Thomas Norman Nisbett
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Rev. Canon Thomas N. Nisbett, OBE (born on October 24th, 1925) is a carpenter/cabinet maker/house builder/ and Anglican priest. Born in North Village, Pembroke, Bermuda, he was the first Black Anglican priest of the Anglican Church of Bermuda.
His parents, now deceased, were Elijah John NISBETT b: 13 Oct 1892 in Cedar Hill Village, St. George, Nevis, WI, and Adina MILLER b: 14 Feb 1898 in Nevis, WI.
Elijah Nisbett left Nevis in 1922 and went to Bermuda. Staying with friends until he could built a house on St. Monica's Road across from the St. Monica's Mission Church, Adina, and daughters Mavis and Lauret immigrated to Bermuda in 1923.
Thomas Nisbett was educated at Central School, Bermuda, and Codrington Theological College, Barbados.
He has held a number of key ecclesiastical and community positions in both Barbados and Bermuda;
- Lay Reader - Diocese of Bermuda: 1947 – 1959
- Lay Reader-in-Charge of St. Monica's Mission Chuch, Pembroke, Bermuda: 1951 – 1959
- Parish Deacon - Barbados: 1962; Priest: 1964
- St. Philips Parish Church, Barbados 1962 – 1964
- Curate - Holy Cross, Barbados: 1962
- Assistant - St. James Anglican Church, Bermuda 1965-1966
- Assistant Priest, St Peter's Anglican Church, St. George's, Bermuda
- Priest-in-charge, Chapel of Ease, St. David's, Bermuda: 1966 – 1971
- Assistant Priest, St. John's Anglican Church, Pembroke,Bermuda 1971 – 1974
- Chaplain to the Bishop of Bermuda: 1973
- Chaplain to Bermuda's Governor, Sir Edwin Leather[1]: 1974-1976
- Rector, Christ Church, Devonshire, Bermuda: 1974-1997
- Chaplain to Female Prison & the Coed Facility of Prisons, Bermuda: 1974 - 2000
- Chaplain of 2nd Co. of the Boys and Girls Brigade, Devonshire: 1974 - 2000
- Canon Capitular: 1981
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE): 1992
- Canon Emeritus, Anglican Church of Bermuda[2]: 1997
- Honorary Assistant Priest of St. John's Anglican Church, Bermuda 1997 – present
- Corresponding Secretary of the Bermuda Bible Society
- Past President of the Bermuda Ministerial Association
- Secretary of the Anglican Clericus of Bermuda
- Chaplain, Island-Wide Senior Citizens, Bermuda
- Member - Exemption Tribunal of The Defence Board, Bermuda
- Honorary Chairman, Anti-Apartheid Group of Bermuda
- Member, Appeals Committee, Bermuda Department of Education
- Member, Bermuda Association for the Blind
Thomas Nisbett was married to Winifred M.G.(nee Smith) Nisbett, Cert. Ed., B.Sc., M.Ed., on August 4, 1954, a primary school teacher, and former President of the Bermuda Reading Association and a Past Chairman of the International Reading Association Caribbean Committee, New Orleans, LA.
They have two sons, Thomas W.L. Nisbett, a businessman living in New Brunswick, Canada, and Michael John Nisbett, an administrator with the Bermuda Hospitals Board living in Pembroke, Bermuda.
His mother-in-law, Olive May Smith, at 98 years of age, continues her community work on behalf of seniors and the Church in Bermuda.
An interview with Canon Nisbett can be seen at www.anglican.bm/CTNprofile [3].
The sermon preached by the Right Rev. Ewen Ratteray, Anglican Bishop of Bermuda, at the Celebration in thanksgiving for the 40th Anniversary of the Ordination of The Revd. Canon Thomas Nisbett on 11th January, 2004, can be found at www.anglican.bm/2004-02.html [4]
