Part 2 of a two-part series.
The criminal history of Joseph “Fine Twine” Bramble stretched from 1951 to 1992. He was arrested or fined 20 times in Montserrat, faced a total of 41 charges and served at least 20 years in jail. For a six-year period between 1975 and early 1981, Bramble’s record was clean. But that’s because he was behind bars. Some of his offenses over 41 years were serious, such as the iniquitous sexual assault in 1963. Others were frivolous, such as “larceny of a bath towel” in 1981. Late that year Bramble was sought by police for questioning and again went on the lam. This time his apprehension was not without incident.
Police enforcer Stanford “Gingerbread” Martin was teamed with veteran officer Arthur Lewis to find Bramble. This Martin & Lewis duo was no comedy team. They meant business. Martin said he and Lewis tracked Bramble to the slopes of Garibaldi Hill and found him sleeping in a cave-like structure under a large rock. When Lewis called out his name, Bramble reportedly tried to escape while holding a cutlass. Martin said he shot Bramble in the forearm near his right elbow with a .38 revolver.
“I shot him and he fell, and I picked him up and handcuffed him,” Martin said. “The bullet broke a bone in his arm but went right through. That’s the first time I ever saw somebody get shot and didn’t bleed.”
Bramble was booked, then taken to Glendon Hospital to treat his wound. Martin, who years later became a certified firearms instructor, explained that he had extra motivation to catch (and subdue) Bramble.
“I was out every night looking for him,” Martin said. “It was coming close to Christmas. I said to myself, ‘When everyone is in Sturge Park having fun I’m going to be up in the hills looking for him – and he might be in the park among the crowd having fun too.’ It was impossible to catch Fine Twine on foot. He was too fast. So I decided he’s not getting away this time.”
Speaking of Sturge Park, eight years earlier – while Bramble was at large for 18 months – the park located between Richmond Hill and the public cemetery became the site of some improbable drama. In early December of 1973 during the Festival calypso eliminations, William “Ruler” Murrain sang Fine Twine, a song he wrote about Bramble’s exploits. The first verse:
Want every woman to take this warning,
Tall black man out like a haunting ghost,
That have the women them running afraid,
Any time that he would approach,
He right by the back there hiding,
Tell you girlfriend to stay home at night,
Stop go pictures and dancing,
Cause me sure he go out you light
The song became an instant hit, and it was spiced up by a controversial sighting. Some spectators who attended the show said they saw Bramble in the park. The Montserrat Mirror newspaper reported that there were rumors that Bramble hid under the stage. Kenneth “Mighty Fisher” Fenton, who also performed in the show, says Fine Twine ran past the stage during Ruler’s performance. Tall tales are common in Montserrat, and stories are sometimes embellished for effect. But when pressed about his claim, Fisher was adamant. “I know what I saw!”
LISTEN TO FINE TWINE BY MIGHTY RULER
This police mug shot, circa 1962, is the only known photo of Joseph “Fine Twine” Bramble.
PAYING HIS DUES
Following the 1981 incident in which he was shot by police, Bramble was jailed again. During his sentence one of the prison officers was his nephew Reuel, who joined the H.M. Prison staff in 1978. It made for a bit of an awkward situation but Reuel said his uncle performed constructive work while incarcerated.
“He used to build coffins for pauper funerals,” Reuel said of Bramble, a self-taught carpenter who once built a small house in Delvins. He also designed model ships and other items out of wood such as decorative fish.
Bramble spent most of the early to mid-1980s behind bars thanks to charges such as larceny – his most common offense – and “found on premises for unlawful purpose.”
“He became a soft target for the police,” said Noel “Atiba” John, Bramble’s nephew. “Arresting Fine Twine became like a badge of honor for them. They would charge him with a crime, which most times he didn’t do, and he would appear in court with no lawyer and end up in jail. So he basically became like an institutionalized person.”
It’s likely accurate that Bramble was charged with some crimes he didn’t commit due to his reputation. But logic also says he likely also committed crimes in which he was not caught. One former policeman said Bramble was suspected in several sexual assaults but the victims were ashamed to report them.
GAINFULLY EMPLOYED
By 1987 Bramble was a middle-aged man and had mellowed. Some younger miscreants had inherited his title as Montserrat’s most wanted. Around that time he was hired by Montserrat Water Authority. One of his supervisors was Rupert Weekes, a former police officer and politician who represented the Northern District in Montserrat’s legislature from 1996 to 2001. Weekes later became an ordained Methodist minister after migrating to England.
Weekes said during his time at Montserrat Water Authority he oversaw a project in which water pipes across Montserrat that were installed by a Canadian company had to be stripped and repainted. He said Bramble was a hard worker who was also savvy and proficient. He recalled one feat in particular.
There was a ghaut (ravine) between Gingoes Village and St. Patrick’s in the south. The ghaut was about 30 feet deep, and above it was a suspended water pipe that stretched about 80 feet. Weekes said he told his workers not to repaint that section because it was too dangerous. It was a Friday. Weekes said when he showed up to work Monday the entire pipe had been stripped and repainted . . . by Bramble. Weekes was amazed.
