Ramcharan-Crowley

Henry was one of the earliest graduates of Rev. Grant's personal classes, from which grew Naparima College. Tutored together with Rev Grant's own daughters, Margaret and Claudia, he was eventually appointed Headmaster of Hermitage Canadian Mission School from 1896 to 1900, and then a catechist until his ordainment in 1915 as a minister of the Presbyterian church. "...In Girdhari, Radhakissun, Pryag, Laltoo, and Lakhan, we have strong men: these last three are respectable English scholars..." - Rev. Grant, writing to Mission Council, 1902 Henry had two sons who also attended Naparima: Jacob and Ralph

Rev. Henry Laltoo 1876 - 1958 Henry was born in India in May of 1876. At the age of four, he travelled to Trinidad with his mother to start a new life. There he became one of the earliest graduates of Rev. Grant's personal classes, from which grew Naparima College in Trinidad. He was tutored together with Rev Grant's own daughters, Margaret and Claudia. Henry Laltoo was eventually appointed Headmaster of Hermitage Canadian Mission School from 1896 to 1900, and then a catechist until his ordainment in 1915 as a minister of the Presbyterian church. He served in this capacity in Cannan, Diamond Village, Picton, Monkey Town, Barrakpore, Debe, Penal, Penal Rock Road and San Francisque Road.

"Ethel Maude McCrorie married Henry Laltoo (1877 - 1958) in 1910. He was an indentured servant from India that was converted to Christianity by the Canadian Presbyterian Mission. He became a minister in the church and later became very wealthy with oil etc. He had many sons and daughters."

The only reason our family knows that Henry Laltoo came from Farrukhabad is that his mother spoke of it often. We still have in our possession the indentured papers issued to them by the British Government at the end of their indentured term in Trinidad. It states that Sabsoo (Laltoo’s father), Gonasie (his mother), and Lal (the future Henry Laltoo) sailed on the ship the S.S. Foyle to Trinidad (copy of document attached). Lal was listed as an under aged child which meant he was under five years of age. Most of these papers were lost in the ensuing years among the Indian population. They were issued in a tin canister to be worn around the worker’s neck while indentured. After five years, they could buy their freedom. Many canisters and the document inside were destroyed as the last link to a life of servitude. We kept ours! Sabsoo died shortly after arrival. Gonasie was assigned to the Picton Sugar Estate. Young Lal, (Lal means “beloved” in Hindi) left to his own devices, was picked up by a Canadian Missionary and sent to a local C. M. School (Canadian Mission School). These were set up throughout the island by Canadians from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, so it’s not so unusual that my family chose to immigrate to the land of their mentors. We now reside in the Greater Moncton Area in New Brunswick. Shortly after turning fiver years old, Lal was baptized as a Christian by his teacher who baptized the whole class en masse. He was given the Christian name of Henry. Thus, Laltoo became his surname. Officially named Lal by his parents, the “too” is a diminutive of affection like Bob becoming Bobbie. Indians from the region of India they originated from, in those days, had only one name, so it’s impossible to trace our family back further. Gonasie brought a pair of earrings to Trinidad as her only valuable. This was split and made into two brooches. My brother’s family has one earring and my father’s brother, Joseph’s family has the other. Sabsoo brought a small, round brass bell he kept on his master’s horse’s bridle. I have that in my possession. Later, when Gonasie became blind, she used the bell to signal for help to move around her house. My father, Ralph, remembered this all of his life. My daughter returning to this region of India is the first and only family member to do so in four generations! Henry moved up in society swiftly due to his Canadian connections. He escaped working on the land (although he became a landowner in later life and was a “hobby/subsistence” farmer). He became one of the first “coloured” teachers on the island, moving onto divinity school, becoming among the first ordained ministers in 1915 (the year my father, Ralph, was born). His first wife, Charlotte, and he had five children, four or whom lived to adulthood (she died giving birth to the fifth child who also died in childbirth).