Tristan da Cunha Government News

Profile of Conrad Glass Chief Islander 2007 - 2010

Reproduced from an article in the August 2007 Tristan da Cunha Newsletter

Conrad was born on Tristan da Cunha on 20th January 1961 to parents Edwin (Spike) and Monica Glass and a brother to his 5 year old sister Sheila. Of course 1961 was an epic year in Tristan’s history when, after a volcanic eruption on 10th October, the whole community of 275 people, including baby Conrad, was evacuated the UK . Conrad has some memories of his early childhood in Calshot especially a vivid recollection of a visit to a fair, riding on a roundabout, and being issued tickets by a man in a glass booth. Tristanians stayed in England for two years before returning home and on arrival faced an uphill struggle. The volcano had destroyed the fishing factory and the two natural beaches where for generations they had launched their home made boats; but with their usual tenacity the islanders built a new fishing factory and harbour within a few years.

Conrad started school at the age of five, first in the converted World War II navy huts, moving on in 1974 to the new school with better facilities. Conrad enjoyed his years at school, especially studying English, history, geography, science, R.E. art & craft, sports and drama.

Though he found it rather easy to remember events and dates, he dreaded maths lessons, which were not his forte. His teachers sometimes said he was a daydreamer, but it helped when writing essays although he thought his spelling was not very good! Conrad only realised how important education was at the age of 16, a year after leaving school, where he attended further education classes twice a week to study for UK examinations in English and science. After leaving school Conrad worked at the fishing factory for eight years but felt there were no career prospects with the previous fishing company, so he left the factory to work for the Tristan Government in 1985. First employed at the supermarket warehouse for a year, Conrad was then chosen to go to St Helena for police training in 1986 when he spent a year accompanied by his wife Sharon and son Leon working with their police force.

From that time there was no looking back for Conrad. Returning to Tristan he got a job as a storekeeper and tool clerk while still working part time for the police department. In 1989 he took over in charge of the police department when his predecessor (Sergeant Albert Glass, the former Chief Islander), retired after 30 years of service to the community. Conrad returned to England in 1992 for further training with the North Hertfordshire Police Force. This included valuable customs and immigration work based at Luton airport, as well as experiencing police work in both rural and urban settings.