George Charles
Sir George Frederick Lawrence Charles (7 June 1916 – 26 July 2004) was a trade unionist, politician, founder of the Saint Lucia Labour Party and Chief Minister of Saint Lucia (1 January 1960 – 22 April 1964). He is a recipient of Saint Lucia's second-highest honour, the St. Lucia Cross (1987), and was knighted in 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II. George F. L. Charles Airport, in Castries, Saint Lucia, is named in his honour.Born on 7 June 1916, George Charles had a privileged education at St. Mary's College. But like many young West Indians of his time, he migrated to Aruba and worked there for a year with the Largo Oil and Transport Company. In Aruba, he was exposed to trade union activities and on his return to Saint Lucia, in 1945, he championed the cause of the workers at the Vigie Airport - now George F. L. Charles Airport - Renovation Project, where he was employed as a timekeeper. His solidarity on that occasion propelled him to the General Secretaryship of the Saint Lucia Workers Cooperative Union.
Sir George played an increasingly active role in trade unionism and by 1948 was elected to the Castries Town Board, as trade union representative. He stepped up the efforts to secure a more democratic mode of representation and in 1950, he and his father James Charles were among the key personalities involved in the organization of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP). The SLP immediately became the dominant force in Saint Lucia for over a decade. He and his party had a moderate socialist agenda, emphasizing workers' rights and more autonomy, or independence, for Saint Lucia - then an overseas colony of the United Kingdom.
In the 1951 general elections, the first held under universal adult suffrage, the St. Lucia Labour Party under his leadership won five of the eight seats against the middle class-oriented Peoples Progressive Party. Sir George's first resolution as an elected member was for legal recognition of the right to paid leave, which was rejected by the Colonial Authorities. The Labour Party was again victorious in 1954 general elections.
The struggle that Sir George led resulted in a series of constitutional reforms, obtaining a responsible ministerial government system. Sir George was named as the first Chief Minister (1960 reform), as well as first Minister for Education and Social Affairs.
Charles was Chief Minister until April 1964 when the government fell. The SLP subsequently lost the elections for the first time. From then on, Charles played a lesser role in politics. After Charles' tenure as Chief Minister, the SLP spent most of the next three decades in opposition, and he was Leader of the Opposition from 1964 to 1974. The SLP returned to power from 1979 to 1982, from 1997 to 2006, and again from 2011.
Charles, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998, received his country's second-highest honour, the St. Lucia Cross in 1987.
Sir George Charles died on 26 July 2004 at age 88, after a short illness. Provided by Wikipedia
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2by Sinclair, Charles George, 1889-
Published 1931Philadelphia, F.A. Davis Company, 1931.362 p. illus., col. plates, diagr. 23 cm. -
3Cheltenham, London, J. Burrow & Co., Ltd. [n.d.]102, 122 p. illus.
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4by Sinclair, Charles George, 1889-
Published 1944Philadelphia, F. A. Davis company, 1944.ix, 396 p. illus., col. plates, diagrs. 23 cm. -
5by Sinclair, Charles George, 1889-
Published 1936Philadelphia, F. A. Davis, 1936.377 p. ill., ports. -
6by Geiger, Charles George, 1865-
Published 1918Philadelphia, F.A. Davis Company; [etc., etc.] 1918.xv, 286 p. illus. 24 cm. -
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9by Wolf, Charles George Lewis, 1872-
Published 1901Philadelphia and London, W. B. Saunders & co., 1901.203 p. ill., plates. -
10by Dixon, C. G. (Charles George)
Published 1853Agra : Printed [for the Government] at the Secundra Orphan Press, 1853.ii, 199 p. : map. -
11by Gordon, Charles George, 1833-1885
Published 1884London, Chapman and Hall, 1884.xiii, 205 p. 19 cm. -
12by Gordon, Charles George, 1833-1885
Published 1884London, T. De La Rue, 1884.xlii p., 1 leaf, 456 p. ports., fold. map, fold. facsim. 23 cm. -
13by Ramsey, Charles George, 1884-1963
Published 1936New York, London, J. Wiley & Sons; Chapman & Hall [c1936]xii, 284 p. illus. (incl. plans) diagrs. 30 x 25 cm.Center for Research Libraries
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14by Ramsey, Charles George, 1884-1963
Published 1936New York, London, J. Wiley & Sons; Chapman & Hall [c1936]xii, 284 p. illus. (incl. plans) diagrs. 30 x 25 cm. -
15by Gordon, Charles George, 1833-1885
Published 1884London, T. De La Rue, 1884.1 online resource (xlii p., 1 leaf, 456 p.) : ports., fold. map, fold. facsim.Center for Research Libraries
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16by Ammon, Charles George Ammon, baron, 1875-
Published 1944[London : Fabian Society, 1944]1 online resource (29 p.)Center for Research Libraries
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17by Ammon, Charles George Ammon, baron, 1875-
Published 1944[London : Fabian Society, 1944]29 p. ; 22 cm. -
18by Roberts, Charles George Douglas, Sir, 1860-1943
Published 1900New York, Boston [etc.] Silver, Burdett and Company [c1900]4 p. ̋., 276 p. front., 5 pl. 19 cm. -
19Published 1852Philadelphia : American Baptist Publication Society, c1852192 p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 16 cm.Other Authors: “...Charles, George...”
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20Published 1852Philadelphia (530 Arch Street) : American Baptist Publication Society, c185272 p. : ill. ; 15 cm.Other Authors: “...Charles, George...”