Profile
The Honourable Steadman A. R. Fuller, CD, JP, L.LB (Hons)
Custos Rotulorum for the Parish of Kingston AND Chairman & Managing Director of Kingston Bookshop Limited
The Hon Steadman Fuller is a leading figure in the book industry. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, he is Chairman and Managing Director of the nation’s leading booksellers, Kingston Bookshop.
Mr Fuller consummated his love affair with books when he graduated from the Mico Teachers’ College (now The Mico University College). After two years in the classroom at a rural school, he took on the challenge of joint directorship of Kingston Bookshop, moving into the position of General Manager of the flagship store at 70B King Street.
He took over the reins as CEO in 1996 and, through astute management and exceptional leadership ability, has moved the company from one retail store to seven – spread across the parishes of Kingston, St Andrew, and St Catherine.
The Steadman Fuller-led Board has a keen interest in urban renewal and has fully established the Company in downtown Kingston at four locations. This interest is also manifested in the Company’s social involvement in the community through their annual Christmas Treat, holiday employment and internship programmes, and a Homework Centre, among other things.
As a national corporate citizen, Kingston Bookshop is a strong supporter of the education sector through sponsorship for a number of educational programmes, scholarships at all levels, and its annual salute to teachers.
Mr Fuller is also a property developer and a farmer – specializing in both animal and agricultural husbandry; and Chairman and Co-Founder of the Kingston and St Andrew Development & Homecoming Foundation Ltd.
A proponent of life-long learning, Mr Fuller completed a Bachelor of Law Degree (L.LB Hons) at the University of Huddersfield. He was the second recipient of the prestigious Trail Blazer Award from the Book Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ) for his pioneering work in the organisation and continues to serve in the capacity of Director with responsibility for Distribution. He was conferred with The Mico Gold Medal Award in October 2012. He is the Chairman of the Board of both the Tulloch Primary School in St Catherine and Mona High School.
He was installed as Custos Rotulorum for the Parish of Kingston on February 25, 2010.
Custos Fuller has been married to Sonia for over 40 years and they have four adult children and three grandchildren. The family worships at the Webster Memorial United Church.
Origin
Custos rotulorum (the plural of which is Custodes rotulorum) is the Latin phrase for "keeper of the rolls". It is a civic post which is recognised in England where it originated and in Jamaica.
The Office of the Custos traces back to fourteenth century England when in 1391 King Richard II issued the Grand Commission appointing Custodes and Justices of the Peace to assist in maintaining law and order in English Counties. In Jamaica, the first mention of the office appears in the Legislative Council Minutes of the 28th day of July, 1668 in an Ordinance dealing with the Orderly Proceedings of the Courts within the island.
Appointment
The Custos is appointed by the Governor-General acting on the advice of the Prime Minister and shall be a resident of the parish to which he/she is appointed, save in the case of the Corporate Area.
Functions and Duties
The functions and duties of the Custos are to:
- Be the representative of the Governor-General within the parish. It is his duty, in the absence of the Governor-General, to receive the Sovereign, any member of the royal family, the Prime Minister on an official visit, or any important personage commended by the Governor-General who arrives within the precincts of the parish. It is his duty to receive the Governor-General when he pays official visits to the parish.
- Be the Chief Magistrate of the parish, and to prepare a roster of the Justices of the Peace within the parish so that there are sufficient JPs at each meeting of the Petty Sessions Court and in the various districts to carry out the work.
- Be the chairman of the committee in each parish which is responsible for making recommendations to the Minister of Justice in regard to suitable persons for appointment as Justices of the Peace.
- On behalf of the Governor-General, to interest himself in the work of all voluntary organisations in the parish, and ensure that their activities receive suitable recognition on public occasions.
- Meet the Judge of the Circuit Court at the Court House at the opening session.
- Hold office during the Governor-General's pleasure and in any event vacate his office on transferring his residence from the parish (or the Corporate Area in the case of Kingston and St. Andrew) or on attaining the age of seventy-five years, unless specially requested to continue in office, provided that the age limit shall not apply to Custodes who were appointed prior to 1958.
- Chairman of the Governor-General's Achievement Awards Committee
- Chairman of the Parish Advisory Committee on Local Government Reform
- Chairman of the Community Consultative Committee for the parish;
- Co-Chairman, along with the Mayor, of the Labour Day Committee
- Chairman of the Prime Minister's Values and Attitudes Committee for the parish
- Chairman of the parish Disaster Preparedness Committee
- Head of the Justices of the Peace of Jamaica Parish Association
Privileges
The Custos is entitled to the following:
- To be referred to as "Honourable" both during his tenure of office and after retirement.
- To affix a pair of official "C R" (Custos Rotulorum) plates to his/her motor vehicle.
- To be conferred with a National Honour of no less a rank than that of Order of Distinction (Commander Class) upon his/her appointment or soon thereafter.
Custodes for Kingston since Jamaica’s Independence - 1962
