Edmund (Eddie) Martin Noble
(1917-2007)
was born into an upper middle class black family in Kingston, Jamaica, on 14 February 1917.

Edmund was brought up mainly by his grandmother whom he adored. He then went on to live with his mother and younger sister and enrolled at a Catholic Fee Paying School, but when the school authorities discovered that he was the illegitimate son of a domestic worker, he was then asked to leave.

He has struggled throughout his life trying to live down the stigma of his illegitimacy, and has been very successful in doing so. In 1943 at the age of 25 he left Jamaica to be part of the war effort and also to study law.

He served in the RAF during and after the Second World War. He left the Air Force in 1951, where he worked as a G.P.O telephone operator, Stockroom Supervisor in the fashion trade, traffic warden, civil service, and business owner of car chauffeur service in the West End.

Eddie in the Royal Air Force

After retirement in 1982, he became a founder member in 1985 of the Clapton Common Day Care Centre for pensioners and the disabled, and served as a secretary until 1988. He was a Trustee and Vice Chairman of Age Concern Hackney from 1986 to 1989.

In 1984 New Beacon Books published his first and most successful book called 'Jamaican Airman'. The book was based on his war-time experiences and learning the harsh realities in Britain during the 1950s. From 1990 onwards he self published four other books under his company name, Dr Doctor Books.

Unlike other Caribbean elders, Eddie was very keen to tell his story and to use the media to promote his writings and air his opinions.

He was very proud of his family - two daughters, four grand children and one great grandson.

Eddie had a common thread in all his writing of inspiring young people and to give a historical perspective on the issues around colonisation of the Caribbean, the colour bar and racial inequality in Britain.

Even up to the time of death he felt strongly about the plight of young black boys and the issue of underachievement. Like men of his generation they were self taught, sharper dressers (like 1940s Hollywood stars!!) and with an armed forces discipline Eddie was concerned and wanted to put something back in the community. In the light of the recent debates regarding role models, Eddie Noble was a good example of a role model, someone that we can learn from… I certainly did!! Eddie died at the age of 90 on 11 July 2007 from cancer at St Joseph Hospice in Hackney at peace with himself and his family.