author
Maxwell Philip
1829–1888
A pioneering Trinidadian novelist, lawyer, and public servant, he is best remembered for writing Emmanuel Appadocca in 1854, widely recognized as the first novel by a Trinidadian author. His life also broke barriers in public life, including service as Port of Spain’s first non-white mayor and later as Solicitor-General of Trinidad.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in Trinidad on October 12, 1829, Michel Maxwell Philip was educated first in San Fernando and then in Scotland, where he received a classical education. He later studied law in England and was called to the bar in 1854, building a career that moved between literature, law, and public service.
That same year, he published Emmanuel Appadocca; or, Blighted Life: A Tale of the Boucaneers. The novel is often described as the first Trinidadian novel, and its story of illegitimacy, injustice, and revenge has made it an important work in Caribbean literary history.
Back in Trinidad, Philip went on to hold several important public roles. In 1867 he became Mayor of Port of Spain, a landmark appointment because the post had previously been held only by whites, and in 1871 he became Solicitor-General, serving until his death in 1888. No confirmed portrait image was found from the sources reviewed here.