ANGUS Richmond left behind two unpublished novels, the contents of which would be of grave interest to readers, especially readers familiar with the author’s burden – to educate, educate, educate. The writer was concerned about factors that breed contempt and disunity among peoples, and he went to great lengths to blend this concern into fiction – entertaining and educating the senses and sensibilities of man.

His two published novels also tell quite a bit about the man’s burden to educate, and about his gift as a storyteller. These two published novels also tell a whole lot about his time, about the issues then, and the attempts to grapple with the situation, the resolution based on commonsense and a good dose of tolerance. Richmond, in those two published novels, played the role of the social conscience of his country.

His second novel, ‘The Open Prison’, was a sort of liberating experience for both the writer and the reader. The author took another look at ethnic issues in Guyana. What is useful to note is that the issues were examined during a period of economic instability — ‘prior to the First World War’. Some of the stigmas attached to the issues then, are still with us now.

Important also is that ‘The Open Prison’, was published in 1988 as part of a series of books released by Hansib Publishing Limited to mark the 150th anniversary of Indians in the Caribbean. As if to qualify that statement, the writer said in his preface: “This novel is set in Guyana, a land where several cultures meet, confront each other, or interchange.”

Richmond’s first novel, ‘A Kind of Living’, opened the way for him as a writer. This book, published in 1978, won the Casa de Las Americas Literary Prize and was described as having “artistic, aesthetic and political merit.” It was also translated into two foreign languages.

Educator, administrator and writer, Angus Percy Bain Richmond was born in British Guiana in 1925. Both his father, Daniel, and mother, Malvina, were educators. His grandfather was an engineer and worked on the sugar estates.
Angus Richmond spent his formative days in Queenstown where he was born. He attended Comenius Moravian School, and Queen’s College. He was an exceptional pole-vaulter at school, and a consummate piano player. There was no doubt that he was also an artist at heart. This, perhaps, is what accounted for his marriage to Bridget, a union which started in courtship here in BG before moving to the UK where it was consummated.

Apart from the legacy he left us through his writing, Richmond was an exceptional educator. He taught at outstanding institutions in the counties of Berbice and Demerara, namely Berbice High School, and his alma, Queen’s College. He was once headmaster of Broad Street Primary School.

Migrating to the UK, he extended his role in the arts by securing an MA in English from the University of London and taking writing courses. He was first attracted to short fiction. This extended to novel writing. Writers like John Agard, David Dabydeen and Grace Nichols hold Richmond in high regard. Nichols says he was a source of inspiration to many an emerging writer in a foreign environment.

Richmond’s writing took many forms, one of which is quite extraordinary. It is said that “those who loved Angus benefited from his annual diary with an original poem for each month, in lieu of a Christmas card. Each diary is a collection of twelve poems of a high standard.”

Some of his poems are anthologies in annual collections like ‘Footprints in Time’ and ‘Life’ – UK publications. His poetry also found favour with institutions the likes of the International Society of Poetry, Washington, USA.

Responses to this author can be made by telephone: (592) 226-0065 or by e-mail: oraltradition2002[@]yahoo.com

Literary update
* THE GUYANA ANNUAL 2007-2008 magazine is now available at bookstores, Fogarty’s Supermart, Guyenterprise Ltd., Castellani House and from the editor.

* Please contact this writer on matters concerning THE LITERARY ARTS for CARIFESTA X to be staged in Guyana from August 22 to August 31, 2008.