The Governor’s Office announced today that the award of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) has been presented to Dr Jean Handscombe.
Dr. Handscome was recognised in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours for her exceptional voluntary service to the preservation of
Montserrat’s history and cultural heritage. She received the award at a ceremony held at the Governor’s Residence on Friday April 17.
“Jean embodies service — not for praise, not for recognition, but for the simple, profound belief that Montserrat’s history matters. That our stories matter. And that they must be preserved,” said Governor Harriet Cross.
A cornerstone of the Montserrat National Trust, Dr Handscombe has served on its Historical, Archaeological, Archive and Museum Committee since before the 1995 volcanic eruptions. Since 2015, she has voluntarily led the Trust’s Archive Section, devoting more than a
decade to researching, cataloguing and safeguarding irreplaceable records that preserve the island’s collective memory for future generations.
In receiving the award, Dr Handscombe paid tribute to the many people who, over the years, have shaped her work and deepened her understanding of what matters most to Montserrat and to Montserratians.
The MBE recognises not only Dr Handscombe’s achievements, but her unwavering commitment, professionalism and belief in the importance of Montserrat’s history — an enduring example of dedicated service to a community she has so profoundly enriched.
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