**Peter Tardieu of *The Village of One* Dies at 94**
Peter Tardieu, whose enduring love story with his wife Molly was immortalised in the book *The Village of One*, died on Thursday at the age of 94.
Tardieu, who had been ailing for the past year, suffered a stroke last Tuesday and passed away in hospital. While the village of Paramin mourns the loss of a man known for his tireless labour in the mountain fields, his passing is felt most deeply by two women: his twin sister Nita, with whom he shared a lifelong bond, and Molly, his devoted wife of more than 60 years, who cared for him until his final days.
Their story—first told in an *Express* feature titled *The Vow*—stands as a rare testament to a bygone era of courtship, patience and devotion. In the 1950s, when Paramin was accessible only by bridle trail, Augustine Tardieu, as Peter was then known, formally sought permission to marry Molly Rachael Romany by writing a letter to her mother.
In August 1955, Augustine wrote requesting her hand in marriage, pledging respect and proposing a two-year engagement. Molly’s mother, Elizabeth Romany, replied with her blessing, expressing hope for a long and happy union under God’s guidance.
Born into a family shaped by displacement, Augustine grew up amid resilience and loss. The Tardieus once owned a substantial portion of land at Scotland Bay, Chaguaramas, but were forcibly evicted during preparations for the Second World War to accommodate a US military base. Like several other families, they resettled in Paramin, where Augustine learned gardening and carpentry—skills that would later sustain his family and define his life.
It was in those hills that he met Molly. Recalling their first encounter, Augustine once said he was returning from the garden when rain drove him to shelter by a village shop, where Molly happened to be. “We began to talk,” he recalled.
Molly remembered it just as clearly. “I went to buy something and met him. He didn’t waste time. He told me he loved me.” From that moment, both would have eyes only for each other.
Children of single parents, Augustine lived with his father while Molly was raised by her mother. Despite the isolation of village life and the slow pace of modernisation, Augustine pressed forward with determination. After receiving consent to marry, he undertook the formidable task of building a home for his future wife.
He purchased two lots of land for $108 and spent nine years crafting doors, windows and floorboards with his own hands. By the time they married in December 1964, the couple were already raising five children together—Heather, Peter, Spencer, Michelle and Fitzgerald.
The Tardieus worked the fertile Paramin soil, cultivating seasoning, provisions and cabbage, while Augustine also contributed to the community through carpentry and construction. Even in his later years, he continued to navigate the steep mountain roads in his Toyota Land Cruiser to tend his crops.
From the porch of their home, Peter and Molly watched village life unfold—the three-road junction, Carnival celebrations, parang, Blue Devils and everyday drama. Yet, as he once reflected, their world revolved mainly around each other and the letters that marked the beginning of their lifelong bond.
Peter Tardieu is survived by his wife Molly, their five children, 15 grandchildren, and his twin sister Nita.
Peter Tardieu, whose enduring love story with his wife Molly was immortalised in the book *The Village of One*, died on Thursday at the age of 94.
Tardieu, who had been ailing for the past year, suffered a stroke last Tuesday and passed away in hospital. While the village of Paramin mourns the loss of a man known for his tireless labour in the mountain fields, his passing is felt most deeply by two women: his twin sister Nita, with whom he shared a lifelong bond, and Molly, his devoted wife of more than 60 years, who cared for him until his final days.
Their story—first told in an *Express* feature titled *The Vow*—stands as a rare testament to a bygone era of courtship, patience and devotion. In the 1950s, when Paramin was accessible only by bridle trail, Augustine Tardieu, as Peter was then known, formally sought permission to marry Molly Rachael Romany by writing a letter to her mother.
In August 1955, Augustine wrote requesting her hand in marriage, pledging respect and proposing a two-year engagement. Molly’s mother, Elizabeth Romany, replied with her blessing, expressing hope for a long and happy union under God’s guidance.
Born into a family shaped by displacement, Augustine grew up amid resilience and loss. The Tardieus once owned a substantial portion of land at Scotland Bay, Chaguaramas, but were forcibly evicted during preparations for the Second World War to accommodate a US military base. Like several other families, they resettled in Paramin, where Augustine learned gardening and carpentry—skills that would later sustain his family and define his life.
It was in those hills that he met Molly. Recalling their first encounter, Augustine once said he was returning from the garden when rain drove him to shelter by a village shop, where Molly happened to be. “We began to talk,” he recalled.
Molly remembered it just as clearly. “I went to buy something and met him. He didn’t waste time. He told me he loved me.” From that moment, both would have eyes only for each other.
Children of single parents, Augustine lived with his father while Molly was raised by her mother. Despite the isolation of village life and the slow pace of modernisation, Augustine pressed forward with determination. After receiving consent to marry, he undertook the formidable task of building a home for his future wife.
He purchased two lots of land for $108 and spent nine years crafting doors, windows and floorboards with his own hands. By the time they married in December 1964, the couple were already raising five children together—Heather, Peter, Spencer, Michelle and Fitzgerald.
The Tardieus worked the fertile Paramin soil, cultivating seasoning, provisions and cabbage, while Augustine also contributed to the community through carpentry and construction. Even in his later years, he continued to navigate the steep mountain roads in his Toyota Land Cruiser to tend his crops.
From the porch of their home, Peter and Molly watched village life unfold—the three-road junction, Carnival celebrations, parang, Blue Devils and everyday drama. Yet, as he once reflected, their world revolved mainly around each other and the letters that marked the beginning of their lifelong bond.
Peter Tardieu is survived by his wife Molly, their five children, 15 grandchildren, and his twin sister Nita.
Follow us on Instagram: @news.tringlobe
