St. Paul's, St. Kitts (May 30, 2011) -- The death of St. Kitts and Nevis' First National Hero, the Right Excellent Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw on May 23rd 1978 marked the end of an era and whose life was one of purpose, of sustained intellectual pursuits, of a search for that better life for people more particularly for the down trodden and dispossessed. "The life of Robert Bradshaw was a cultured one rich in achievements. His genius was reflected in the fields of trade unionism, politics and government. Robert Bradshaw’s mosaic and courteous disposition was a fillip to his ability glamour and charm," said prominent Nevisian-born orator and barrister at a Requiem Mass on Sunday to pay homage to Bradshaw, fellow National Heroes, Sir C.A. Paul Southwell and Sir Joseph N. France and other fallen Labour Movement stalwarts. Browne, who chose to retrace the political life of Bradshaw, former Chief Minister, First Premier and Father of Independence, highlighted Robert Bradshaw’s commitment to the ideals of upliftment which was steadfast from the time he became of understanding years up to the time he passed away. "Robert Bradshaw was born into an epoch when the black man in the Caribbean was still labouring under the legacy of slavery. Opportunities for the black man were almost nil. His then was the lot of a hewer of wood and a drawer of water. For him to advance even into secondary education was not thought of. The poorly staffed and maintained all age elementary school was by imperial design the lot of the black man. Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw was a black man. He was however destined to succeed," said Dr. Browne to a packed congregation which included Governor General His Excellency Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, Deputy Governor of Nevis, His Honour Mr. Eustace John and Mrs. John, Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Sam Condor and Mrs. Condor, Cabinet Ministers, family members, representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps and persons from all walks of life, at the St. Paul's Parish Church. He stated that after taking advantage of the elementary school education available to him Papa Bradshaw as he was affectionately known graduated from the St. Paul’s Village Elementary School with the then much sought after standard VII Certificate.At this juncture it might be postulated that his thirst for knowledge had just begun. With this urge he took up his first employment as an apprentice in the machine shop of the St. Kitts (Basseterre) Sugar Factory on the 12th February, 1932 Bradshaw’s fastidious application to duty gained him a measure of advancement. In 1935 he was promoted to clerk in the Sugar Factory machine shop tool room. From that vantage point Papa Bradshaw for five years observed his fellow factory hands toiling on the job day in day out for what was not a fair day’s pay. And so it was that in April, 1940 hundreds of workers walked off their jobs in furtherance of a trade dispute between the factory management and the workers over the question of wages. Then twenty-four (24) years old, Robert Bradshaw was one of those workers. Seven weeks later when the unofficial strike ended young Robert Bradshaw and seven other workers were denied re-employment. For the then neo-colonial masters to have struck at Bradshaw thus resulted in the genesis of Bradshaw’s exemplary career into trade unionism. In that very year 1940 Robert Bradshaw became an executive member of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Trades and Labour Union, then in its embryonic stage. Bradshaw was also elected as the first secretary of the Sugar Factory’s Workers Section of the Union and senior clerk to the then, General Secretary of the union the indefatigable Comrade Joseph Nathaniel France C.B.E. "Out of love for his fellow, unfortunate, countrymen Papa Bradshaw worked hard. He worked long, all the while developing his mind. He was a voracious and avid reader. To my mind he was born a scholar firmly slanted towards a proclivity for excellence," Dr. Browne said, adding: "The path Robert Bradshaw chose for himself was not a bed of roses. It was no steady path. But in telescoping it he undoubtedly conceived and perceived for the black man recognition of his identity, a development of self against the backdrop of sordid economic conditions." He continued: Cde. Bradshaw, by dint of hard work, dedication and selflessness, trained and developed his intellect for and in the service of the black man and thus for the majority of the people of this country. In 1943 Bradshaw vigorously fought the local planter class for the restoration of the sugar estate workers’ annual bonus. Bradshaw was successful. "Oh! We were blessed with a man like Bradshaw who because of his mettle, firm leadership qualities and superior abilities was elected Vice President of the St. Kitts Workers’ League and President of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Trades and Labour Union in 1944. That he remained President of the said union in an un