ANOTHER SOLDIER HAS FALLEN – the life of Cyril “Nick” Boxill
Although he was born in Port of Spain the capital of Pandom “Nick,” as he was fondly called, grew up in San Fernando. For the greater part of his life he was involved in the steelpan movement.
Small wonder he was also known as “Bredwin” due to his kind heartedness. His was a founding member of Mayo Starlif which, with Vic Lange as arranger, made quite an impression in the Steelband Festival in the 1950s with a piece entitled “Waltz of the Sugar Plum Fairies”.
The former mechanic with the now defunct Trinidad & Tobago Railways eventually moved to San Fernando where he played with a number of bands including Teenage Symphony, Q. T. Minors, Sea Bees, Guinness Cavaliers and Pearl Harbour. He even had a pan round the neck outfit called “Sounds 2001”
Bredwin was a founding member of the San Fernando based group “South Steelband Pioneers”. In recognition of his contribution to the steelband movement Pantrinbago gave him an award in 2010.
His associates in pan included the likes of the late Gulab Belgrove, Meadow, Alan Bishop, Angus “Laddie” Lalsingh, Fitzroy Lyons (of Southern Marines) and Errol James – the tin smith.
Seventy nine year old Nick was laid to rest at the Broadway Cemetery on Wednesday November 2, 2011 following a service at the St Vincent De Paul Home for the Aged where he was domiciled for the last three years. His last place of residence was on Skinner Street in San Fernando, the said address where “Laddie” and the Lalsingh brothers lived downstairs of which was also the pan yard of Maestros Steelband.
Hollis J. Clifton
Pan Diaspora Visionary
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