Name: Philip Manderson Sherlock
Born: February 25, 1902
Died: December 4, 2000
Industry: Poetry; Education

Sir Philip Sherlock was born at Manchioneal, Portland, on February 25, 1902. He was the son of a Methodist minister, the Reverend Terence Manderson Sherlock and Adina Sherlock. He married Grace Marjorie Verity on December 2, 1942 and together they had three children.

Sir Philip was educated at Calabar High School. He began his teaching career at his alma mater at the age of 17 as a junior master. In 1927, by private study, he gained the degree of Bachelor of Arts from London University, in England, the first achievement in a long and distinguished career in education.

He also taught at Manchester High School for two years, followed by Wolmer’s Boys School in Kingston where he was the headmaster in 1932, making him the youngest in the island at the time.

Philip Sherlock worked for 20 years in the schoolroom before leaving the teaching profession to enter directly into the cultural mainstream of Jamaica. In 1938 he took up an appointment as Secretary of the Institute of Jamaica, the national centre for the promotion of Literature, Arts and Science. His years at the Institute were characterized by his desire to bring the institution to the service of the educational needs of Jamaica. Among his achievements were:

1. the revival and development of the Science Programme
2. the development of a lecture hall, art gallery, science museum and archives
3. the opening of the Junior Centre at East Street in 1940 and a centre in Half-Way-Tree in 1941

Among his many experiments, Sir Philip describes as “the biggest course in education” he ever took was his tenure as Education Officer with the Jamaica Welfare Limited. This was a philanthropic organization he joined in 1945 on the invitation of National Hero, Norman Manley where he was able to work at the grassroots to develop leadership in the community.

His crowning achievement came in 1964 when he succeeded Sir Arthur Lewis as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, having previously served as Pro Vice-Chancellor. Under his brilliant leadership, the UWI grew in importance and prestige, and stands today as his lasting monument. In this capacity, Sir Philip had also brought with him several years of service to an institution that he had served since the time of its inception in 1948. He had been the first Director of Extra Mural Studies, Vice Principal and Acting Principal of the University College of the West Indies as it was called prior to 1962. He was the founding principal of the new campus at St. Augustine, Trinidad, and undertook the establishment of the Faculty of Engineering as well as transformed and incorporated the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture into that Campus.

Blessed with quiet dignity, wit and easy charm, Philip Sherlock also had the gifts of oratory and poetry, at both of which he excelled. He was internationally recognized as a leading Caribbean scholar, lecturer and author. His interest in the history, literature and folklore of the region made him the author of many publications.

Some of his publications include “West Indian Story”, “Land and People of the West  Indies” and “West Indian Folk Tales”. In 1976, he produced “Shout for Freedom”, a poetic tribute to Sam Sharpe, one of Jamaica’s National Heroes. He was also a regular contributor to the Gleaner with his articles of historical and cultural interest.

Sir Philip completed his life of scholarship with the writing of the epic work “The Story of the Jamaican People (1997) which he did in partnership with Dr. Hazel Bennett.

Sir Philip Sherlock died on December 4, 2000 at the age of 98.

Honours and Awards

• The Order of CARICOM, 1998
• Norman Washington Manley Award for Excellence in the field of Education, Social and Cultural Development, 1992
• Pelican Award from the Guild of Graduates of the University of the West Indies, 1991
• Order of Merit (O.M.). October 16, 1989. Bestowed on persons who have received international distinction
• Government of Venezuela’s Band of Honour of the Order of Andres Bello, in recognition of the success of the Association of Caribbean Universities and Research Institution (UNICA) of which he was the General Secretary, 1978
• Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Miami, 1971
• Gold Musgrave Medal for his contribution in History and Literature, 1966
• Knight of the British Empire in 1966

