to have succeeded in carrying on their family barber business following the death of their father.

The Spence youngsters, who range in age from 13 to 23, were devastated when their father, Eugene, who was in his early 40s, passed away last November.

But Gina, 23, Kurvin, 22, Danere, 20, Karin, 16, and Saleemah, 13, vowed to continue the business he had worked so hard to build up during his life-time.

Despite subsequently being asked to leave their Court Street premises by their landlady, MP and lawyer Mrs. Lois Browne-Evans, they have bounced back.

Now ensconced in a new site at 10, Union Street, Hamilton, they have managed to keep most of their father's clients and Spence Hair Design is doing well.

Gina, who at 23 is the eldest of the children, said: "It's been hard but I've done a lot of growing up over the last few months. We all know we must be strong.

"It's that much harder to make this work because we are all so young. I have found that older people try to take advantage if you don't act like you know what you're doing.

"They try to pull stuff over you. We've learned quite a lot in a quick period of time.'' She added: "We were just starting to adjust to not having my father around when we were told to move by Mrs. Browne-Evans because she said she was selling the building and was planning to move.

"We thought we might not be able to carry on with it after that but we searched around and now we've got a better deal.'' Gina is a hair-stylist. Brothers Kurvin, Danere and Karin are barbers, while 13-year-old Saleemah helps to shampoo clients on Saturdays and during school holidays.

Kurvin has been cutting hair since he was 13 and was featured in the August, 1983, issue of Jet magazine, a US-based publication aimed at black people, which described him then as "the world's youngest barber''.

Gina, who kept on three jobs to put herself through beauty school, said they would not have been able to continue if it had not been for the support of their mother Leta.

"She is always telling us how proud she is,'' said Gina. "Being the eldest, I also keep telling my brothers and sisters how proud I am of them. They could easily be out on the streets just hanging around doing nothing, as many people their age are.

"What we've achieved proves what can be done if you really put your mind to it. We really had the support of our people. It has been really special,'' she said.

A FAMILY BUSINESS -- Proud mother Mrs. Leta Spence cuts the ribbon to open the new premises of Spence Hair Design, watched by her offspring (l-r) Gina, Saleemah, Kurvin, Karin and Danere.