tubal Uriah ‘buzz’ Butler Local History...

SCHOOL FOR STUDIES IN LEARNING COGNITION AND

EDUCATION

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAMME

COURSE NAME: History of Education in Trinidad and Tobago

COURSE CODE: EDFN 107B

GROUP 1.1

ASSIGNMENT: LOCAL HISTORY PROJECT

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Melisse Thomas-Bailey Ellis

GROUP MEMBERS:

Azeema Mohammed 109002093

Nadia Ragoonanan 51670

Ria Dwarika 51307

Savitri Ramcharan 51684

Tracyann Maharaj 51658

Tubal Uriah ‘Buzz’ Butler Local history Project

Introduction

Trinbagonians have much for which they should be thankful although we are not too sure

that we always realize it. We never really think about who is responsible for our economic

success which is why on June 19th we need to give thanks to those who fought so gallantly to

make us who we are and those who were responsible for bringing us to where we are today. One

man in particular, Uriah Butler, was important for transforming poor working conditions.

Tubal Uriah ‘Buzz’ Butler was born in Grenada on January 21st, 1897. The struggle for

survival struck Butler at an early age. His father was involved in the maintenance of an Anglican

Church and so Tubal was privy to free tuition at St George’s Anglican primary school.

However, his father could not meet the necessary expenses to send him to a secondary school.

Jobs in the town were unavailable to the “young black boy” hence the reason, he grew in

a town where there were no agricultural background, so Tubal dabbled various trades including

that of a blacksmith and joiner.

The Grenadian social structure was rigid; the only available avenue for Butler was to

leave Grenada. He was now seventeen years of age and identified himself to authorities as

twenty a year old and so, he was accepted as a volunteer in the First Contingent of the West

Indian Regiment.

For the first four years in the Contingent, Butler was engaged in preparing and

participating in arm struggle. He then formed the Grenada Representative Government and the

Grenada union of returned soldiers. On returning to Grenada, he was unable to acquire a steady

and rewarding job, Butler then decided to join the Trek of Grenadians who was migrating to


Trinidad in search for employment, at the age of twenty four in January 1921. Butler secured a

job as a ‘pipe fitter’ at the Roodal Oilfields. Butler then resided at Fyzabad.

For eight years he did the backbreaking menial task for minimal financial reward. Like

other Grenadians, who also came to Trinidad in search for money, Butler was willing and

prepared to do almost anything to gain money.

In 1929 Butler was seriously injured in an industrial accident which left him with a

permanent limp. Here after, at age thirty four, Butler became the Chief Pastor of “Butlerite

Moravian Baptist Church” where many oilworkers were also members. From the pulpit, Butler

called for better working conditions, more land and greater security for farmers.

Butler got married in May, 1929 to Maria Wiseman. They resided at 5 Mello Street,

Glace Bay. They were blessed with four daughters, three sons and a foster son, twenty

grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren.

Butler and the people of his class struggled for survival, dignitary job opportunities,

reasonable wages and conditions of work. By then, the average wages were seven cents per

hour, a rate that couldn’t feed, clothe nor house a bread winner and his family. There were no

trade unions to defend workers’ jobs, unemployment was high and racism was rampant, as the

oil companies were owned and managed by the whites.

In 1935, the workers of Apex Trinidad Limited Oil companies operating out of Fyzabad

could not take the oppression any longer so they went on strike. This strike however, was short

lived and after three days, production resumed. The company reacted harshly and a sum of two

hundred and twelve workers lost their jobs. As a result, the dismissed workers began a “Hunger

March” from Fyzabad to Port of Spain. This was the first struggle for workers for which Butler


was recognized ‘leader’. He wanted worldwide independence for all people who were oppressed

and colonized.

When Butler organised his grand “Hunger March” Cipriani, another trade unionist, was

sent to stop him, who admitted, that what wasn’t in his power in sixteen years, Butler had done it

in three years. In July 1936 he resigned from Trinidad labour party and formed the British

Empire Workers and Citizen Home Rule Party.

