In the Words of the Cornerstone

In a recent post on your St Lucia Star homepage, I happened upon a tribute in which one Calixte George lionises (some might even say, canonises) the late Mr William Patrick Brown for his many listed skills, talents, accomplishments and legacies in respect of his homeland, Saint Lucia.

Praiseworthy, for sure, but before getting to the heart of the matter, I must first admit to not knowing whether the author might be Calixte George, father or son.

Notwithstanding, I am forced to express my puzzlement over at least one of the author’s inclusions, indeed the first-listed structure attributed to Mr Brown: the Carnegie Library. Now, far be it from me to take Mr. George to task for insufficient research, but where he claims the Carnegie Library as one of Mr. Brown’s structures, there is a giant question mark as to whence came that knowledge.

All my life I have known otherwise, though that’s hardly enough, is it? In addition, therefore, let me attest that the St Lucia Archives agrees with me. And, wait for it, there’s one more. Would you believe the cornerstone of that handsome, impressive, standout edifice (its much later extension pales in comparison) actually concurs as well, providing not simply supportive or corroborative, but clearly probative, conclusive evidence in its listing of one Saint Lucian name, etched on its bronze coloured surface: Lilburn A.K. Lawrence, Architect.

Indeed, my lifelong knowledge, family documents, the Archives, and the Library’s cornerstone cannot, I daresay, all be wrong. Finally, on the other hand, I wish to point out to Mr. George, perchance it was an oversight on his part, that he omitted to list one of Mr Brown’s certain legacies. I refer to, for want of a more accurate nomenclature, the Vigie Wonder located on Vigie Crescent, which I have the good fortune to look down on every day—whether I want to or not.

And, incidentally, in case the reader may be wondering why I’ve put up this justifiable defence, well, it’s the tiny fact that Lilburn A.K. Lawrence just happens to be my maternal grandfather.