Thomas Raphael Lake, an Anguillian personality called Arkela/ Father Lake or the Welfare Officer, was Anguilla’s sole Social Welfare Officer from 1957 – 1976. He undertook short-term training as a social worker in the UK. In the early part of 1970 he took on a clerk to work with him until his retirement in 1976. In that same year he was honoured by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with the MBE award.

The late Rev. Lake

The Social Welfare Officer served as Chaplain to the Royal Anguilla Police Force and as member of Her Majesty’s Prison Board. During the time of the Anguilla Revolution the Magistrate’s residence, which was on the grounds now called Landsome Bowl or Carnival Village, was burnt down and the Magistrate returned to St Kitts. The Social Welfare Officer who manned the entire island was appointed as a Magistrate in the Revolutionary Government of Anguilla in 1968 . In 1975 he served as Justice of the Peace (J.P.)

He knew almost every family connection and was able to bring all those men, women and children who stepped out of order back in line. He used the cat-o-nine tail on many boys especially those who came to his notice by their parents. He was concerned about family restoration so that when men and other family members migrated he made contact with them to get remittances by saying, “remember your grandmother, children born out of wedlock/ bastards or whoever”. This strength was the outcome of his abilities as a community organizer. In 1996 the Government of Anguilla awarded him the Hero’s Medal for his contributions to the Anguilla Revolution.

As a stalwart, Mr. Lake organized the Boys’ Scout and Cubs Movement in Anguilla in 1933 after meeting with Lord Baden Powell, of UK, and his wife Olave Baden Powell. He served as the Commissioner of Scouts for many years. In 1954, he was the first Anguillian to be appointed as Chief Commissioner of Scouts in and for Anguilla. For his services in Scouting, he was awarded the Silver Acorn in 1966 and, five years later, the Bar to the Silver Acorn by the London Headquarters of the Scout Association.

The formation of the Boy Scouts and Cubs Movement brought the boys from the eastern, central and western end of the island together for the celebration of various annual activities by the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides. Activities included February – Thinking Day Service, May – Anguilla Day, June - The Queen Birthday, November Thanksgiving Service, picnics and other social functions. Those occasions bonded most of that generation of people. A remnant of those early Scouts (Walter Vanterpool) who is sixty plus years still accompany the young Commissioner of Scouts/ now the Honourable Othlyn Vanterpool to the Jamborees.

That bonding enabled him to pool the human and financial resources (jollification style) with which he built the Scouts and Guides Ruthwill Auditorium with assistance from a donor whose name is included in the naming of the building. The building is erected on land owned by the Anglican Church and is used as a community center.

Readers of The Anguillian newspaper for the week 12 February 2010, would have noted in the obituary that the daughter of that funding partner Ruth Williams Goodnow died in Florida on February 3, 2010. It would also have been noted in that same newspaper that the late Teacher Isa Lake, the sister of Father Lake who assisted with the upliftment of the Scouts and Guides Movement, died on February 5, 2010.

As a layman, Mr. Lake served as a member of the Vestry in St Mary’s Parish for many years. He was elected People’s Warden on several occasions. Later on, he was appointed Trustee of Church lands on Anguilla and as a member of the Diocesan Council.

After his retirement from the Anguilla Public Service he attended Codrington College in Barbados and pursued studies in Theology. He was ordained deacon in 1976 and priest in 1977. He served in Parishes in Barbuda, Nevis, Saba, and here at home until he retired in 1997. In addition, to his priestly duties, Father Lake was a member of the Anguilla Christian Council.

He died at the age of eighty-eight (88) years. On the day of his funeral, public viewing was held at the Scouts and Guides Ruthwill Auditorium and then at St Mary’s Anglican Church. His grave is located in the churchyard in front of the southern door. His grave bears the inscription “He made the difference” Rest in Peace.

When visitors read the inscription on the grave they usually ask – What do you mean by the words “he made the difference?”

The presentation on the late Reverend Raphael Lake was delivered at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School, on Monday February 22, 2010.

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