ALBERT CAVENDISH SHILLINGFORD (May 11, 1882 - March 7, 1938)
Albert Cavendish Shillingford was one of the most significant figures in the commercial life of the island of Dominica, West Indies, in the mid twentieth century [1]. He was a dynamic and visionary entrepreneur, and a courageous and resourceful business leader. He early saw the importance of limejuice to the British Navy. Thus, he developed, and was the dynamic force in the firm of A.C. Shillingford, which built two large limejuice factories in Dominica, and one each in Grenada and Trinidad. Under Albert's management, his firm prospered; he acquired a number of estates, and his firm became the main import/export house in Dominica, providing employment for thousands of people.
Albert Cavendish Shillingford (ACS) was born in St Joseph, Dominica on May 11, 1882, the son of Albert Charles Shillingford and Anne Eglais Pinard. Albert Cavendish was educated at the Dominica Grammar School in Roseau. As a young man, he first worked at the Roseau hospital, interning in pharmacology under Mr. Mendes, the hospital's pharmacist. Subsequently, Albert opened his own pharmacy and grocery on Old Street. As Albert's business expanded, he recognized the significant potential of the import/export business. He then acquired the George V Street property, built a larger facility and moved his business there [1]. He called it the Phoenix, with obvious Greek mythology connotations.
Apart from importing and dispensing drugs, Albert imported groceries, cosmetics and other consumer goods, and exported agricultural products. The imported groceries and cosmetics were sold at the Phoenix or wholesaled to village retailers. Albert also imported dry goods such as cloth, shoes and hats for retail at his downtown stores, and for wholesale to the newly arriving immigrant Lebanese merchants. In addition, Albert was one of the first importers of cars and trucks in the island. On the export side, there were limejuice, cocoa, vanilla and bay oil, among other products, a substantial part of which came from his own estates.
In a courageous move for a local entrepreneur, Albert built two large central limejuice factories, one at Newtown and the other at Soufriere. So significant was this development, it was noted that, "The Shillingford entrance into the limejuice market, which resulted in the breaking of the monopoly on yellow limes, will probably never be forgotten by peasants and planters alike, who, after many years of low prices were enabled to obtain a fair price for their yellow limes" [1]. Apart from a stable market and fair prices, these Shillingford factories provided hundreds of jobs for the people of Newtown, Loubiere and Soufriere. Following the success of these factories in Dominica, Albert built factories in Grenada and Trinidad. The Tribune newspaper reported that, "his business house may be regarded as the very backbone of the island" [1]. He was one of the most successful businessmen in Dominica, a true captain of industry in his era.
However, it was Albert's dynamic and astute management and his vision and hard work that made his firm the dominant force in Dominican commerce in the mid twentieth century, and Albert himself, one of the most significant figures in the business life of the island [1]. To do this, Albert also mobilized the cooperation of other Shillingfords to work together for the greater effectiveness of the family, and Dominica as a whole.
Albert Cavendish was a founding member of the Union Club in Roseau, a social club that was a community institution for decades. Albert was also one of the founders of the Dominica Tribune newspaper, a competitor of the Catholic Church-run Dominica Chronicle. He took particular interest in education and was a trustee of the Dominica Grammar School.
Sadly, he died at the early age of 56 on March 7, 1938. He was mourned by the entire community. His funeral was attended by "an immense crowd, an unusually large number of persons of all walks of life," including the leading citizens of the land [1]. All stores and shops closed the morning of the funeral, and the two major banks flew their flags at half-mast [1]. All of this was a tribute to the respect and high esteem in which Albert Cavendish was held, the friendships he had inspired, and the great loss the community felt..
For his dynamic and courageous business leadership, and his extraordinary contribution to Dominica's manufacturing and commerce, DAAS honors the visionary entrepreneur Albert Cavendish Shillingford.
Contributed by:
Davison Shillingford & Clayton Shillingford
November, 2013
[1] See paper by Davison Shillingford & Clayton Shillingford. A Brief Biography of Albert Cavendish Shillingford. The Dominica Chronicle. Roseau, Dominica, Part 1 August 30 & Part 2 September 6, 2013.
