[UPDATED] Historian Gerard A Besson has died

The death of historian, writer, and folklorist Gerard A Besson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 81, is being mourned as a huge loss to TT.

A release from his family said Besson passed away peacefully at his home in Cascade after a prolonged illness.

In an interview with Newsday editorial consultant Judy Raymond in Caribbean Beat magazine in 2015, Besson described his life growing up in a house called the Hermitage on Hermitage Road in Belmont, the son of Joe Besson, an air raid warden who ran cocoa estates, and Maggie Boissiere, who worked in the Venezuelan oilfields. He was born on January 20, 1942.

He attended Tranquility High School and then St Thomas High School, but had learning difficulties. He left school in his mid-teens and worked at Bermudez Biscuit Factory for five or six years.

Following the death of his mother and grandmother, Besson inherited a large sum of money nad moved to England with the intention of attending St Martin’s School of Art, but couldn’t get in because he didn’t have O’Level passes.

“I didn’t get in, but I met the registrar and showed him my paintings and short stories. I started showing up there anyway. I went to the Tate, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum. I went to classes in photography, graphic arts, typography, mortuary decoration — I designed tombstones. I worked as a waiter. After a year and a couple of months, I came back. I got a job in an advertising company — I could write copy, I could do an odd turn of phrase, and one-liners.”

Besson worked at Edward Habib clothing stores as a window dresser and showcase designer, and designed an ad campaign using black people, one of the first of its kind in the island. It was during this time he met and married his first wife Sheelagh.

They started an ad agency, Creative Advertising, in 1973, along with Desperadoes arranger Clive Bradley. He was involved in marketing the launch of the National Commercial Bank, the National Insurance Board’s Logo, TTEC’s logo, Stag Beer, Flavorite Ice Cream and Matouks.

He wrote his first book, Tales from the Paria Main Road, printing it in the office, and sold several hundred copies, which led to him coming into contact with Olga Mavrogordato, author of Voices in the Street, a 1979 collection of historical writings. The two collaborated for over three decades.

In 1981, Besson found Paria Publishing with a view to creating a body of published works about the history and culture of TT. He headed the company as Chairman until shortly before his death. The company does annual reports, magazines and other corporate publications, artwork of company accounts for newspapers or online throughout the Caribbean, production of institutional and ministerial publications, advertising and branding, packaging and vehicle design.

The first book published under Paria Publishing was the writings of Pierre-Gustave Louis-Borde on “A History of Trinidad Under the Spanish Government.” Next was the republication of J.B. Phillipe’s, “Free Mulatto,” followed by “This Old House,” a collection of drawings which captured Trinidad’s built heritage and then video documentaries on Michel-Jean Cazabon. Thus far the agency has published over 100 books.

Other books written by Besson include A Photograph Album of Trinidad at the Turn of the 19th Century; The Diary of Dreams; Folklore and Legends of Trinidad and Tobago; and The Book of Trinidad (with Bridget Brereton).

He has written three fictional books set in regional historical backgrounds: The Voice in the Govi, From the Gates of Aksum, and Roume de St. Laurent … A Memoir.

His work with Paria Publishing eventually led to the dissolution of his first marriage, and he married a second time.

His family said Besson achieved legendary renown through his work as a social historian and folklorist.

“Always accessible to educators, journalists and students from the world over, he literally was one of the last giants who knew the most interesting minutiae about Trinidad and Tobago’s history—and his natural ability as a raconteur brought his stories to life. He fiercely loved the country of his birth, and memorialised it in his capacity as a publisher, as a writer of historical novels, folklore books and non-fiction works, and a contributor to local and international media and academia over the last 50 years.”

The release said his blog Caribbean History Archives has been visited by over two million persons to glean information about TT, and the books Folklore and Legends of Trinidad and Tobago, and Book of Trinidad have become modern classics.

Besson curated museums for the Police Service, the House of Angostura, the Pitch Lake Museum at La Brea, and the city of Port of Spain, and a number of temporary exhibitions and museal exhibits.

