Henckell Lochinvar Christian MBE (1910 – 1998) was a Dominican politician from the

Dominica Labour Party The Dominica Labour Party is a centre-left social-democratic political party in Dominica. History Founded in 1955 by Phyllis Shand Allfrey and Emmanuel Christopher Loblack, the Dominica Labour Party is the oldest political party in Dominica. ...

Biography

Christian studied sociology at

London University The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

. He worked as a teacher and later as a social worker. Christian was elected to the

House of Assembly of Dominica The House of Assembly is the legislature of Dominica. It is established by Chapter III of the Constitution of Dominica, and together with the President of Dominica constitutes Dominica's Parliament. The House is unicameral, and consists of twent ...

in 1970 and 1975. He was minister of education and health in 1970s in the cabinet of Edward Oliver LeBlanc.

Patrick John Patrick Roland John (7 January 1938 – 6 July 2021) was the first Prime Minister of Dominica as well as its last Premier. He led Dominica to independence from the United Kingdom. He was leader of the Waterfront and Allied Workers' Union and may ...

appointed him as the

Deputy Premier A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...

in 1975, and Christian continued as the

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

since independence in November 1978. He resigned alongside acting president Sir

Louis Cools-Lartigue Sir Louis Cools-Lartigue, OBE (18 January 1905 – 21 August 1993) was a Dominican politician. Biography Until 1955, Cools-Lartigue was the Chief Secretary of the Windward Islands, when on 9 May, he was issued a Commission by George F. Hols ...

on 16 June 1979. Christian published his memoirs (1920–1992) ''Gatecrashing into the Unknown'' in 1992. Married to Muriel, nee Mathew, Henckell Christian was the father of

Pearle Christian Pearle Christian (born 20 March 1955),
''Domnitjen Magazine'', Vol. 8, Issue 2. affectionately known as ...

(third of the couple's four daughters), and the brother of

Lemuel McPherson Christian Lemuel McPherson Christian Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE (1913–2000) was a Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican music educator and composer, who wrote the music for "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour", the nationa ...

, the composer of Dominica's national anthem "Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour"."Pearle Christian: A Life of Musical Inspiration"
June 2012.

Biography

References

Further reading