Being an eyewitness to the struggles his dad faced, Lionel Belgrove challenged himself to do better. A philanthropist at heart, he hosted weekly informal charities where he gave money to individuals who really needed it; right on Coffee Street in San Fernando.

His son Reynold, was the first US qualified funeral director and embalmer in South Trinidad and the second in the whole country. With foresight and determination, Lionel propelled the company into the next stages of development. By closing the wheelwright and haberdashery businesses, he focused strictly on the funeral agency, thus moving it to where it still stands today; Corner of Belgrove Lane and Coffee Street.

Did you know:

-Lionel Belgrove bought research from India to understand how cremations are accurately done, specifically for the Hindu Community and lobbied for cremation permits.

-Under his direction, his gardener, Sookdeo Sharma, built the first wooden pyre to allow the last rite of the Hindu Community to be performed in T&T.

-Lionel designed the open coffin, used up till this day in both Hindu and Muslim funerals.

So the next time you are at a cremation modern or traditional, give a salute to Lionel Belgrove who helped fight for our right to choose cremation.