Compiled by Patricia Dunn Senior Librarian I West Indies and Special Collections Library, University of the West Indies, Mona 2002
Preface Acknowledgement Introduction List of Abbreviations SECTION A: Background Bio-data and Achievements SECTION B: Bibliography (i) Monographs, Journals, Articles, Conference Papers (ii) Book reviews, Comments: Goveia, the Critic SECTION C Death, Reaction and Tributes SECTION D: Contributions Post-1980 Analyses and Comments SECTION E: Memorials Lectures Book Prizes Scholarships Bibliography Archives, Libraries and Organisations visited and contacted
This bio-bibliography attempts to bring to together, in one compilation, sources of information on the life and achievements of Elsa Vesta Goveia. It is not a biography, neither does it claim to be a definitive work. However, it seeks to demonstrate the importance of this Caribbean person who has been hailed as “a pioneer of the study of Caribbean history,” “premier social historian of the Caribbean,” “outstanding scholar,” regional scholar,” “my teacher, my colleague and mentor,” “teacher ‘par excellence,” “remarkable individual,” among other accolades/tributes. There is yet no biography on this outstanding pioneer analyst and teacher of West Indian history. It is hoped that the compilation will prove to be a useful reference tool to Goveia’s biographies, to students of West Indian history and to libraries. Elsa Goveia’s life can be divided into three distinct phases: her life in British Guiana from birth to 1944, when she left her homeland on a British Guiana Scholarship for studies in the United Kingdom; a period of undergraduate and post-graduate studies at London University, followed by approximately thirty years of teaching, scholarship, research and contributions to UCWI/UWI and the wider Caribbean. The bio-bibliography highlights events in those three phases of her life. Coverage The bio-bibliography provides biographical data on Goveia from birth in 1925 in British Guiana to her death fifty-five years later in Jamaica. The annotated bibliography of her publications starts with a periodical article published in 1946 in London and goes through to an edition of A Study on the Historiography of the British Caribbean published in Cuba in 1988. Goveia was a highly respected critic of West Indian history. An annotated bibliography of reviews further demonstrates her contributions and skills as a specialist in West Indian history. 1
The work is arranged in five sections – Section A: Background – Bio-data and Achievements (in chronological sequence within subheads, Early years, Student Days Overseas, Appointments at UCWI/UWI, etc). Section B: Bibliography (i) Monographs, Journal Articles, Conference Papers (annotated listings of reviews located for major works follow the citations for those publications); (ii) Book Reviews, Comments: Goveia, the Critic (entries are annotated and listed by year within each sequence. Section C: Death, Reaction and Tributes (entries listed in precise date order within 1980). Section D: Achievements and Contribution: Post 1980 Analyses and Comments (an annotated bibliography with entries listed in alphabetical sequence). Section E: Memorials: Lectures (a chronological listing of the Cave Hill and Mona Memorial Lectures), Scholarships, Book Prizes. A “Bibliography” and a list of “Archives, Libraries and Organisations Visited and Contacted” are provided. Methodology A number of avenues and sources were explored and tapped to locate and identify the material listed in this bio-bibliography. These included library catalogues, bibliographies, monographic works (books and pamphlets), periodicals and newspapers, periodic indexes, unpublished sources (EVG Collection, administrative files), non-book material (audio-visual material and clippings files), Internet sources, personal contacts (including telephone, e-mail, interviews), visits to libraries and archives. Relevant periodical titles for which no indexes exist – many of the relevant periodical publications of the UCWI/UWI fall into that category – had to be examined issue by issue in search of useful pieces of information. Some steps are routine to such an undertaking, but need to be mentioned so as to provide an overview of the nature of the work involved. My interest in preparing the compilation developed when I did the preliminary sorting and organization of the Elsa Goveia Collection held by the UWI Library at Mona. Impetus and a better appreciation of the 2
research for the section in “Bio-data and Achievements” published in Rex Nettleford: His Works: An Annotated Bibliography (Kingston: The Press UWI, 1999). 3
ACH Association of Caribbean Historians ACURIL Association of Caribbean University Research and Institutional Libraries BG British Guiana (now Guyana) CAM Caribbean Artists Movement EVG Collection Elsa Vesta Goveia Collection ISER Institute of Social and Economic Research UCWI University College of the West Indies UG University of Guyana UWI University of the West Indies UWILM University of the West Indies Library, Mona WISU West Indian Students’ Union (London) 4
BIO-DATA AND ACHIEVEMENTS Early Years 1925, April 121 Born in Georgetown, British Guiana. Younger daughter of Alfred and Florie Goveia (nee Hood). Her father was a clerk at Messrs. Wm. Fogarty’s Wholesale Department. Resided with family at Lot 7, Camp Street, Georgetown.2 Had a sister, Carmen Mary, born June 30, 1922 and a half sister, Winnifred.3 1930-43 Charlestown Convent School / St. Joseph’s High School, Convent of Mercy, Georgetown. Commenced school at five (5) years old. Elsa’s mother had also attended St. Joseph’s and had taught there for a while.4 1939 Junior Cambridge Certificate Sat the Junior Cambridge examination in June 1939 at 14 years old. Won the Government Prize of $10 (Guy) based on the results of the Examination. 5The Handbook of British Guiana, 1922, stated that a prize was awarded to any girl who was under 16 years of age when she passed the Junior Cambridge.6 1940 Senior School Certificate Won the Government Prize of $20 (Guy.) based on the results of the examination, again winning a prize having passed the examination when she was under 18 years of age.7 1943 London Higher School of Certificate.8 5
festivities that marked the Feast of the Virgin Mary.9 The celebration took place on 1st May and was a feast on the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church in British Guiana. 1944 British Guiana Scholarship winner for 1943. Announcement of award made from Government House, British Guiana, on February 8, 1944.10 The award was based on the results of the London Higher School Certificate examination and the candidate had to be under 19 years of age on 1st January of the year of the examination.11 Elsa’s subjects for the examination were Latin, French and English.12 Elsa Goveia was “the first student of St. Joseph’s High School to win the much coveted British Guiana Scholarship and the fourth woman to do so since the establishment of the scholarship in 1882.”13 The first woman to win the scholarship was Miss Ida C. Tengeley in 1899.14 1944 Ranger, Girl Guides and leader of a company of Brownies in British Guiana.15 6
1945-47 University College, London, where she read Medieval and Modern European History, and specialised in English Social History.16 1945 Member, West Indian Students’ Union, 32 Belsize Square, London, NW3. An active participant in the affairs of the Union, Goveia became Assistant Secretary in 1946. She contributed to the first issue of the Newsletter, December 1946. 1946 Appointed Secretary of the WISU, taking over from Winnie Berbeck (Hewitt), the first Secretary.17 1947, Nov 29 J.E. Neal of the University College of London in a letter about Elsa Goveia to the Director of Colonial Scholar admitted, “that we are dealing with a quite exceptional person. Indeed, when one considers that she comes from the colonies, and can scarcely be compared with somebody coming out of a highly cultured West European background, she is phenomenal.”18 1948 B.A. History (Honours) Pollard Prize in English History, University of London 1948-50 Institute of Historical Research, University of London. Did research in West Indian History under the supervision of Dr. Eveline C. Martin. 1949 Awarded a University of London Research Studentship. 7
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