In 2000 and 2001, Besson wrote and produced The Land of Beginnings, a monthly supplement to the Newsday that dealt with historical topics and appeared for 24 months.

He served as a member of or advisor to various Government-appointed work groups. For seven years he was on the Council of the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus) and a director of the National Museum. He also served on the Advisory Council for the setting up of an Academy of Arts, Letters, Culture and Public Affairs of the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and on the Equal Opportunities Commission

He was awarded the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) for Heritage Preservation and Promotion in 2007 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Trust of Trinidad & Tobago. He was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Letters from the University of the West Indies in 2015.

“Jerry”, as he was known to all, leaves behind his wife Alice, his three sons André, Aaron and Dominic, their mother Sheelagh, his daughter-in-law Tricia and three grandchildren.

Paria Publishing said it would miss him and continue to honour his legacy by publishing and producing works about the history and folklore of TT.

Historian Prof Emerita Bridget Brereton, who worked with Besson for years, said his death was another huge blow to everyone interested in the history and culture of TT, as it followed closely on the death of Prof Brinsley Samaroo. She said Besson made three huge contributions to TT’s culture and history.

“First, he founded Paria Publishing Company, which over many decades has published or republished many classics of TT history, too many to list, many of which would not have been published or republished unless Jerry Besson and Paria Publishing had taken the financial risk of publishing them.”

She said his great contribution was that he was a great resource for everyone who had questions about TT culture and history, including the Caribbean History Archives, and was always generous with his time and help to people.

“His third contribution was his own books. He published non-fiction books about the folklore, for example, of TT, and he wrote three fictional novels about TT and regional history. He had just finished a long novel about the Phillipe family of Grenada and Trinidad. It was only three or four weeks ago that I was reading the last few chapters of that book. I know that Paria will bring that book out, it will be one of his legacies.

“This is a huge loss, this is a man who contributed enormously to better understanding of the culture and history of the nation he was a very proud citizen of.”

Bocas Lit Fest founder and president Marina Salandy-Browne said, “Jerry’s demise leaves a huge hole in the publishing world and literary ecosystem. He set an example and never lost heart or his sense of humour. We will miss his stories as much as his inordinate energy, generosity and knowledge.”

Editor's Note: This is an update to a story published online earlier in the day and which can be read below:

Historian, writer, and folklorist Gerard A Besson died on Tuesday at the age of 81.

A release from his family and Paria Publishing Company Limited said he passed away peacefully at his home in Cascade after a prolonged illness.

Besson was the founder of Paria Publishing Company, a former advertising executive and head of Creative Advertising, which he founded in 1972. Renowned for his work as a social historian and folklorist, he wrote historical novels, folklore books and non-fiction. He also contributed to local and international media and academia over the last 50 years.

The release said Besson curated several museums in Trinidad and served as a member of or advisor to various Government-appointed work groups.

Besson received the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) for Heritage Preservation and Promotion in 2007 and an Honorary Doctorate in Letters from the University of the West Indies in 2015.

The release said, “Jerry, as he was known to all, leaves behind his wife Alice, his three sons André, Aaron and Dominic, their mother Sheelagh, his daughter-in-law Tricia and three grandchildren."

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Historian, writer and folklorist Gerard "Jerry" A Besson died on Tuesday at 81.

A release from his family and Paria Publishing Company Ltd said he passed away peacefully at his home in Cascade after a prolonged illness.

Besson was the founder of Paria Publishing, a former advertising executive and head of Creative Advertising, which he founded in 1972. Renowned for his work as a social historian and folklorist, he wrote historical novels, collections of folklore and nonfiction. He also contributed to local and international media and academia over the last 50 years.

The release said Besson curated several museums in Trinidad and served as a member of or adviser to various government-appointed work groups.

Besson received the Humming Bird Medal (Gold) for heritage preservation and promotion in 2007 and an honorary doctorate of letters from UWI in 2015.

The release said, “Jerry, as he was known to all, leaves behind his wife Alice, his three sons André, Aaron and Dominic, their mother Sheelagh, his daughter-in-law Tricia and three grandchildren."