Who's who of Beterverwagting/Triumph
Guyana Chronicle
May 9, 2004
* Sir Donald Jackson, former Chief Justice, Speaker of the House of Assembly, President of the Court of Appeal and Governor during British rule;
* Justice Prem Persaud, former Judge of the Appeal Court, and current Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
* Ms. Cecilene Baird, former Minister of Education
* Dr. Henry Jeffrey, Minister of Heath;
* Mr. Vibert Pompey, former head teacher, St Mary ye Virgin Anglican School/ Minister of Education;
* Diplomat, Mr. Harold Sahadeo;
* Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Head, Public Service Ministry;
* Mr. Manzoor Nadir, Minister of Trade, Tourism and Commerce
* Mr. Kwesi Oginga, actor/journalist.
Historic dates/events
** 1843 - Bethel Congregational School made a Government school.
** 1843 - Youth Club started.
** 1844 - Boys Brigade formed.
** 1847 - Railway started running. Land was given to the company as a good-will token - not sold.
** 1852 - Bethel Congregational Church was moved from Plantation
Montrose to its present site.
** 1853 - St Mary-ye-Virgin Anglican School was built.
**1857 - 40 proprietors met at the village train station to establish the Village Council.
** 1858 - St Mary-ye-Virgin Church was built and the first service held on Easter Monday, April 25, 1859.
** 1862 - First Community High School established in BV under the tenure of daughter of the soil Cecilene Baird
The rebuilt St. Mary-ye-Virgin Anglican Church
** 1862 - Drainage pump erected at Triumph - a peddle wheel construction.
- Police Station erected.
** 1863 - Home of the first Congregational Church built after slavery and headed by African Deacon, Quamina. The church was earlier located in Le Ressouvenir before it was removed and re-built.
** 1864 - First coastal village to install the steam pump of which the remains are still evident.
** 1864 - First coastal village in British Guiana to arrange the forming of housing lots east to west.
- First coastal village to take advantage of drainage canals running east to west.
** 1864 - Erection of first Moravian Church.
** 1866 - In January 1866 people of BV offered to buy estate from Clarke for $48, 000 to assist him out of his financial difficulties by paying $20, 000 cash and the remaining $28, 000 in 90 days through two mortgages.
** 1874 - Erection of Saint Peter's R.C. Church
** Amalgamation of BV-Triumph under one authority. Chairman Rev. H.W. Grant, Overseer Mr. J.W. Ogle.
** BV at one time had three gas stations
** religion played an important role in the village
** 1891 - First Post Office in BV established.
** 1919 - BV/Triumph lean bank established
** 1920 - Abattoir established. (It is no longer in existence).
** 1936 - Village market established, still operates on same site
** 1928 - Pumping station (on Public Road ) opened.
** 1929 - Artesian well (by marketplace) sunk.
- Bethel Congregational School made a Government School.
** 1935 - The Tivoli Cinema erected
** 1935 - Market built
- Health Centre and Clinic built
** 1943 - BV Youth Club started
** 1943 - Boys' Brigade started under Sgt. Q. C. Yaw (Officer Com. Boys Scouts (April)
- Girls Guides established
- Community Centre formerly White Ross Society Hall was built
** 1953 - Bethel Church was re-located in BV
**1958 - St Mary-Ye-Virgin Anglican Church was established through the generosity of Canterbury Sammy hence the name of the street `Canterbury Walk'. Canterbury Sammy though said to be illiterate was knowledgeable in the village affairs. He contributed $30, 000 for the construction of the St Mary's Roman Catholic Church which was established in 1874.
- BV has four cemeteries - Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Roman Catholic.