Growing Up in Nevis

Lynell Nolan was born in the village of Mt. Lily on the island of Nevis, West Indies, in 1947. After his formal education in 1965, he joined the St. Christopher, Nevis & Anguilla Police Force. In 1972 he immigrated to Canada and served as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Force prior to his return to Nevis in 1998.

Mr. Nolan has set out to give readers a glimpse of what life was like in his community during the period of his birth and his migrating to Canada in 1972. He was inspired by a temporary museum with artifacts that were displayed at the 75th anniversary of his first school, the Combermere Elementary School, reunion in 2015. It was recognized that the items that were displayed were now outdated and in most cases non-existent. At this juncture Mr. Nolan realized that not only were Nevisians losing their identity, but those of the younger generation were oblivious of the challenges faced by previous generations.

This book relates to the upbringing of Mr. Nolan, while at the same time giving an historic view of the community in which he lived at the time. Although he concentrated on the community in which he was raised, the book also addresses what life was like in other communities in Nevis.

Mr. Nolan also hopes that this book will inspire other history students to take on the challenge to be involved in similar projects to teach the present and future generations of the legacy that our fore parents have contributed to the island of Nevis.