“I learn to trust in God, that is true for me.”
Loretta Smith was born in the parish of Trelawny, Jamaica, in 1937.
“I remember school days… [If you’re late] ‘hands out’, you got to get to school, you get up early…”
“I was working in Kingston… in a chemist… he [Loretta’s husband] was living around the same way… that’s the way we meet one another and begin to chat up and the rest of it (laughs).”
“So, he came over [to Wales] and send for me… he was living at Raglan Street [Newport]… so when we now come from Jamaica… we have somewhere to come because somebody, Jamaican, have a house. I put my money together and come over, over to England.”
“My first job…pop factory, Alma Street… My next job at Helium Peart…I was in the topping shop, where they make the screws…”
“From a child I always want to be a nurse, that was my thing, when I grow up I want to be a nurse… it was after the children… when they were old enough that I could go… to the nursing, [I] was working in Cardiff [Royal Infirmary]… Altogether I had five children, from 1962 to 1972.”
“I wouldn’t live my life any differently… I tell you something, God bless that little thing that we started… I said we going to open a little soup kitchen.”
“It was our idea the four of us. [Soup]… corny, and fried dumpling and things… do the rice and the chicken… everybody have their own [things to do]… everybody loves it”
“I think you should strive to follow your dreams… I would encourage anybody to follow your dream.”
“Fe wnes i ddysgu cael ffydd yn Nuw, dyna yw’r gwirionedd i mi.”
Ganed Loretta Smith ym mhlwyf Trelawney, Jamaica, yn 1937.
“Rwy’n cofio’r dyddiau ysgol... [os oeddech chi’n hwyr] ‘dwylo allan’, roedd yn rhaid ichi gyrraedd yr ysgol, roedd yn rhaid ichi godi’n gynnar...”
“Roeddwn i’n gweithio yn Kingston... mewn fferyllfa... roedd e [gŵr Loretta] yn byw yn y cyffiniau... dyna sut wnaethon ni gwrdd â’n gilydd a dechrau sgwrsio a’r cwbl a ddaeth wedyn (chwardda Loretta).”
“Felly, dyma fe’n dod draw [i Gymru] ac yn anfon amdanaf i... roedd e’n byw yn Raglan Street [Casnewydd]... felly nawr pan roedden ni’n dod o Jamaica... roedd gennyn ni rywle i ddod iddo, gan fod gan rywun o Jamaica dŷ. Cesglais fy arian a dod drosodd, draw i Loegr.”
“Fy swydd gyntaf... ffatri diodydd pop, Alma Street... fy swydd nesaf, Helium Peart... roeddwn i’n gweithio yn y gwaith topio, lle roedden nhw’n gwneud y sgriwiau...”
“Ers imi fod yn blentyn, nyrs oeddwn i am fod, dyna oedd fy nyhead, pan rwy’n tyfu lan, hoffwn fod yn nyrs... ar ôl y plant... pan roedden nhw’n ddigon hen imi fedru mynd... i nyrsio. Roeddwn i’n gweithio yn [Ysbyty Brenhinol] Caerdydd... fe gefais i bump o blant i gyd, rhwng, rhwng 1962 ac 1972.”
“Fuaswn i ddim yn byw fy mywyd yn wahanol o gwbl... ddweda’ i wrthych chi, bendith Duw ar y peth bach a ddechreuon ni... fe ddwedais i ein bod am agor cegin gawl fach.”
“Ein syniad ni, y bedair ohonom. [Cawl] llawn corn, a thwmplins o’r badell ac ati... gwneud reis a chyw iâr... mae gan bawb eu pethau eu hunain [i’w gwneud]... mae pawb wrth eu boddau.”
“Rwy’n credu dylech chi ymdrechu i ddilyn eich breuddwydion... mi fuaswn i’n annog unrhyw un i ddilyn eich breuddwyd.”