Coming from a single-parent home, Hilton J Baker had to leave school in standard three. Although he had little education, Baker had a lot of ambition, promising to open his own business through hard work and sacrifice. In 1961, Baker's dreams materialised when he flung open the doors of the Caribbean's first flag company, Local Industry Trading, in Port-of-Spain.
His aim was to create a name for himself. And that is what he did, when he manufactured T&T's first national flag, which was hoisted in 1962 by prime minister Dr Eric Williams, as the country gained its independence from Great Britain.
Baker's name flew high for years until he passed away in 1980, after battling diabetes.
Fifty-one years after the company was established, Baker's daughter Ann Baker-Jeanville continues to carry on her father's legacy, manufacturing thousands of flags, bunting and banners through her company Bakers' Flags and Emblems Manufacturing Ltd in Arima. As T&T gets set to celebrate its 50th independence anniversary on August 31, Baker-Jeanville is creating another chapter in the family's history, manufacturing flags and emblems with the official logo for the occasion.
She also manufactured flags for all the countries that participated in the Fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, both held in 2009, which flew outside the Port-of-Spain Waterfront. Baker-Jeanville's company was also one of two businesses contracted to decorate the inside and outside of the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, with flags, draperies, rosettes, panels, bunting, banners and balloons for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Bakers' Flags will also decorate the Queen's Park Savannah for the Independence Day parade, which they must hand over a few days before the event. "This is our fourth time decorating the Savannah. Obviously we are doing something right."
In May, they worked alongside designer Brian Mac Farlane at the Port-of-Spain Waterfront, erecting rows of red, white and black suspended banners. "We are going out grand this year. Everybody wants something spectacular and unique."
Describing herself as a chip off the old block, Baker-Jeanville said she owes it all to her father, who had the vision and passion to create such a business as a supplier to the Government, industries, civil organisations, rotary clubs and schools. Baker-Jeanville said her father always urged his children to keep grounded no matter what.
"From humble beginnings, he pursued his dreams until he opened his flag company in 1961, which was the first in the country and the Caribbean. He saw an opportunity and capitalised on it." In 1962, Baker was given the job of making T&T's first national flag for Independence, which thrilled him. Sadly, his daughter says, "No one knows if that flag is still around."
With a staff of 35, Baker-Jeanville has produced thousands of flags, bunting, rosettes, caps, ties, pins, bracelets, car flags, balloons, brooch ribbons, vertical panels, pennants and banners for the upcoming celebrations. The company uses more than 50 bales of polyester, cotton, spandex, vinyl and silk to make the decorations. Work on the items began three months ago.
The standard five-by-three-foot rosettes, which are the most popular, are priced from $145 to $160. Flags range from $250 to $995, depending on the size. "We have spent many sleepless nights trying to fill the orders of our clients. Work has been going apace and will pick up speed as Independence draws closer." The orders, Baker-Jeanville said, came not only from government ministries but also from private businesses.
"We have noticed that a lot of interior decorators have been purchasing goods from us to do private jobs. We have never seen this before. It means people want to celebrate this momentous occasion." Baker-Jeanville said she can still remember as a child seeing the national flag being hoisted for the first time to the sound of the national anthem. "It was like the first symbol of nationhood." Once life is in her body, Baker-Jeanville said, she will continue to keep T&T's flag flying high.