Travel doyen Winston ‘Mr P’ Pickersgill passes away in London

The seasoned entrepreneur and founder of New Look Travel helped the Windrush generation and their descendants realise their dreams of returning home or discovering their roots

PICTURED: Winston 'Mr P' Pickersgill

WELL KNOWN Jamaican British entrepreneur, Winston “Mr P” Pickersgill, has died in London at the age of 77.

He was best known as a pioneer in the travel business, being the founder and owner of New Look Travel in Harlesden, north-west London, one of the longest running enterprises which provided air and shipping service to the Caribbean community in Britain.

In addition to his travel and many other business ventures, Winston was also a community-minded person who supported many social events within the black community and also was a member of the West Indian National Association (WINA) which managed the popular charter flights in the 1980s as people headed home to the Caribbean for Christmas.

Winston Valentine Pickersgill was born in St Mary, Jamaica on March 13, 1942. He was the eldest of twins.

He left Jamaica and migrated to England aged 17 in 1960 with high hopes for a future in Britain.  

He started working at Williams furniture store in Harlesden and sold many of the Caribbean community furniture for their homes.  He was the only black employee in the company and nurtured by his manager, quickly rose to become the top salesman; an accolade he maintained throughout his time with the company. 

He became “the go to man” for the West Indian community when furnishing their abodes; he was well liked and trusted by management and clients many of whom became lifelong friends. 

Ever the entrepreneur, he saw an opportunity and branched off into soft furnishings for the home.  He ventured to wholesalers in the East End of London and bought bedspreads, curtains to assist the West Indian community furnish their homes. 

Having built up a strong client base at Williams, at the weekends he would travel to customers’ homes to sell these items, allowing them to pay him a small amount weekly. 

The fundamental basis of this arrangement was trust and this was to be the beginning of a lifelong relationship with his customers.

Seeing another gap in the market, he developed his range to include clothing and eventually opened a shop – P&M Stores on Park Parade in Harlesden. 

The West Indian National Association (WINA) became aware of his network and approached Winston to join them.  The Association were considering an ambitious plan of chartering a plane to Jamaica for Christmas.  

Ever one to sense a business opportunity, Winston would ask his customers when last they’d been to Jamaica.  The answer was generally a wistful, “Not since I came…”  He set about making it happen.  Due to his reputation he managed to sell a great many seats and once the invoice for chartering the plane was settled, they threw a big party for all those travelling.   

This was the start of what was to become one of the longest serving travel agencies – New look Travel – which serviced all communities.

As a travel agent, Winston had many achievements most notably:

  • Landing of the first jumbo jet at Norman Manley Airport in Kingston, Jamaica in 1969 as part of WINA
  • Becoming a Trans World Airlines (TWA) main agent
  • British Airways’ leading ticket consolidator to the Caribbean
  • Awarded the Air Jamaica Chairman’s Award 2000 for outstanding sales achievements on the UK Route and excellent and consistent promotion of the airline
  • Opening a second branch of New Look Travel in to serve south London

Alongside the travel, Winston branched into other commercial activities including shipping; barrels initially and latterly whole containers for customers “going home”.

The Windrush era brought many people to the UK and Winston and New Look Travel helped many of that generation and subsequent generations, realise their dreams to return home or to discover their roots. He was an undoubted patriot to Jamaica.

Winston was a pioneer in what was then, a fledgling black community in the UK and became a mainstay in north-west London.  He didn’t let anything hold him back. Ambitious and hard-working, he achieved more than even he could have envisaged for himself.

He is survived by his wife, Enid, two children and three grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at a later date to be announced.

Comments Form

9 Comments

  1. | YVONNE AND RUBY

    R.I.P. Winston. Very very good friend from the days of living in Kensal Rise.

    Reply

  2. | Joretta Price

    RIP Winston, a wonderful person and a consummate entrepreneur. It was a privilege to have known you.

    Reply

  3. | Shearal

    It would of been nice if he had an interview when he was alive, not enough people like this man are show cased in the Caribbean community it only when they die we hear about their achievements, Rest in Peace

    Reply

  4. | Melissa Pickersgill

    Rest in sweet peace uncle Winston. You will be missed. Such a kind and warm person

    Reply

  5. | Tony Powell

    As a well known businessman of Harlesden he will be sadly missed by people who travel to the Caribbean and many other area of the Globe
    His memories will live on as one of the founding fathers of black business in Harlesden and adjacent area
    R I P winston

    Reply

  6. | Sandra Campbell

    RIEP Winston, I booked my first trip with you to Jamaica back in 1978. You were a wonderful man also a family friend. May your soul RIEP ??

    Reply

  7. | RaymondA

    Rest In Peace

    Reply

  8. | Patrick Montague

    Posted on the 30th

    Rip to Winston
    and condolences to the Family, he was also a person I could go to and have a chat with he’s always welcoming he’s also a family friend.
    This is from the Montague’s Family

    Reply

  9. | c simon

    Dearly missed he was a great inspiration to me when i started in the travel business

    Reply

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