Nellie Robinson

In this evening’s feature, we explore the struggles of a woman who lobbied against what was, at that time, the official practice of denying so-called illegitimate children admission to secondary school.

And we will discover how, as a result, one of the nation’s oldest private schools got its beginning.

Dame Georgiana “Nellie” Robinson is the nation’s sole female national hero. She was born on the 7th of December 1880, into the George and Margaret Robinson family of eight, and spent her early childhood living on Newgate Street.

In a move that would turn out to be very significant for her, Nellie was sent to the United States as a young child, where she remained for most of her childhood, receiving an education in the American school system.

There she worked as a child nurse, house worker and governess from age 13.

In April 1898, at the age of 18, her career as an educator began by teaching her siblings and the children of some family friends. Those early efforts were the beginning of the TOR Memorial High School, named after her brother, Thomas Oliver Robinson, who had died in his youth.

This was the beginning of an unforgettable and very precious teaching career that would span the next 57 years, ending in 1955.

In addition to her towering stature in the field of education, the Antiguan society also felt the presence of Miss Nellie Robinson in other important areas;during World War I, she was the only black woman on the Mobilization Committee, rallying the local men to join the war effort, lobbying for better living conditions for the recruits on the long sea voyage to Britain.

As a member of the Water Preservation Committee from 1912, she played an important role in the early efforts to expand pipe-borne water in the country. She also led the first Arts and Cultural Committee in Antigua;thus supporting the development of Carnival in the 50’s. She was also one of the pioneers of the Guides movement for girls and was an active committee member of the Guide Association.

On the 25th Anniversary of Independence, Miss Nellie Robinson was posthumously awarded – Dame Companion of The Most Exalted Order of National Hero (DNH), for services to education.

Nellie Robinson died on 29th April, 1972, at the age of 92 years.