After the information of this party he sold his house in Fyzabad and used the money to

make oilfield workers members of his union. On the 19th June 1937 another strike took place at

Apex Oilfields. That evening seven hundred workers from Fyzabad prevented the arrest of

Butler. One police officer Charlie King, who attempted to do the impossible by attempting to

arrest Butler, was killed in the process.

Picture of statue of Butler in front OWTU,

Charlie King Junction, Fyzabad


In December 1937 Butler was jailed and incarcerated until May 1939 for sedition. On his

release from jail he was made Chief Organiser for the Oil Workers Trade Union (OWTU). He

immediately resumed his militant agitation, a line that did not favour with the Union Executive.

In light of June 1937 a number of important developments arose. The most important was the

formation of several trade unions: OWTU, All Trinidad Sugar Estate, Factory Workers Trade

Union, The Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, and Federation Workers Union and

National Union of Government Employers, known presently as NUGFW. Due to the formation

and relationship between workers racial conflict was absent.

On 26th July, 1939 the workers at Trinidad Lake Asphalt went on strike. Butler supported

this move whilst the Executives did not. He was called in before a disciplinary committee but

refused to go. Butler was again jailed for alleged subversive acts.

On April 9th 1945 he was released. He was accustomed to travelling throughout the oil

belt, holding meetings and agitating around the problems that faced oilworkers. Wages were still

very low, housing and health improved relatively little and unemployment had not improved.

The hardships on the poor people were greater due to the recently ended war which created food

and commodity shortages and generally depressed the level of economic activity in the country.

Butler was expelled from the OWTU in 1939 and many workers being loyal to Butler left

the union and formed new unions. The British Empire Workers Peasants and Ratepayers Union

attempted to get recognition from employers and succeeded in at least two companies, The Lake

Asphalt Company and a local independent oil company owned by Timothy Roodal.

In late 1946 to January 1947 oilworkers struck again. On 17th January 1947 several oil

wells were set on fire and striking workers poured crude oil in the road in various areas to disrupt


transportation. Workers were encouraged to return to work. Several did return given the

economic pressures. This caused the Governor to ban Butler from oilfield areas which provoked

another march from Fyzabad to Port-of-Spain. On 21st January, the Governor realized that the

strike could escalate into national proportions so a state of emergency was declared. The strike

lost many workers who took part. They were never getting employment in the oil industry. The

union became powerless. Butler continued his plight until the 1950’s. At this time the party

moved into politics but never won. However, he continued his plight throughout the years.

In the 1980’s there were so many of the 1937 problems remaining that people had lost

faith in the Government. Butler was once again on the agenda. This hike soon became

nationwide embracing workers in the sugar and agricultural estate. Butler showed the world that

they too could make an effort. With the Indians on his side, he received cables from people like

Mahatma Gandhi and the British Empire. His slogan was “We mix in oil and sugar” meaning the

unity between the Indians and the black workers.

When Trinidad gained independence Butler contributed as a labour leader. His reputation

as a fighter for the masses took on special significance. He was a hero of the people and was seen

as the man who struck the first damaging blow against colonialism, thus giving courage to the

people for independence.

In recognition of this, Butler was, in 1970, decorated with the country’s highest award,

the Trinity Cross. The greatest tribute came in 1973 when the anniversary of the oilfield riots of

19th June 1937 was declared a national holiday. He died on February 20 th, 1977. The former

Princes Margaret Highway has since been renamed in his honour.


Pictures illustrate

The funeral of Butler Highway renamed in his honour

Butler was a charismatic leader and superb orator. He was not big on education but he

had street sense, common sense and tactical abilities. The church impacted greatly on his life. It

gave him the opportunity to preach to the people about rights, gave lands and houses to the

workers to build the economy of Trinidad, provided island-wide electricity, free education and

medical care. He used to say, ‘what is good for the children of England is better for the children

of Trinidad.’ Butler’s activities paved the way for universal adult suffrage which contributed to

the development of large political parties.


As we remember Butler and his remarkable contributions, let us also remember that

development is about people and that political liberation cannot be achieved without cultural

development. It is only through cultural education and the development of our history can we

ever hope to be free.

