“All these chimneys, they’re like factories.”
Roma Taylor was born in December 1943 in Antigua, Caribbean. She has fond memories of her childhood in Antigua.
“Growing up in Antigua I was living by the beach, so I was in the water every morning before I go to school, my grandmother always told me off… she said ‘you’re going to have salt in your hair’.”
“When I was 15, my mum wrote to my dad and asked him if he could send me over to Britain…”
Towards the late 50s, in October, Roma arrived in London aged 15 to live with her mother and brother in Cardiff.
“I kept asking her ‘Have you got trees? Have you got a beach?… Beaches like ours?’ and she said ‘no, not like ours’, they’re not as good as ours but they are nice’.”
“As a child, I wanted to get married and I wanted to have lots of children, and I wanted to be a nurse and I did. I was a nurse, I did get married and I had seven children, so I fulfilled that dream.”
“I was in the Army for 25 years, and that was just after I had the twins. I enjoyed the Army life, it was great, territorial, but it was great.. I must have been 26 when I joined…”
“I feel Welsh, all the time. This little Cardiff has done so much for me, and I thank God, because I’ve enjoyed my life in Wales. You find ups and downs in life, but Wales, I love my Cardiff…never wanted to live anywhere else.”
“Whoever sees this story, it’s good for our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren…”
Ganed Roma Taylor ar ynys Antigwa yn y Caribî ym mis Rhagfyr 1943. Mae ganddi atgofion melys o’i phlentyndod yn Antigwa.
“Roeddwn i’n byw ar y traeth pan roeddwn i’n tyfu i fyny yn Antigwa, felly roeddwn i yn y dŵr bob bore cyn mynd i’r ysgol, fe fyddai fy nain yn dweud y drefn wrthyf o hyd... roedd hi’n dweud ‘mi fydd gen ti heli yn dy wallt’.”
“Pan roeddwn i’n 15 oed, ysgrifennodd fy mam at fy nhad yn gofyn iddo fy anfon i draw i Brydain...”
Erbyn y 50au hwyr, ym mis Hydref, cyrhaeddodd Roma yn Llundain yn 15 mlwydd oed i fyw gyda’i mam a’i brawd yng Nghaerdydd.
“Roeddwn i’n gofyn iddi’n ddi-baid ‘Oes gennych chi goed? Oes gennych chi draeth? ... Traethau fel ein rhai ni?’ ac atebodd hi ‘na, nid fel ein rhai ni’, dydyn nhw ddim cystal â’n rhai ni, ond maen nhw yn braf’.”
“Pan roeddwn i’n blentyn, roeddwn i eisiau priodi a chael llawer o blant, ac roeddwn i am fod yn nyrs, ac felly buodd hi. Mi fues i’n nyrs, fe wnes i briodi, ac fe ges i saith o blant, felly fe wnes i wireddu’r freuddwyd honno.”
“Roedd i yn y fyddin am 25 mlynedd, gan ddechrau’n syth ar ôl imi gael yr efeilliaid. Fe wnes i fwynhau bywyd yn y Fyddin, roedd o’n wych, roedd o’n diriogaethol, ond yn wych... mae’n rhaid mai 26 oed oeddwn i pan ymunais i.”
“Rwy’n teimlo fel Cymraes, drwy’r adeg. Mae dinas fach Gaerdydd wedi gwneud cymaint imi, ac rwy’n diolch i Dduw, gan fy mod i wedi mwynhau fy mywyd yng Nghymru. Mae bywyd i fyny ac i lawr am yn ail, ond Cymru, rwy’n caru Caerdydd... s’mo fi erioed wedi bod eisiau byw yn unman arall.”
“Pwy bynnag fydd yn gweld y stori hon, mae’n dda i’n plant, ein hwyrion, ein gor-wyrion...”