BEDROOM: TRADE WINDS

John and Lucille van Geest lived here at Molecey from 1958 until 1984. John with his brother Len had arrived from Holland in the 1930’s and set up a bulb importing business. In 1954 John signed a deal to be responsible for banana importing from the Windwards to the UK. They had a house on St. Lucia and, with his wife, John would check on the Geest banana plantations during the winter. The couple always returned back to Molecey in late Spring. He worked to ensure that even in the hurricane prone islands of the Windwards banana growers were supported to get fruit to the UK. In 1966 they hosted the Royal Yacht Britannia on St. Lucia when the new Queen was touring the Caribbean. John would go on to establish a shipping line, the Geestline to get the bananas crop home and as well he controlled the ripening and distribution network in the UK. By the mid 1980’s when Geest was broken up the banana business was worth £450 million to him a year.