Toute Bagai Lecture Series brings the history of Trinidad’s first capital to life — and renews the call to protect what remains
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD — On Saturday 25 April 2026, the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago (NTTT) hosted an on-site edition of its Toute Bagai Lecture Series at the St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church. The morning brought together historians, preservation architects, and members of the public for a lecture series and guided cemetery tour at one of the country’s most enduring heritage sites.
Founded in 1592 as San José de Oruña, St. Joseph was the first seat of Spanish colonial government in Trinidad. The RC Church and its adjoining cemetery represent one of the oldest continuously maintained records of community life on the island. In 2026, the cemetery was formally added to the National Trust Heritage Asset list. Among those who attended were many who came specifically hoping to trace their own family histories — the cemetery holds records spanning from 1800 to the present, offering one of the few tangible starting points for genealogical research into Trinidad’s earliest documented communities. Records prior to 1800 have not survived.
The morning session featured three presenters.
Dr. Glenroy Taitt, Historian and former Head of Special Collections at the University of the West Indies, traced the history of St. Joseph from its founding as a colonial capital through the British period. He spoke of the church’s construction in phases across several decades, and of Governor Sir Ralph Woodford’s role in laying foundation stones for multiple churches in the early nineteenth century. Dr. Taitt’s presentation grounded the morning in the documented record — and in the gaps within it.
Rudylynn Roberts, Restoration Architect, presented on the restoration of the St. Joseph cemetery. The restoration is now complete. Maintenance works are ongoing to preserve the site going forward. Roberts spoke to the practical work involved in bringing the cemetery to its current condition, and the commitment required to keep it there.
Thais De Four, Preservation Architect and Principal Founder of Gayap Heritage Consultants, walked attendees through the cemetery’s tombs — pointing to familiar family names and drawing attention to the oldest tomb on the site, which bears the Latin inscription Memento Mori: remember, you will die. It is a reminder that a cemetery is not simply a place of death, but a place where identity is recorded and kept.
De Four also spoke about her decision to become a preservation architect. She described how Trinidad’s national conversation about economic diversification shaped her thinking — that if the country was serious about building new industries, someone needed to ensure the physical heritage those industries would depend on was still standing. Her firm, Gayap Heritage Consultants, works alongside the National Trust and organisations such as Citizens for Conservation to support preservation efforts across the Caribbean.
“The story of St. Joseph is in every historic building still standing,” De Four said.
Following the presentations, patrons were taken on a short tour of the cemetery, where they were able to view and learn about some of the oldest tombs on the site firsthand.
WHY THIS WORK MATTERS
Many of the people who came to this event came with personal questions. Who were their ancestors? Where did they come from? What traces, if any, remain? The St. Joseph cemetery is one of the few places in Trinidad where those questions can begin to be answered in physical form — through inscriptions, tomb records, and the community of researchers and historians who work to keep that knowledge accessible.
The Toute Bagai Lecture Series exists to bring this kind of knowledge into direct contact with the public — at the sites themselves, with the people doing the work. For the National Trust, public understanding is part of what makes preservation possible. A community that knows the value of what it has is better placed to protect it.
“The story of St. Joseph is in every historic building still standing.”
— Thais De Four, Principal Founder, Gayap Heritage Consultants
ABOUT RUDYLYNN ROBERTS
Rudylynn Roberts is an independent Restoration Architect with expertise in the conservation and rehabilitation of historic built fabric. She led the restoration project at the St. Joseph RC Church cemetery — a landmark undertaking now complete — and continues to advocate for the ongoing maintenance and stewardship of heritage sites across Trinidad and Tobago.
ABOUT GAYAP HERITAGE CONSULTANTS
Gayap Heritage Consultants is a Trinidad-based preservation practice founded by Thais De Four, MSc (Preservation Architecture, Tulane University; Tourism Management, Sheffield Hallam University, UK). The firm specialises in the documentation, assessment, and preservation of historic built fabric across the Caribbean, with a focus on sites at risk of loss. Gayap works alongside national institutions and community organisations to ensure that heritage preservation is technically grounded, publicly accessible, and built for the long term.
ABOUT THE TOUTE BAGAI LECTURE SERIES
The Toute Bagai Lecture Series is a flagship public education programme of the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago. Through on-site lectures, guided tours, and expert-led conversations, the series brings the country’s heritage sites and stories into direct, accessible contact with the public. The series is managed and designed by Joseph Bertrand. Past editions have been held virtually on zoom at Mille Fleurs Heritage House Trinidad and Tobago.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL TRUST OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Established under the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago Act, the National Trust is the country’s statutory body responsible for the identification, protection, and preservation of Trinidad and Tobago’s natural and cultural heritage. Through its programmes in education, outreach, advocacy, and preservation, the Trust works to ensure that the country’s heritage remains a living, accessible, and valued part of national life.
For further information, please contact:
Graeme Suite, CEO: Graeme.Suite@nationaltrust.tt | info@nationaltrust.tt | 868-225-4750
