Costa Rica Gourmet Coffee Heritage

Which came first in Costa Rica- the church orcoffee growers to haul the coffee to London on a
gourmet coffee? The man who founded the coffeeregular basis. In 1843 the firsh ship carried away 5000
industry also founded the church. Did his church needpounds of coffee. The venture was a success, and
coffee or did his coffee need churchhe began increasing the size of his fleet to
William Le Lacheur, an Englishman was born on 15accommodate the increasing demand for coffee in
October 1802 and was very early baptized with theLondon. During the rest of the 1840s, he diverted his
name Guillaume Le Lacheur (using the French versionother ships from the fruit trade to the coffee trade.
of the forename) in the parish church of the Forest,In 1850 he bought 5 more ships. During the 1860s, a
Guernsey on 31 October by his parents Jean Lefurther seven ships were added to the fleet. In
Lacheur and Marie Suzanne (née Allez). He gotaddition to his contribution to the Costa Rican
his name from his grand parents. Amazing how welleconomy through establishing trade routes, Le
the English do.Lacheur made a significant impact on the
William founded the Costa Rica coffee industry bydevelopment of a number of other aspects of Costa
establising the world trade markets with Europe andRica.
setting up the shipping lanes. He set up an EuropeanChurch coffee Le Lacheur, a devout Christian, was
trading route that took all the Costa Rica coffee toappalled by what he described "the lowest form of
market. William grew up rather quietly in England butthe Roman faith" being practiced where superstition
did grow a love for ships and shipping. He marriedtook precedence over true religion. He sent many
Rachel in 1828 in a church wedding.Since they werebibles across the countryside - helping spread the
not drinking coffee after dinner they played in bedchurch throughout Costa Rica. As a result he
and ended up with five children: his children Amelia,distributed 3,500 bibles in Costa Rica, and was
John, Louisa, Emma, and Rachel.presented with an inscribed Imperial Quarto Bible by
He started his company by buying a ship. Now hethe Bible Society in recognition of his achievements.
had to find something to ship. The year wasWhile the Us in 1864 was involved in a civil war,
1829.After sailing for 3 years and building a goodCosta Rica was building Protestent churches across
shipping route and building up some capital to expandthe country. It was made of pre-fabricated iron, was
his shipping business he decided to expand hiscarried to Costa Rica by Le Lacheur's son John and
business. He traded up and got a bigger ship calledwas assembled in San José as the Church of
the Minerva. By 1836, he had formed a company Lethe Good Shepherd. It became unofficially known as
Lacheur & Co, which owned two ships: Minerva &the 'Iron Church'. When it was rebuilt in 1937 with
Dart. He entered the fruit trade which required fastermore traditional materials, a memorial plaque was
ships; faster routes and more money. Over theerected to Le Lacheur with an inscription which
following years, he continued to add to his fleet, andincludes the phrase ' by whose exertions public
seek out new markets. In 1841, Le Lacheur tookProtestant worship was established in this Republic '.
delivery of the baroque Monarch. The Monarch was aLe Lacheur not only exported coffee but formal
much larger vessel capable of journeys furthers aeducation too. He sent many children to London to
field. With longer journeys he was able to expand hisget a more formal education. This caused a huge
trade and his routes. During a stop at the port ofboom in the success of the Costa Rica economy.
Mazatlan, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, he learntThis arrangement was also responsible for the
that the Costa Rican gourmet coffee growers wereintroduction of soccer to Costa Rica. Through this Le
having in finding a market for their produce. HeLacheur has also been credited with contributing to
decided to investigate.Costa Rica national team qualifying for the 2002 FIFA
Since their independence in 1839, Costa Rica foundWorld Cup [1]. In 1856 Costa Rica declared WAR.
no regular trade routes for their fruit or coffee in theThey stoped the invasion quickly and went back to
European markets. This was compounded bygrowing coffee. However, the march from the Costa
transportation problems within the country. TheRican military base in San José above them
farms were too far from the coast or too close towas very perilous. He used his ship to not only to
the Pacific Coast {remember no Panama Canal at thisexport coffee but also loaned them to the Navy for
time). The coffee-growing areas were located in thebattles. As a result, they successfully repelled the
central part of the country, and it was impossible,filibusters.Hewas buried in London in a nice cementary
because of the mountains and the rainy forest, toagainst his wishes to be buried in Costa Rica. There is
send the coffee to the Caribbean Sea and thereforea Memorial to Captain William Le Lacheur of Guernsey
to the Atlantic. It made sense to sail the coffeein the Church of the Good Shepherd, San José,
directly to England from the Atlantic side versusCosta Rica. He even had postage names done of him
going around South America from the west Pacific asin Costa Rica and London. Costa Rica Coffee: Captain
was currently done. Further hampering them wasWilliam Le Lacheur of Guernsey started the farming
Costa Rica had no internal railroad system.of gourmet coffee in Costa Rica. With over 100
William saw a huge business opportunity - as he hadyears of practice they now produce the finest
fallen in love with the Costa Rica coffee and knew itgourmet coffee in the world. Costa Rica - the finest
would sale well in Europe. He signed a treat with thegourmet coffee.