On the trail of William Le Lacheur – Updated March 2026

William Le Lacheur is perhaps not as well known in Guernsey as some other famous Guernsey people, but deserves a place near the top of Guernsey’s ‘Hall of Fame’. The Star newspaper, in its obituary in 1863 said:

“Guernsey never gave birth to a man of whom the island had more cause to be proud or who has deserved to be more lamented than him whose decease we record. By his industry and intelligence and his Christian virtues he entitled himself to the highest esteem which society can confer.”

He is regarded as a national hero in the Central American country of Costa Rica where he established the coffee trade with London and transformed the economic position of the nation. He has appeared on banknotes and stamps there in both the 19^th and 20^th centuries. There is now a blue plaque at his home in the Forest, a recent commemorative plaque at St Katharine Docks, and a plaque at the Church of the Good Shepherd, San Jose, but more needs to be done to look after his legacy.

One initiative that has started is to make a film, ‘Black Gold’, about William Le Lacheur, his relationship with the then president of Costa Rica, and the establishment of the coffee exports to London. This would be a UK (and Guernsey) – Costa Rica co-production, and Deepak Sikka whose credits include ‘The King’s Speech’ and ‘First Reformed’ has been engaged to co-produce the film together with San Jose-based producer Esteban Quesada who worked on the production of the first ‘Paddington Bear’ movie when it shot in Costa Rica. It would be great if this film could be brought to fruition.

Painting of William Le Lacheur and Guernsey plaque

In July 2024, the Guernsey Society made a visit to Highgate Cemetery where William Le Lacheur is buried. During the visit we were told the general location of William Le Lacheur’s grave, but despite searching the area, we did not find it. On payment of £40 to the cemetery, one can obtain an exact location, and the offer of a cemetery official to take you to the grave.

The Society paid the fee and invited the Costa Rican ambassador to join myself and my wife on an October cemetery visit. We were greeted by Nick Powell, the duty manager, who explained that the staff there had done quite a lot of work on the undergrowth to cut a path through to the grave, and that the gravestone had broken off from the grave and fallen down the steep bank behind. It was not surprising that we hadn’t found it on our previous visit!

Photograph of William Le Lacheurs Gravstone Dec 2021. Image taken by Simon Edwards Esq

William Le Lacheur is buried in the older West Cemetery at Highgate, quite close to Charles Dickens’ parents, and to the famous scientist Michael Faraday. He is in an un-consecrated section of the cemetery, ground which was kept for ‘the Christian burial of non-Anglicans.’ William worshipped in Guernsey at Eldad Elim Pentecostal Church.

The visit of a master mason to the grave and gravestone declared it to be unsafe, and in danger of crashing down onto the road below. The Guernsey Society found a company, London Stone Conservation, who were equipped to bring the stone upright again, and to attach it securely to the grave. We started fund-raising for the work involved, and thanks to some generous donations from people in Guernsey and from the Guernsey Society, enough was raised to do the work which was completed in February 2026.

The next stage of the project will be carried out by a different company, Luxtons, who will clean the gravestone, and this work is imminent. We have sufficient funds for this, but not for the final job of restoring the lead lettering, and so further fund-raising is still required. It is hoped that the grave can be completely restored by summer 2026 if sufficient funds can be raised. Any donations will be gratefully received – please contact the Guernsey Society for information about how to do this.

We continue to work with the Costa Rican ambassador and with supporters in Guernsey to bring this project to a successful conclusion.