Ms Pam Webster & Mr Cardigan Gumbs
Though he would have been epitomized on occasions before, and though Anguilla’s Capt. Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport bears testament to this pioneering stalwart in the history of Anguilla’s rise through the rigors of local aviation, yet the life and work of Capt. Lloyd was once again honoured in a humble tent-ceremony on the grounds of the airport on Saturday, July 6th — a ceremony of remembrance.
The patriotic event was organized by one of Anguilla’s more civic-minded individuals, Mr. Cardigan Gumbs, in respect of what would have been Clayton’s 77th birthday on Thursday, July 4th. Clayton lost his life along with 7 passengers in an untimely incident, on December 24th 1977, when one of the engines of his Queen-Air Beechcraft caught fire and exploded, resulting in a gruesome crash in the waters abreast of St. Maarten’s Julianna Airport runway. The plane plunged vertically into the seabed, virtually flattening its nose, and killing all on board.
Cardigan was particularly awestruck by the horrific event of that fateful Saturday evening. He has had a long standing connection with Clayton as a prominent, enthusiastic employee, working in the area of ground operations for Valley Air Service, Anguilla’s first and most respected airline company which was founded by Capt. Lloyd in the mid-sixties.
Cardigan was assisted by Mr. Hulio Carty who chaired the brief Saturday afternoon’s memorial ceremony. In his opening remarks, he mentioned that many of today’s pilots of Anguilla had been inspired by the life of Clayton, but that he longs for the time when they can all come together to make Anguilla proud with its own national commercial airline.
Speakers at the occasion included a long-time friend of Clayton, Mr. Max Carty. He reflected: “Clayton was one year younger than I. He was my best buddy in school. When it was time for Drawing, he specialized in drawing planes. He was destined to be a pilot. As a pilot, both of us still remained best friends. We would fly together. Every once in a while he would tease me by saying, ‘Max let’s go to so ‘n so. You gotta put on your stripes today.’ And we would go flying to other islands together, whether he was taking guests or cargo.
“Clayton was a young man who made sure that, through the work he did as a pilot, Anguilla was up and running. He was a prime part of the Revolution and played a great role in the liberation of Anguilla and Anguillians. He took the oppressive St. Kitts policemen out of here. He thought he was doing the right thing. And I know he was doing the right thing. Today, Anguilla is better off for it.
“However, after his death, Anguilla has not been the same. We used to be the envy of the Caribbean. We worked not only the air, but also the sea. We rode the waves as well as the air. Anguilla’s, per capita, has produced more pilots than any other Caribbean island. And Clayton set the stage. He was the first.
“If anyone here at home had a problem, and had no other means of getting a message to their loved ones in St. Thomas — since there were no phones like now — Clayton would fly down, hire a taxi from the airport and find the person who needed to know what was happening with their folks back home. That was the kind of individual he was: kind, friendly and outgoing. Clayton paid his dues, and he gave his life for Anguilla and his people.”
Also speaking was the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Palmavon Webster. She recounted: “In 1967 we caused the world to look at us through the roles that so many of us played in the Anguilla Revolution. It is noteworthy that the legendary Clayton Lloyd played a very critical role in that event. And we all felt proud to be Anguillians because of what he did. It was awesome. That was 1967.
“But ten years later, in 1977, that fateful year, all of us would remember the moment when we heard about the crash that took Clayton’s life. My connection with Clayton and Valley Air Service came when I had been chosen to represent Valley Air Service in the Carnival Queen Competition.” Ms. Webster was crowned Miss Anguilla 1977.
She continued: “I was rather reluctant, to go into the pageant but, at the same time, I felt proud to represent such a great company and to be a part of what was vibrant, and positive, and well regarded in Anguilla. It was really an incredible privilege for me, especially getting closer to the Valley Air Service family.
“Today, we see Clayton as a brave and dedicated man. He died trying to help Anguillians come together to be with their families for that Christmas season of 1977. And though he might have been exhausted and tired, yet he had never wanted to say no. He died wanting to bring us together.”
The Honourable Premier, Mr. Victor Banks, was also on hand to make a small tribute: “It is important, as Anguillians, that we remember the contributions that people in our community have made to our development. Certainly, as a brave aviator, Clayton made a great contribution to Anguilla before he died tragically at 35 years of age. As a result of his life and work, we have had a large number of Anguillian pilots over the years. Clayton’s life has contributed to a number of Anguillian pilots who have emulated him in his noble career. And it is remarkable that Cardigan has taken on the initiative to ensure that we continue to have our own pilots in the years to come.”
and passengers perished
“Aviation has changed,” the minister noted, “and we still have many pilots and businessmen in the industry, but we need to celebrate ourselves in carrying on the piloting tradition. We are living in a different period, however, and there are different opportunities for travel. Therefore we need to come together and build ourselves in the field of aviation, locally, so that we can be competitive in the industry.”
Mr. Banks thanked Cardigan for his continuing passion for raising the interest of aviation in Anguilla, and for keeping Clayton’s memory alive in the Anguillian community.
When Cardigan addressed the gathering, he gave an extensive testimony as one who witnessed first-hand the hard work and dedication of Clayton — a man who had a passion for his profession by which he brought Anguillians together, and helped his fellow citizens to prosper.
Among the many accolades of praise for the life and work of Clayton, Cardigan noted: “I would wish to praise Clayton for the great work he did for the promotion of Anguilla and Anguillians. I would also like to acknowledge the work of Michael Hughes who worked along with Clayton in the Valley Air Service company. These two worked tirelessly to bring Anguilla from where we were, to where we are today.”
Clayton’s daughter, Lisa, and his grandson, Clayton Jr. were present at the ceremony. Young Clayton himself is aspiring to be a pilot as well, and to walk in his granddad’s footprints. At the ceremony, Cardigan, along with Hulio, made a proposal to initiate a special Pilots’ Education Fund that will benefit all aspiring pilots of Anguilla, and from which young Clayton Lloyd would be the initial beneficiary.
An admirable moment of the event was when Mr. Trevor “Ras Bucket” Davis, leader of the group Roots Ibingy which provided the music for the occasion, made a unique presentation to Lisa, Ms. Webster and Cardigan. The presentation was Ras Bucket’s own drawing of the Piper Navajo, one of Clayton’s prized aircrafts, which served as a workhorse for Valley Air Service for many years.
At the end of the ceremony, Lisa gave hearty words of thanks for the observance of her father’s memory: “I really appreciate everything that was spoken about my dad. I want to thank you all for holding his memories. This was about my dad, Capt. Clayton Jeremy Lloyd, and his partner, Capt. Michael Hughes, who worked in the field of aviation together for the good of Anguilla.” She especially thanked Max Carty, noting that he had been her dad’s close friend over many years. And finally, Lisa thanked all who had come to celebrate her father’s legacy.
– Staff Writer, James R. Harrigan
