MR. JOHN EARLSTON GLENWOOD MING!
NOVEMBER 2024
He is recognized by our president, Ms. Margaret Giloth, for his amazing talent as a self-proclaimed archivist, historian, and record-keeper, and with good cause! What started out as research on his own family lineage developed into a passion and an impressive collection of handwritten books containing every birth, death, and marriage that has occurred in Bermuda, going back to 1866 when official record-keeping began for all persons born and residing in Bermuda!
As a writer, Ms. Giloth was intrigued at discovering Mr. Smith through a lady who also shared her astonishment of his unique gift. The lady described how Mr. Ming asked for details of her family; then, pulling out various books from his archival collection, he provided names and dates of ancestors that were not previously known to the younger generations in her family. This, she exclaimed, was very important because there’s now only one senior sibling – now aged 92 – of her grandparents’ children remaining; hence, she was delighted to capture a more complete snapshot of her lineage through Mr. Ming’s records.
Likewise, Ms. Giloth was motivated to meet with Mr. Ming, who – at 86 years old – still works diligently at his craft….daily! She proudly beamed about how privileged she felt to see, touch, and observe the full collection of notebooks and to research her own lineage. “It was extremely satisfying, and I discovered new knowledge about who I am!” she exclaimed.
Ms. Giloth encourages people to do their family research to: know who you are (self-esteem building) and develop the talents that are inherent in you (skill building).
Mr. Ming explained that the Bermuda Archives Department – the source for his data – maintain all of Bermuda’s records in giant books at their government offices, available for members of the public to view. Naturally, he has spent hundreds of hours doing his research. It is, indeed, the dedication and attention to detail of Mr. Ming’s decades-long “hobby” in maintaining his handwritten collection that will, no doubt, serve as his legacy. This is why Ms. Giloth is delighted to have encountered this hidden gem!
On a warm October afternoon, sitting in the shade of a collection of beautiful trees and flora, the Dream Girls Club paid a visit to Mr. Ming and caught a glimpse of a few of his notebooks and asked him questions about his life and hobby. Mr. Ming encouraged his young audience to develop a spiritual path in life and he proudly shared another of his admirable attributes; that of voluntarily maintaining the grounds around his residence – again, applying his meticulous attention to detail!
To close out our time together, we engaged in a group chant with Mr. Ming’s motto:
“Whatever you do, do it well!”
Thank you, Mr. John Earlston Glenwood Ming, for sharing your phenomenal gifts!
WE CELEBRATE YOU AS A TRUE BERMUDA GEM!
