Arthur Frederick Thelwell: 1889-1966

The Gleaner editorial of December 5, 1966 states, “The late Sir Arthur Thelwell belonged to the same age group as Adolphe Roberts, Clare McFarlane, George Goode, J. J. Mills, and Vere Johns. All of them were born within the space of a dozen years. All of them lived so long as to bridge the period of the two world wars and link the early days of the restoration of representative institutions with the concept of nationhood.”

Sir Arthur Frederick Thelwell, OBE, CBE, KBE, JP, was born in Green Island, Hanover, on November 17, 1889. He was the son of Anglican clergyman, Rev Horatio Nathaniel Thelwell and his wife, Jane Mary Otway. Arthur attended Rusea’s High School and Mico Teachers’ Training College.

He saw active service in World War I with the British West India Regiment serving in France and Italy. He achieved the rank of captain.

He married twice: in 1921, to Emily Mabel Bramton and they had one daughter, Joyce; and in 1943, to Mabel Pawsey with whom he had two daughters, twins – Judy and Sally.

Thelwell dedicated his life to the development of agriculture in Jamaica. He was a farmer, teacher, advocate and policymaker. From 1913-1915, he was assistant master at the Farm School, later to become the Jamaica School of Agriculture. He worked in the Department of Science and Agriculture becoming superintendent of agriculture and deputy director of the Department of Agriculture. He would retire as commissioner of lands. He had an active retirement continuing his work in agriculture.

PIONEER OF AGRICULTURE

Thelwell was described as a pioneer in many phases of agriculture. His achievements included promoting cooperatives and commodity associations; being among the founders of the Jamaica Hope Cattle Breed, founding the 4-H clubs and extending the reach of the Jamaica Agricultural Society as its secretary and treasurer.

He was also involved with the Jamaica Citrus Growers Association, the Jamaica Livestock Association, the Cattle Breeders Association, the All-Island Banana Growers Association, and the Christiana Land Authority. He was appointed to the Legislature Council.

Thelwell was honoured by the British Government on three occasions receiving the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1942; Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1951, and knighted (KBE) in 1962. The Gleaner reports that he was knighted in reward for a lifetime of service to agriculture in Jamaica, noting that, for decades, his name had been a household word among Jamaican farmers.

Sir Arthur Thelwell died in Mandeville, Manchester on November 28, 1966. He was 77. In tributes, he was described as an illustrious son of Jamaica.

I had the pleasure of speaking with his daughter, Mrs Sally Porteous, former custos of Manchester and CEO of Christel House, for this article.

Contributed by Marcia Thomas