People Lady B

Gladys Maud Bustamante (Longbridge) "Lady B"
The Mother of Jamaica's Labour Movement

Gladys Maud Longbridge was born on 8th March 1912 in Westmoreland. After finishing primary school she came to Kingston to attend Tutorial Secondary and Commercial College. She returned home with the hope of using her education to better her community. This ideal did not materialise and in 1934 she returned to Kingston where she got a job as cashier at the Arlington House Hotel and Restaurant.

Here History starts to be shaped as the Arlington House was where members of the Legislative Council often lunched. She caught the attention of the larger than life Alexander Bustamante and was swept up in his ideals of a better life for Jamaica's work force. In 1936 she became Bustamante's private secretary.

For the next 25 years, Gladys worked beside the Chief, travelling the length and breath of Jamaica as well as on foreign missions. She worked with him championing the rights of workers and also made sure the lives of their families improved.

For the rest of his life our National Hero did not make a move without consulting her. She stood by his side when he was arrested for "inciting" sugar workers and when he was sworn in as Independent Jamaica's first Prime Minister. But whether she was Miss Longbridge or Lady Bustamante she was no meek and mild helpmeet, smiling sweetly while she shook hands and cut ribbons. Urban legend even says that on one occasion she wrestled to the ground a man who threatened to attack Bustamante! Whether true or not she kept pace beside him until his death on Independence Day 1977.

Afterwards, though "paralyzed with grief" she did not skip a beat and returned to work as Treasurer of the BITU. There she remained until advancing years forced her home.

Even when age precluded her going to the office every day Lady B did not stop working: the office came to her instead. Until very recently, members of the BITU and the JLP could be seen making regular trips up the hill to Irish Town. Some critical Union matter or Political appointment could not go through without the input and tacit approval of the last surviving founder of both the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and the Jamaica Labour Party.

In 1982 Lady Bustamante received the Order of Jamaica for her service to the Trade Union Movement.

She remained Treasurer and a Trustee of the BITU and a Trustee and Member of the Executive Committee of the PNP.

She was also Patron of the Bustamante Hospital for Children.