Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
Josephine Silence
This is the fourth in our series of highlights on persons nominated for this year's Heroes' Day honours and awards.
SHE'S SEEN hundreds of persons go up and collect national awards from the Governor-General for 17 years and now Josephine Silence will be one of them.
She will be one of 12 persons who will receive The Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service. Her award is a little more special as she receives it for service to King's House, the lawns of which host the event annually. It was never her goal to work there.
"A friend of mine worked here and she was going on leave so she asked if I could fill in for her. After she returned, they kept me on," she recalled. Seventeen years later, she's still there.
HER LONGEST STINT
From Prospect, Manchester, she has done various jobs over the years, but working at King's House has been her longest stint. She has given her services in different sections including working in the laundry. But now she prepares the meals for none other than the Governor- General himself. Since she started in 1988, you'd realise that she also served under the late Sir Florizel Glasspole.
"I worked with him for three years. He was a very nice person; easy to get along with. He would always see to it that you were all right," she remarked. She is grateful to Sir Howard and Lady Cooke for keeping her on when they began residing at King's House.
She loves the working conditions and gets along well with everyone; not that that is difficult for one with a warm personality. The people are all congenial starting from the top.
"Sir Howard is very friendly; he's always asking if you're okay. If your face doesn't show it, he will even tell jokes to get you to smile," she chuckled.
Quiet and unassuming like her name, Mrs. Silence was surprised when notified of her impending honour.
"I am excited; it's a good feeling to know that they appreciate the things I do. The key is to always do your best, no matter what the job," sentiments that can never be overstated. Her two daughters are just as delighted. They feel it is a credit to her hard work; for her regularly leaving home at 5:30 a.m. to get to work.
But back to her cooking. How did she become so prolific in the kitchen to be serving the nation's first citizens?
"From I was attending Prospect All- Age, my teacher would always send me to help the chef; we called her 'Cookie'," she laughed. But even though she's a master in the kitchen, it's never too late to learn new things. Mrs. Silence has taken up baking since she started working there. Working at King's House has had other benefits.
"We used to get the tourists visiting the house and that was fun because you got to learn about different types of culture; it's a pleasure," she smiles.
As long as she is kept on, Mrs. Silence will stay in the job she has come to love. But when she does depart, she is thinking about starting her own business. What kind? A restaurant of course!