• Commander of the British Empire (C.B.E.), 1956

Related Documents

• Faculty Principal Remains A Poet. Sunday Guardian, October 9, 1960.
• Historian and Poet. The Sunday Gleaner, December 7, 1986. p. 11.
• Sherlock to chair meeting on juvenile problems. The Daily Gleaner, January 12, 1949.
• Caribbean Man. Daily Gleaner, October 7, 1973. p. 23.
• Mr. P. M. Sherlock gets post in W. I. University College. The Daily Gleaner, February 18, 1947.
• Florida award to Sir Philip Sherlock. Sunday Sun, July 26, 1981.
• Jamaica Way – our island in a nutshell. The Star, December 17, 1962. p. 11.
• Mr. Sherlock. The Daily Gleaner, February 18, 1947.
• Carleton U confers honorary LL.D on Sir Philip. The Daily Gleaner, November 4, 1967. p.2.
• Sir Philip Sherlock redefines the new millennium. The Daily Observer, June 23, 1998. p. 20.
• Sir Philip Sherlock receives Norman Manley Award for Excellence. JamPress, October 21, 1992.
• Sir Philip Sherlock, C.B.E., LL.D. Sunday Magazine, August 19, 1984. p. 26.
• Philip Sherlock Bio. Institute of Jamaica. May 16, 1980.
• Hon. Philip Manderson Sherlock.
• Sir Philip Sherlock Honoured at civic reception: Sherlock gets key to city. Daily Gleaner, February 6, 1964, p. 5.
• Sir Philip gets Chancellor’s Medal. The Gleaner, July 27, 1998.
• Sir Philip Sherlock quits UNICA post. The Daily Gleaner, December 18, 1979.
• Sir Philip Manderson Sherlock, K.B.E. Jamaica Historical Society Bulletin. Vol 8 no 11. October 1983.
• LegCo tribute Sherlock’s sympathy and influence. Daily Gleaner, April 2, 1960.
• Sherlock quits LegCo: Faculty business.The Daily Gleaner, April 11, 1960.
• Sherlock. The Daily Gleaner, February 22, 1974.
• Sherlock to speak at UK Science Parley. The Daily Gleaner, August 16, 1956.
• Leeds University Doctorate for P M Sherlock. The Daily Gleaner, December 3, 1958.
• Sherlock’s new book: ‘West Indian Story”. The Daily Gleaner, April 29, 1960.
• Sherlock appointed Vice-Principal of University College. The Daily Gleaner, January 12.
• To Sir with love. The Daily Observer, July 23, 1998. p. 25.
• Sir Philip Sherlock Philip Sherlock – man for all seasons. The Sunday Gleaner, December 7, 1986. p.11.
• Folk tales and others. Sunday Gleaner, January 30, 1966. p. 4.
• Sherlock’s ‘Anansi the Spider Man.’ Reviewed by Barry Reckord. The Daily Gleaner, December 7, 1954.
• Off the Cuff. …By John Patmos. Daily Gleaner, July 2, 1963. p. 10.
• For the tourists. The Daily Gleaner, December 1, 1962. p. 10.
• Sherlock tells of ‘WI contribution to human progress’. The Daily Gleaner, June 26, 1956.
• Pelican Award Luncheon in honour of Sir Philip Sherlock, O.M., C.B.E.
• West Indies Authors Questionnaire.
• Official funeral for Sir Philip Sherlock tomorrow. The Weekend Observer, December 8, 2000. p. 4.
• Sherlock’s Statue. The Gleaner, February 26, 2003.
• Sir Philip Manderson Sherlock, O.M.
• Scores bid farewell to Sir Philip. By Trudy Simpson. The Sunday Gleaner, December 10, 2000.
• Professor Barry Chevannes performed at the Service of Thanksgiving for the Late Sir Philip. The Gleaner, December 18, 2000.
• Sir Philip Sherlock. The Jamaica Daily News. February 16, 1980.
• West Indian. The Daily Gleaner, January 12, 1949.
• An Icon’s passing: Sir Philip Sherlock The Gleaner, December 5, 2000.
• The Norman Manley Award for Excellence: Sir Philip Manderson Sherlock
• A celebration of the life and work of Sir Philip Sherlock: Caribbean Man A Retrospective. (Program)
• A National hero in verse. By George Panton. The Daily Gleaner, August 1, 1976.
• Struggles to rise above the injuries of slavery. Caribbean Today, August 1997. pp. 28-29.