“When I asked him how he did it he wouldn’t tell me,” Weekes said. “But I assume he used a rope and [worked his way across the pipe]. In my 52 years of employment he was the most clever person I ever worked with.”
Weekes said Bramble also had a generous side. “He knew I liked avocados, so every Monday he would bring me three or four avocados. I would say to him, ‘Boy, where did you get these from?’ He would just laugh and tell me to mind my business.”
“He liked when he was feared because fear brings respect. But a lot of it was just bravado.”
– Noel “Atiba” John, Fine Twine’s nephew
‘FINE TWINE’ TO ‘MR. BRAMBLE’
In October of 1997, Bramble – at age 62 – migrated to the United Kingdom along with thousands of other Montserratians during the volcanic crisis. He settled in Leeds, about 200 miles north of London. He first resided in a hostel, then got his own flat. During his time in Leeds he enjoyed watching cricket on television or hanging out at a local pub called Skinners Arms. He also attended church. He enjoyed a good smoke – real cigarettes and the funny ones as well. By all accounts he was a model citizen in Britain.
“The most stable time of his life was when he came to England,” said Atiba, who also lived in Leeds and became his uncle’s unofficial caretaker. “He would visit London with us when we had big trips. He would attend funerals and also go to Dalston and Ridley Market.”
Bramble tried his best to shed his unsavory past once he crossed The Pond, and it helped that he lived in an area where he was rarely recognized. He upgraded his attire, opting for two-piece suits and cowboy boots. He also requested to be addressed as “Mr. Bramble” and not “Fine Twine.”
Sylvia Whyke-Farrell, a veteran educator from Montserrat who is Bramble’s cousin, also resided in Leeds.
“I saw him downtown one day,” she said. “He was dressed in a three-piece suit, looking really nice. I said, ‘Twine, you look great, man. Where are you going?’ He grumbled that I should call him Mr. Bramble – and he never spoke to me again.”
Joseph “Fine Twine” Bramble frequented this pub, Skinners Arms, during his time in Leeds.
LIFE AND TIMES
Montserratians who migrated during the volcanic crisis were assessed upon arrival in Britain, and many were offered adult education classes. Bramble, who did not complete primary school but was literate, reportedly took computer lessons and would tell people, “You can reach me at josephbramble@hotmail.com.”
In 2008, Bramble returned to Montserrat for a visit. His nephew Atiba said Bramble arrived with a “coil” and visited several bars, including the popular Desert Storm in Salem. “He would put a 50-pound bill on the bar and tell the bartender to give everyone a drink,” Atiba said. About a month later, the coil was no more. Bramble even missed his return flight to the UK due to a date mix-up and required financial assistance when he had to reschedule.
After returning to Leeds he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and also battled diabetes. He was moved to the Oaklands Residential Home, which provides care for adults with dementia and other disabilities. “At the end of his life he couldn’t speak and he couldn’t recognize anyone,” Atiba said.
On Tuesday, October 12, 2010, Joseph “Fine Twine” Bramble died at 75 years old. His funeral, held at a local crematorium, was attended by only five people. The service was led by Rev. Weekes, Bramble’s old friend and former boss at Montserrat Water Authority. “They gave us only 15 minutes,” said Weekes, who said he assured that Bramble received a dignified sendoff. Bramble’s ashes were scattered at Harehills Cemetery in Leeds.
The Oaklands Care Home in Leeds was Joseph Bramble’s final residence before he passed away in 2010.
THE LEGACY
Bramble never married or had a long-term relationship but reportedly fathered a daughter. The man who spent much of his life in courtrooms would often hold court with friends later in his life and discuss his adventures. He told one friend he deserved an award for his 18 months on the run between 1973 and 1974, which he says is a record.
Years following Bramble’s death, the name “Fine Twine” still comes up in conversations and on social media. Almost everyone from Delvins and Cork Hill have a “Fine Twine” story. He is forever etched in Montserrat lore. The song by the Mighty Ruler has also helped to preserve his legacy. It’s a legacy that remains open for debate, and the contrasting opinions about Bramble exemplify the paradox of man. The same person that some describe as a “legend” and “gentle man with a great sense of humor” was also deemed “terrifying and menacing” by others.
Atiba says that although his uncle was no saint, he was greatly misunderstood.
“He liked when he was feared because fear brings respect,” he said. “But a lot of it was just bravado. I loved my uncle. I didn’t love his ways. But I loved him.”
Said Weekes: “I think Fine Twine was a man who made a mistake early in life and then continued to play the part. In Montserrat you make one mistake and you’re stigmatized. Fine Twine was not a bad man. But he liked the fact that people believed he was a bad man.”
The manhunts, arrests, escapades and public angst are all history now.
So is Fine Twine.
Trivia: Fine Twine shared the same birthday (November 16) as Alphonsus “Arrow” Cassell.
CLICK HERE to read Part 1 of the Fine Twine story.
