Florizel Glasspole

Sir Florizel Augustus Glasspole (25 September 1909 – 25 November 2000 ) was the third and longest-serving governor-general of Jamaica, in office from 1973 to 1991.

Early life and education Florizel Glasspole was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 25 September 1909. His parents were the Rev. Theophilus A. Glasspole, a Methodist minister, and Florence (née Baxter). Glasspole received his early education at Buff Bay Elementary School in Portland between 1914 and 1918. He then attended Central branch Elementary School and Wolmer's Boys School (1922-1926). In 1946, he enrolled in Ruskin College, Oxford, where he majored in Trade Union Studies on a one-year scholarship awarded by the British Trades Union Congress. Glasspole was also, from 1939 to 1947, General Secretary of the Trades Union Advisory Council and, from 1947 to 1952, General Secretary of the Jamaican Trades Union Congress. From 1955 to 1957 he served as minister of labour and from 1957 to 1962 he was minister of education under Norman Manley before independence. He reprieved the latter role from 1972 to 1973, under Michael Manley.

Governor-General Florizel Glasspole was appointed to the office of governor-general in 1973. Under the Westminster system, the Jamaican governor-general is appointed by the monarch (currently King Charles III) on the recommendation of the prime minister of Jamaica. He held that office until 1991, when he was succeeded by Howard Cooke. Glasspole died in Kingston on 25 November 2000, aged 91. Order of the Liberator (Venezuela, 1978)