In line with one of the cultural and social traditions in Anguilla, the late respected Anguillian businessman and philanthropist, Mr. A. R. Lake, lying in a mahogany casket, was taken on an island-tour to a number of areas which he frequented during his lifetime. The event was on Friday, December first, the day prior to the National Funeral held in his honour.
The route took in such places as Sandy Ground, where his warehouse is located; Road Bay and the Customs Department; South Hill where one of his properties is located, and down past the Spanish community where, as a former resident and worker in Santo Domingo, he was highly respected; up to Little Harbour and Long Ground, where family properties are located; across to the vicinity of his business places in The Quarter and Stoney Ground; the eastern end of Anguilla and the Shoal Bay/Brimigen areas.
The island tour was followed by a mass public viewing of his body on the grounds of his Marketplace where hundreds of people, from throughout the island, gathered to pay tribute to him. They were accommodated inside and around a large tent, in close proximity to other tents with food and refreshment for senior citizens, children, and all other persons in attendance.
The casket, bearing Mr. Lake’s body, was placed at the head of the main tent beneath his statue and that of his wife, just in front the supermarket and wholesale business. During the tributes, people from everywhere filed past his casket, pausing only to catch one last glance at the man who influenced, empowered and enriched their lives and their homeland in one way or another.
Of particular interest was a single wreath on his casket – not made from flowers, as one would normally expect, but from what appeared to have been potato vines, as well as guinea corn, maize (corn), and other agricultural plants and products in which Mr. Lake delighted – and encouraged Anguillians to pursue as a way of living and food production. It was also the only wreath that appeared on his casket at the National Service and his burial place in the Mausoleum. Apart from the significance of the wreath in terms of agricultural husbandry, it reflected the humility of a successful entrepreneur in the business and economic field in Anguilla – and the manner in which he climbed to that success and stuck to that humility, or way of life, despite his remarkable accomplishments.
The tributes came from over fifty individuals and groups representing Government, the church, business places including Sol St. Lucia Ltd (for which Mr. Lake served as an agent for many years), the community at large, family members and friends.
It was not possible to list all who delivered tributes in song, word or gifts. However, the scenes and some of the main tributes – during the considerably long event – are produced as part of this article.
