Page 4 - Inez Gwendoline Ellis

Her eldest sister, Anna, and her husband moved to Inagua, Bahamas, in search of better opportunities, and later, Inez joined them. It was there that she welcomed her first daughter, Katherine.
While in Inagua, she worked for Mrs. Betty Erisson, assisting in her home while also helping her sister care for her children. During this time, she further honed her cooking and baking skills under her guidance, who was renowned for her exceptional cakes, bread, and sweets.
FALLING IN LOVE – Capturing The Heart In Inagua, Inez met the handsome and charming George Hilgrove Ellis, affectionately known as Mark. He had also migrated to Inagua to live with his brother Tom and uncle Dick Ellis. A skilled sailor, carpenter, and musician, Mark’s talents and charisma must have captivated her heart.
However, when immigration policies pressured Turks Islanders to return home, Mark decided to go back, and Inez chose to follow him. On the 22nd of May, 1963, they were united in Holy Matrimony by their brother-in-law, Alexander Gibbs.
Inez took her vows to heart—”for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health”—and remained steadfast in her commitment. She became a devoted
mother to seven children, though heartbreak struck when two passed away at an early age.
Life was not always easy, she worked tirelessly to ensure her family was cared for. She was blessed with the kindness of family members—her sister Sharon, cousin Lucille, and uncle Jeffery—who made sure her children never went hungry.
In 1984, another hardship came when Mark suffered a fall that left him paralyzed, adding yet another burden to Inez’s already heavy load. But through every challenge, she remained strong, resilient, and devoted to her family.
EMPLOYMENT – Making An Honest Living Inez worked at the Atlantic Pride fishing plant as a packer and later rose to the role of HeadMistress, ensuring that products were weighed accurately, packed neatly, and properly cured for shipping. She loved this job, not just for the work itself but for the deep and lasting friendships she formed. Her co-workers became her sisters—Muriam Fulford [Maya], Cherry-Belle Williams, Ethel Seymour, Rosena Carter, Anna Seymour, Bethel Harvey, Yonnie Seymour, Ruby Clare, Sylvia and Fanny Blanche, Irene Clare, her own sisters Laurie and Hazlyn, and many others.
She looked forward to their daily routine—Rosena, always early, would stop on the hill for her, Anna would join, and together they would walk down to wait for Maya and the rest. She spoke with great respect for her bosses, Mr. Ruth, Hayden, Godfrey, Frank Lockhart, and administrator Brenda Clare. Their dedication was unmatched, often
working into the early hours of the morning to ensure that every fish caught that day was properly preserved and packed.
Those were the good days—when the saying was, “Lobster money never done.” Inez was disciplined, sacrificing to join asues [savings clubs] so that her children could have their special treats at Christmas.
Her husband, Mark, found humor in her work life. Each time she came home,
he would tease, “What’s the plant gossip today?” knowing well that the women talked about everything—from town news to family matters. And when times were tough, he had another remark that never failed to make her mad: “You ain’t cash the cheque?”—fully aware that there was no cheque to cash.