Floella Benjamin parents: Meet Veronica Benjamin

Floella Benjamin was born in Trinidad and Tobago on September 23, 1949. She is one of her parents’ six children.

When her father, a “policeman and a talented jazz musician,” decided to emigrate to Britain, followed by her mother and Benjamin’s younger sister and youngest brother, the four older children were left in the care of family friends, with Benjamin and her older sister, Sandra, being separated from their brothers.

The folks who catered to Benjamin and her sister were abusive in secret.

And though Benjamin and her sister tried writing to their parents to tell them about the abuse, the letters were always read and censored before they were sent.

Finally, in 1960 the rest of the children went to join him in Beckenham, Kent.

There isn’t much information about her mother available online.

Floella, on the other hand, wore a garment that belonged to her mother when she was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to charity. Floella was accompanied by her sister.

My beloved mum was not alive to share my joy at the Palace but my beautiful sister Sandra was there and we both wore something that belonged to our wonderful Marmie ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HBaquTnFob

— Floella Benjamin (@FloellaBenjamin) March 19, 2020

Prince Charles presented Floella with the award on March 12, 2020, during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.