H. D. Shillingford
Howell Donald Shillingford | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 July 1888 Colihaut, Dominica |
| Died | 11 October 1975 (aged 87) Roseau, Dominica |
| Relations |
|
| Parent | Howard Shillingford |
| Occupation |
|
Howell Donald Shillingford CBE (10 July 1888 – 11 October 1975) was a West Indian politician, planter and businessman of colonial Dominica.
Shillingford played a significant role in Dominica’s political devolution from British colonial rule to a representative government. He was a key advocate for devolution and participated actively in the early political development of the island.
Early life
[edit]Howell Donald Shillingford was born on 10 July 1888 in Colihaut, Dominica.[1] His father Thomas Howard Shillingford was a leading planter,[2] merchant[3] and a member of the legislative council of Dominica,[4] who owned a wide swath of land from St. Joseph to Portsmouth[2] and had invested in shops in each village along the west coast from Layou to Dublanc, being the first to establish stores in the isolated west coast communities.[5][6][3] In 1907 Howard had a “pretty large” house built in Colihaut.[7] Shillingford’s first cousin was businessman A. C. Shillingford. He attended Dominica Grammar School and Morne Bruce Agricultural School, both located in Roseau.[1]
Career
[edit]| Date(s) | Role(s) |
|---|---|
| 1925–1928: | Elected member for the electoral district of Saint Joseph, Saint Peter, Saint John, and Saint Andrew, Legislative Council |
| 1928–1931: | Elected member, Legislative Council |
| 1931–1934 | Elected member, Legislative Council |
| 1932: | Delegate and co-organizer of the Dominica Conference |
| 1934–1937: | Elected member, Legislative Council |
| c. 1944–1947: | Elected member for the northern electoral district, Legislative Council |
| 1947–1951: | Nominated member, Legislative Council |
| 1951–1954: | Elected member for the north-western district, Legislative Council [8]
1953: Re-elected deputy president of the legislative council for the duration of its second session.[9] |
| 1954–1957: | Elected member, Legislative Council |
| 1957–1961: | Elected member, Legislative Council |
| 1960: | Appointed Minister of Trade and Production, Legislative Council |
| 1961–1965: | Elected member, Legislative Council; served as a member of the Opposition[10] |
| 1966: | Retired from politics |
In 1927, he co-founded the Dominica Taxpayers Reform Association to advocate for greater economic equity and political accountability. In 1932, he helped organise the West Indies Conference in Dominica; Together with J. B. Charles, G. F. Ashpitel, R. H. Lockhart and Chairman Cecil E. A. Rawle, he was one of Dominica's delegated to the conference. The conference concluded that internal self governance must be the main priority.[11] He was a founding member of the Union Club and one of the signatories of Dominica’s first political manifesto with Ralph Nichols, Lennox Napier, and Phillip Rolle in 1936.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][8][18][10][2][6][19][20]
In addition to his political contributions, he helped spearhead the development of Dominica’s lime juice and banana industries,[21] which became important sectors of the island’s economy. Eugenia Charles wrote he helped "build the Industry to a stage where assets had accumulated to benefit of the grower".[21]
Philanthropy
[edit]His philanthropic work included donating land for the construction of the Colihaut Primary School and its playground, and funding annual scholarships for underprivileged children to attend secondary school. He was recognised for his public service and contributions to Dominica with the award of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by the British Government in 1949.[1][8][19]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Domnitjen Magazine Profile: Howell Shillingford". domnitjen.com. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Admin (22 July 2024). "A review of Margaret D. Rouse-Jones and Estelle M. Appiah's biography of George James Christian 'Returned Exile'". Dominica News Online. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- ^ a b The Dominica Guardian – 4 Sep 1919. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004184/19190904/010/0002
- ^ "Vacancies in the local councils". Dominica Guardian. 25 September 1919. p. 2.
- ^ Hlousek, Petr. "Rum by Macoucherie Estates / Shillingford Estates Ltd. - Dominica". Peter's Rum Labels. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ^ a b Honeychurch, Lennox (2007). A to Z of Dominica Heritage. Macmillan Caribbean (published 30 June 2007). pp. Shillingford (E). ISBN 978-0333946251. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ The Dominica Guardian – page 5 – 26 July 1907https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004184/19070726/036/0005
- ^ a b c Charles, Mary Eugenia (25 October 1975). "A tribute to H. D. Shillingford". The New Chronicle.
- ^ https://dominicahistory.org/omeka/files/original/157ef665b4ec2a98b4a3bf9b828878c6.pdf
- ^ a b Stevens, W. S. (24 October 1975). "A Tribute to Howell Shillingford, CBE". The Star Newspaper. Roseau, Dominica.
- ^ a b Honeychurch, Lennox (1995). The Dominica Story: A history of the island. London: MacMillan. pp. 164–165.
- ^ "The centuries-old Macoucherie Estate". The Sun. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- ^ "Astaphanism and Dominican politics". TheDominican.net. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- ^ Watkins, Frederick Henry (1924). Handbook of the Leeward Islands. London: West India Committee.
- ^ Admin (22 July 2024). "A review of Margaret D. Rouse-Jones and Estelle M. Appiah's biography of George James Christian 'Returned Exile'". Dominica News Online. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- ^ Honeychurch, Lennox (2007). A to Z of Dominica Heritage. Macmillan Caribbean (published 30 June 2007). pp. Shillingford (E). ISBN 978-0333946251. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
- ^ Riviere, William (2000). Historical notes on the carib territory: The Carib Question. The caribs of Dominica. Dominica academy of arts and sciences.
- ^ "Astaphanism and Dominican politics". TheDominican.net. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- ^ a b Andre, Irving W. (2004). Edward Oliver LeBlanc and the struggle to transform Dominica. Roseau: Pont Casse Press. p. 63.
- ^ "Major Events in our Constitutional Development – Part 3". The Sun. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ^ a b Charles, Mary Eugenia (25 October 1975). "A tribute to H. D. Shillingford". The New Chronicle.
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