Picture illustrates statue of Butler and the words written on it.


REFERENCES

http://www.trinicenter.com/Cudjoe/2007/1006.htm

http://www.guardian.co.tt/sites/default/files/event/highway%20plan.png?1296784889

http://ngb.chebucto.org/Newspaper-Obits/coastal-courier-ns.shtml

http//www.caricom.org/jsp/projects/personalities/tubal_uriah_butler.jsp?menu=projects

Butler- The Man and His Contributions to the Workers’ Struggle by David Abdulah.

Butler: A Life of Struggle by W. Richard Jacobs pg. 32 – 36

Pictures provided by Oil Fields Workers Trade Union Library

http://ngb.chebucto.org/Newspaper-Obits/coastal-courier-ns.shtml

http://www.guardian.co.tt/sites/default/files/event/highway%20plan.png?1296784889

http://www.trinicenter.com/Cudjoe/2007/1006.htm


Rubric for Local History 2011Content

Category 4 pts 3 pts 2pts 1 pt Your Mark

Content-Appropriate

The person interviewed and the content researched are appropriate given the mandate of the assignment

The person interviewed and the content researched were somewhat appropriate given the mandate of the assignment

The person interviewed or the content researched was inappropriate given the mandate of the assignment

The person interviewed had little knowledge of the content and was not an appropriate given the mandate of the assignment

Cultural Context

Gives a clear and thorough description of the setting and context of the person or object under consideration

Gives a clear description of the setting and context of the person or object under consideration.

Gives an incomplete description of the setting and context of the person or object under consideration.

Setting and context are missing key components

Tells a story

Gives viewer / reader a vivid sense of his/ her life story by showing how events and values shape life choices

Gives adequate sense of his/ her life story by showing how events and values shape life choices

Gives limited view of the interviewee’s life story

Gives incomplete view of the interviewee’s life story

Visual

Category 5-4 pts 3 pts 2-1pts 0 Your Mark

Pictures-relevance to content

Student included rich, relevant, visual material that helps viewer/reader to understand the text

Student included visual material that was somewhat relevant to understand the text

Student included very limited visual material that was somewhat relevant to understand the text

No Visual Material provided/ or Visual Material selected was inappropriate / irrelevant to the text

Historical Value Rarity/Uniqueness/

Student included rare/ unique/ interesting photos and/ or scans of original documents, that could not be seen elsewhere, of historical value

Student included interesting photos or scans of original documents of historical value

Student included photos, but they did not add greatly to what we have already seen or know of the subject. Were not rare. Likely to have been seen elsewhere

No Visual Material


Research Skills & Analysis

Category 4 pts 3 pts 2pts 1 pt Your Mark

QuestioningKnowledge

Questioning demonstrated a strong grasp of the topic and excellent research into it.

Questioning demonstrated a fair grasp of the topic and good research into it.

Questioning demonstrated some grasp of the topic and weak research.

Poor questioning due to poor research and a weak understanding of the content investigated.

Thesis

Establishes very sound historical value of interview and textual sources

Establishes sound historical value of interview and textual sources

Establishes weak historical value of interview and textual sources

Establishes very weak historical value of interview and textual sources

Analysis and Interpretation

Draw specific conclusions from conclusions from oral and textual sources

Draw general conclusions from oral and textual sources

Draw limited conclusions from oral and textual sources

Draw vague conclusions from oral and textual sources

Documentation

You have properly documented 3 or more good sources for your topic.

You have properly documented less than 3 good sources for your topic.

You have properly documented less than 3 sources for your topic, some of which are weak.

You have not properly documented the sources for your topic and the sources are inappropriate.

Presentation

Category 2 pts 1pt 0 pts Your Mark

Cover page / Title pageRubric included at back

All elements included with accurate and complete information

Some elements included with mostly accurate and complete information

None included

Grammar and Punctuation

Work presented has no grammatical and/or punctuation errors

Work presented has no more than three grammatical and/or punctuation errors

Work presented has more than three grammatical and/or punctuation errors

Spelling Presentation has no misspellings

Presentation has no more than three misspellings

Presentation has many misspellings

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