Neville Howard

“To me, education is awareness of purpose.”

Neville Howard was born in Kingston, Jamaica in February 1928.

“My elder brother, he was in the RAF during the war. I can remember as a child they were recruiting men for the army… We were told the Germans were throwing babies up in the air and catching them on bayonets. The
young didn’t understand propaganda. Education is awareness, we are lacking…”

“My mother was everything at the time. Mama was everything.”

“I came over to build Britain back up after the war and everything. It was a shamble in 1946… I was eighteen spot-on as the ship pulled in. I left from Southampton with two suits…”

“Then I begin to work and it was an honour to work on the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth [ships].”

“I’m very versatile. I went to a job working down with Americans building the steelwork in Cardiff. I went there as a painter… When the welders went for lunch I went and… I begin to weld. The manager…he says your welding is good… you’re hired… and I get a job as a welder.”

“I was a member of the Theosophical Society in Newport Road.”

“I haven’t left here since 1946… Am I a Welsh man? [laughs] No. I’m [still] called a foreigner. After 73 years!”

“I reared eight children. Do better. Man can only educate man by example. If you know better, set an example…”

“It is too painful to carry anger…”

“Why would we be given, above all living things on the planet…the gift of reason? The capability of, if you don’t like it, change it.”

“OK, I love you all.”


“I mi, ymwybyddiaeth o’n pwrpas addysg yw.”

Ganed Neville Howard yn Kingston, Jamaica yn Chwefror 1928.

“Roedd fy mrawd hŷn yn yr RAF yn ystod y rhyfel. Mae gen i gof plentyndod ohonyn nhw’n recriwtio dynion i’r fyddin... Dywedwyd wrthym fod yr Almaenwyr yn taflu babanod lan yn yr awyr a’u dal ar eu bidogau. Doedd yr ifanc ddim yn deall propaganda. Ymwybyddiaeth yw addysg, mae yna ddiffyg o hynny...”

“Fy mam oedd popeth imi ar y pryd. Mama oedd popeth.”

“Fe ddois i yma i ailgodi Prydain ar ôl y rhyfel a phopeth. Roedd hi’n chwalfa yn 1946... Roeddwn i newydd droi’n ddeunaw wrth i’r llong gyrraedd. Fe wnes i adael Southampton gyda dwy siwt...”

“Yna, dechreuais weithio, ac anrhydedd oedd cael gweithio ar y Queen Mary a’r Queen Elizabeth [llongau].”

“Rwy’n hyblyg iawn. Fe es i wneud gwaith i lawr gydag Americanwyr yn adeiladu’r gwaith dur yng Nghaerdydd. Fel peintiwr es i yno... pan fyddai’r weldwyr yn mynd am eu cinio, roeddwn i’n mynd ac... yn mynd ati i weldio. Dyma’r rheolwr yn dweud... mae dy weldio di’n dda... dyma swydd iti... ac fe ges i swydd fel weldiwr.”

“Roeddwn i’n aelod o’r Gymdeithas Theosoffaidd yn Newport Road.”

“S’mo fi wedi gadael fan ’ma ers 1946... Ai Cymro wyf i? [chwardda] Na. Rwy’n cael fy ngalw’n dramorwr [o hyd]. Ar ôl 73 o flynyddoedd!”

“Fe wnes i fagu wyth o blant. Gwnewch yn well. Dim ond trwy esiampl y gall dyn ddysgu dyn. Os ydych chi’n gwybod yn well, yna dylech osod esiampl...”

“Mae cario dig yn beth rhy boenus...”

“Pam rhoi i ni, uwchlaw’r holl bethau byw eraill ar y blaned... y gallu i resymu? Y gallu i ddweud, os nad ydych chi’n ei hoffi, newidiwch bethau.”

“Ocê, rwy’n eich caru chi i gyd.”