Miss Nellie Robinson - A Pioneer

Miss Nellie Robinson MBE., the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Robinson, was born on December 7^m 1880.

At an early age her education was begun in the kindergarten of the Coke Memo College where there were English teachers, and from which she moved up into the College proper.

In the year 1891 with the rest of the family she left Antigua for the United States, where she stayed for some years.

On her return to Antigua she continued education at the Coke College, and there she remained until it closed in 1898.

On the close of the college she was not certain what work she wanted to do. Her brother Oliver who was in England wrote advising her to open a school of her own. This advice she followed, and so in 1898, with four pupils, the school was started.

On the death of her brother two years later she named the school the "Thomas Oliver Robinson Memorial School" in memory of him. After the college closed Miss Robinson continued her studies with the help of Mr. D.S.B Jones, who prepared her for the Senior Cambridge Examination, which she passed successfully.

Under the tutelage of Miss Tull, who subsequently became Mrs. Lamond, Miss Robinson studied Music and obtained certificates in the Theory of music. The school grew and prospered. The headmistress chose a school uniform: navy blue skirt, white middy blouse, black tie and Panama hat; selected navy blue and gold as the school colours and chose as the Motto the words "I press toward the mark'

Some years later His Excellency Sir Brickham Sweet-Escott visited the school, and was so impressed that he recommended a government; grant. In 1914, at the request of the government, Miss Robinson, from the platform of the Ebenezer Methodist Church, addressed with great vigor and enthusiasm, a large recruiting meeting for the First World War and as a result a contingent from Antigua went to the War.

Between the years 1915 and 1918, with the help of her kind friends, Miss Robinson was able to acquire a suitable building for the school (on High Street) and in that building with improvements, the school stood until the building was eventually sold.

On the death of her brother two years later she named the school the "Thomas Oliver Robinson Memorial School" in memory of him. After the college closed Miss Robinson continued her studies with the help of Mr. D.S.B Jones, who prepared her for the Senior Cambridge Examination, which she passed successfully.

Under the tutelage of Miss Tull, who subsequently became Mrs. Lamond, Miss Robinson studied Music and obtained certificates in the theory of music. The school grew and prospered. The headmistress chose a school uniform: navy blue skirt, white middy blouse, black tie and Panama hat; selected navy blue and gold as the school colours and chose as the Motto the words "I press toward the mark”.

Some years later His Excellency Sir Brickham Sweet-Escott visited the school, and was so impressed that he recommended a government; grant. In 1914, at the request of the government, Miss Robinson, from the platform of the Ebenezer Methodist Church, addressed with great vigor and enthusiasm, a large recruiting meeting for the First World War. As a result a contingent from Antigua went to the War.

Between the years 1915 and 1918, with the help of her kind friends, Miss Robinson was able to acquire a suitable building for the school on High Street and in that building with improvements, the school was operated for over one hundred years.

But it is not however only through entertainment that the school has made its mark. It is rather through the brilliant attainments of its many sons and daughters, several of whom came as boarders from Montserrat, St. Kitts, Dominica, St. Croix and St. Thomas, that the school has made history and built up for itself a lasting memorial in the annals of Antigua.