Background
Theophilus Albert Marryshow was born in Grenada on 7 November 1887. He emerged from extremely humble surroundings.
Theophilus Albert Marryshow was born in Grenada on 7 November 1887. He emerged from extremely humble surroundings.
Was apprenticed to a carpenter, after leaving primary school before reaching seventh standard.
Marryshow’s political education and career in journalism began at 17 when he joined the staff of The Federalist and Grenada, a newspaper edited by William Donavan, a radical advocate of West Indian nationalism and the rights of black West Indians. Marryshow soon developed an intense commitment to the cause of self-determination for the West Indies and to the idea of a West Indian federation. In 1909 he became editor of St. George's Chronicle and Grenada Gazette, which was then the oldest newspaper in the West Indies, and in 1915 he helped to found The West Indian, dedicated to popularizing the twin causes of representative government and federation for the West Indies. Marryshow eventually acquired sole ownership of the paper and continued as its editor until 1934.
Marryshow was elected to the Legislative Council and served as an elected member for 33 consecutive years, until his death, including service as a member of the colony’s Executive Council. 1942-1954, and deputy president of the Legislative Council, 1951-1955.