store in the Kingston Craft Market where she works every day. She admits to getting all that she prayed for. "I prayed to God for five children, a store, a Volkswagen and a bald-headed man. He answered my prayer. There is a God, I cannot turn my back on Him."

The baldhead man she speaks of is her husband Clive Evans. "I met Clive in a restaurant. I used to eat lunch at a restaurant by City Centre Police Station. He was staring at me and I was doing the same. My heart leapt - it was love at first sight." she smiles with a faraway look in her eyes. She explained that her cousin then joined him and that's how the introduction took place.

"Every day, I returned and sometimes I saw him with my cousin," she continued. "The first day he asked me out I said no. Then the following day he asked again and I accepted. But we did not go on that date. My cousin was supposed to pick him up and he didn't, so he couldn't find my house. The next time I saw him, we spoke and my heart was pounding and I think he felt the same way. I told him I had two children and I didn't see him for a week." Mrs. Lamb-Evans laughed as she remembered that the revelation probably scared him off.

"One day I was going back to work from lunch and my heel got stuck in a hole. Someone touched my foot andlifted it out. He said, I'm sorry I stayed away for a week."

She said her husband was very shy.

"He was a man of few words. The marriage is very good and even when he broke my heart I loved him very much. Love is a punishment sometimes, it's like a plant you care for, you water it and watch it grow." After being married for 40 years, he died of a heart attack in 2000.

Blossom Evans and her grandson Dwayne Dewar. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Meeting Martin Luther King

Mrs. Lamb-Evans told Flair that meeting Martin Luther King Jr. coincided with the birth of the Mother of the Year award. On his visit to Jamaica in the '60s, he was touring the craft market and happened to stop at her store.

"He came to the craft section and I asked, 'May I help you, sir?' He asked me to repeat it; I did, and he said I was first person to call him sir on this beautiful island.

In the subsequent conversation, she told the revered civil rights leader about her life and he asked her if she had ever thought of having a Mother of the Year award. That led to the contest which is now 25 years old. Over the years, she has even used her own money to finance it and has plans to set up a mothers' club.

Never forgets roots

Mrs. Lamb-Evans advises everyone to remember their roots. She has not forgotten hers - from Central Branch Primary School to Durham College, Standard Academy and Stradford High where she learnt shorthand. She completed a brief stint as a stenographer and lived briefly in The Bahamas where the late Archie Lindo helped her to sing. The highlight of that period was a performance for Princess Margaret.

Today, there are no regrets. "I'm not struggling," she told Flair. "I'm very independent. I have peace of mind and someone who cares a lot about me. If you want something you should be ambitious," she said.

Blossom Evans as she was photographed when she won prettiest woman in the Portraits of Jamaican Women in 1966. - Contributed

Blossom performing in The Bahamas. - Contributed

nashauna.drummond@gleanerjm.com