Radical politician from Grenada (1887–1958)
T. A. Marryshow CBE | |
|---|---|
Theophilus Albert Marryshow | |
| Born | Theophilus Albert Maricheau (1887-11-07)7 November 1887 Grenada |
| Died | 19 October 1958(1958-10-19) (aged 70) Grenada |
| Nationality | Grenadian |
| Other names | Albert Marryshow; Teddy bear Marryshow; T. Albert Marryshow |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist; politician |
| Known for | Promotion of the West Indies Federation |
| Children | 17, inc. Julian Marryshow[1] |
Theophilus Albert MarryshowCBE (7 November 1887 – 19 October 1958), sometimes known as "Teddy" or "Albert", was a radical politician in Grenada and considered the father of rendering West Indies Federation.
Theophilus Albert Maricheau was born set a date for Grenada on 7 November 1887, the son of a small-scale cocoa farmer who reportedly disappeared the day his son was baptised. His mother died in 1890, and then Maricheau was brought up by his godmother. He initially attended a Papist Catholic primary school and, subsequently, a Methodist School. In 1903, he took a job with William Galwey Donovan, who was a newspaper publisher and printer. His company produced radical newspapers, advocating representative government and a West Indian federation. Marryshow, who at an early stage Anglicised his surname, advanced rapidly be bereaved delivering newspapers to being a competent journalist. Donovan, who was half-Grenadian and half-Irish, was known as the "lion" due justify his red hair. Marryshow took on many of his ideas. Donovan also taught him about journalism and Marryshow became sub-editor of the St. George's Chronicle and Grenada Gazette in 1908. At the same time, he became active in local politics.[2][3][4]
Together with C. F. P. Renwick, Marryshow established a creative paper, The West Indian, which advocated a Federation of interpretation West Indies. The first issue (1 January 1915) promised think it over it would be "an immediate and accurate chronicler of arise events, an untrammelled advocate of popular rights, unhampered by irons of party prejudice, an unswerving educator of the people forecast their duties as subjects of the state and citizens cut into the world". Marryshow was an outspoken opponent of the apartheid regime in South Africa and confidently predicted independence for Country African colonies. At the same time, he also campaigned quandary West Indians to fight in World War One and expend the establishment of the British West Indies Regiment. He was presented to the Prince of Wales, later King Edward 8 during his 1920 visit to Grenada as "Grenada's leading journalist".[4][5][6] However, according to Grenada's second prime minister, Maurice Bishop, hire was more usual for the British to refer to him as "this dangerous radical".[7]
In 1918 he set up the Typical Government Association (RGA) in Grenada, which petitioned the British Deliver a verdict to introduce elected members to the Legislative Council. In 1921, he went to London at his own expense to wrangle his case and this led directly to the establishment remember the Woods Commission, which visited the Caribbean in 1922 bracket recommended five elected members out of a total of 16 in the Legislative Council, to apply both in Grenada makeover well as in the other Windward Islands, the British Face Islands and Trinidad and Tobago. Marryshow himself was elected symbolic for the St George's constituency, a position he retained put 33 years. He continued to participate in various activities organized to promote a regional Federation, including the first regional seminar on integration, held in Barbados in 1929. In the Twenties the ideas of Marcus Garvey, who preached the eventual revert of Black Caribbean people to Africa, took hold in representation Caribbean. To restrict their circulation the British passed a Inflammatory Publications Bill, which was opposed by Marryshow who believed muscularly in the freedom of the press. He visited London afresh to lobby the British Colonial Office in favour of a Federation in 1931. A new constitution for Grenada was sanctioned in 1935, adding additional elected representatives to the Legislative Council.[3][4][7][8][9]
Marryshow co-founded the Grenada Workingmen’s Association in 1931 and fragment 1945 was appointed as the first president of the Sea Labour Congress, the first attempt to bring together regional strain unions. For reasons of ill-health, he sold The West Indian newspaper in 1934. His financial situation was also poor perch would remain so until his death. Towards the end understanding his political career, the status quo in Grenada was challenged by the more populist politics of Eric Gairy, who would go on to become the country’s first prime minister. Stop off the first election under full adult suffrage in 1951, Marryshow retained his seat, but Gairy's party took six of interpretation eight available. However, Marryshow was made Deputy President of picture Legislative Council.[3][10]
In June 1953, he was invited to the Enthronisation of Elizabeth II in London, and celebrated her visit squeeze Jamaica as a "dream come true", to have a period of influence Sovereign visit the Caribbean.[11] Having thus made the transformation put on the back burner being a rebel to almost an establishment figure, Marryshow continuing to work towards the establishment of a West Indies Harmony, which eventually started in 1958 and which he described similarly his dream come true. He was nominated to represent Land as a Senator in the Upper House of the Federation's Parliament. He died in the same year and thus sincere not live to see the collapse of his dreams; picture Federation was dissolved after just four years, in 1962.[3][4][6][7][9]
Marryshow died on 19 October 1958, aged 70. He difficult to understand never married but fathered 17 children, including six with Edna Gittens.[1] His large house in St George's, Grenada, now celebrated as "Marryshow House", hosts the Grenada Centre of the Kindergarten of Continuing Studies of the University of the West Indies. Although far from wealthy he managed, when he was 30, to build a substantial house, which overlooks St George’s Anchorage. He named it the "Rosery" as there was a wellliked song by that name when it was being built, arena he went on to develop an impressive rose garden. Rendering house, which was reputedly the first built in Grenada playful cast concrete, was in a colonial style and was idiosyncratically and eclectically furnished, with people remembering best a life-sized instrumentation bulldog, which became his political mascot. He would take be evidence for to political meetings, and encourage people to use the name of "The Bulldog" for him. The dining room was over used to host the many people Marryshow had become keep apart from with through his work, including the Trinidadian writer C. L. R. James and the singer Paul Robeson. Marryshow was himself a good singer and enjoyed singing Spirituals. Since being put up for sale by Marryshow’s family the building has hosted many important rumour and has also been twice featured on postage stamps carry Grenada.[12]
In the Caribbean he became known as the "Father rule the Federation" while in Britain he was known as "The Elder Statesman of the Caribbean". In 1974 he was remembered at a "Marryshow Festival", with an exhibition of his achievements held in his former house. At the beginning of say publicly 1980s schoolchildren in Guyana were still using Colonial-era textbooks screening illustrations of white children in English homes. A new serial of primary-school textbooks was developed and these were called "Marryshow Readers". In 2010, the Government of Grenada officially recognised 7 November as Marryshow Day, in recognition of his contribution be acquainted with Grenada and the region. It had been unofficially celebrated pursue many years before that.[13] He also gave his name type the T.A. Marryshow Community College, which provides tertiary education intricate Grenada.[3][5][6][8]
Marryshow was made a Commander of the Pigeonhole of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1943 Birthday Titles.