Joseph McPherson signs the condolence book in honour of the late Lady Bustamante at the headquarters of the Jamaica Labour Party on Belmont Road in New Kingston yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

By midday yesterday, the condolence book set up for Lady Bustamante at the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Belmont Road, New Kingston, headquarters had already been signed by several retired trade unionists and former party officials.

At the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) in downtown Kingston, a few short but sincere sentences, such as 'God love you, Lady B', had been jotted down on the first page of the condolence book set up there.

Joseph and Claire McPherson, close friends and colleagues of Lady B (once Gladys Longbridge) in her work as treasurer of the BITU, arrived early at JLP headquarters to sign the book and to reminisce on her achievements.

Joseph McPherson, now 79, said he first met Lady B when he was eight and she was in her late 20s. He recalled hearing stories of Lady B's exploits alongside her husband, Sir Alexander Bustamante. He later joined the BITU as a trade union officer himself and had the opportunity to converse with her on a personal level.

A famous incident

McPherson said he was particularly moved by Lady B's actions during a famous incident before Independence in which Sir Alexander climbed the Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park, downtown Kingston, to speak to his followers, and prevented armed officers with guns cocked from harming them by calling the people to sing God Save the Queen. This forced the soldiers to stand at attention for the anthem.

McPherson noted that immediately afterwards, Sir Alexander asked the crowd to disperse, then turned to Gladys and said, "You, too, leave immediately. Go back to the office and wait for me," to which she replied, "No, I am staying with you; I am willing to die for it too."

"And that day, Lady B became a patriot in her own right," he declared with pride.

His wife, Claire, wrote in the condolence book, "You will be long remembered as a great patriot of your country, especially for women."

She said Lady B's mission as an activist was for all people, but especially for children, as evidenced by her long service as chairman of the Bustamante Hospital for Children, so named after her husband in 1963.

Lady Bustamante died on July 25 at the age of 97. Yesterday marked the start of a weeklong schedule of activities as a final tribute, ending with her funeral on Saturday. Today, Lady B's body will lie in state at the headquarters of the BITU from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. before being moved to JLP headquarters where it will again lie in state between 2 and 5 p.m.

grace-ann.black@gleanerjm.com