Kingston
A huge cotton tree was the major meeting point for Traveler's and traders coming to and from areas like Spanish Town, St. Thomas and St. Mary to refresh themselves and haggle with vendors.
This was the central point for Half-Way-Tree, hence how it got its name.
This was the central point for Half-Way-Tree, hence how it got its name.
Kingston was founded in July 1692, as a place for refugees and survivors of the 1692 earthquake that destroyed Port Royal. Before the earthquake, Kingston’s functions were purely agricultural. The earthquake survivors set up a refugee camp on the sea front. Approximately two thousand people died due to mosquito-borne diseases. Initially the refugees lived in a tented camp on Colonel Barry's Hog Crawle. The town did not begin to grow until after the further destruction of Port Royal by the Nick Catania Pirate Fleet's fire in 1703. Surveyor John Goffe drew up a plan for the town based on a grid bounded by North, East, West and Harbour Streets. By 1716 it had become the largest town and the centre of trade for Jamaica. The government sold land to people with the regulation that they purchase no more than the amount of the land that they owned in Port Royal, and only land on the sea front. Gradually wealthy merchants began to move their residences from above their businesses to the farm lands north on the plains of Liguanea.
Kingstown is overlooked by Fort Charlotte on Berkshire Hill, just west of town. Over 180 m above the bay, it is the major early 19th-century fortification on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. A redoubt accessed by a viaduct, it has guns pointing inland. The British garrison were to use it for holding out against the French while the Royal Navy brought reinforcements from other islands. The British had learnt a lesson when the French invaded the island in 1779, as they landed in Calliaqua, proving that any likely attack on the island would come from any location rather than directly on Kingstown itself.
The fort is named after King George III’s wife Queen Charlotte. The building work started at the turn of the century and was completed by 1806. In its heyday, it supported 600 troops and 34 guns. Some of the old barracks now house a museum with a colorful history of the Black Caribs or Garifuna depicted on its walls. The Island's women prisoners are located within the fort compound, there are between 6-12 residents at any one time. St Vincent still retains the death penalty and the nations gallows are also located nearby. Kingstown has undergone many changes over the years. During the Colonial era it gained the importance as the main control center for the administration of the affairs of Government. That focus still remains in the post-colonial times. Central Kingstown has become overcrowded as nearly all business with Government departments can only be transacted there during regular office hours.
Recently, Kingstown is known as the site for many of the scenes from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean.
The fort is named after King George III’s wife Queen Charlotte. The building work started at the turn of the century and was completed by 1806. In its heyday, it supported 600 troops and 34 guns. Some of the old barracks now house a museum with a colorful history of the Black Caribs or Garifuna depicted on its walls. The Island's women prisoners are located within the fort compound, there are between 6-12 residents at any one time. St Vincent still retains the death penalty and the nations gallows are also located nearby. Kingstown has undergone many changes over the years. During the Colonial era it gained the importance as the main control center for the administration of the affairs of Government. That focus still remains in the post-colonial times. Central Kingstown has become overcrowded as nearly all business with Government departments can only be transacted there during regular office hours.
Recently, Kingstown is known as the site for many of the scenes from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean.
Queen Charlotte,
wife of the English King George III (1738-1820), was directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black branch of the Portuguese Royal House.
Queen Charlotte, some think that she was the first "Black Queen" in Great Britain?
wife of the English King George III (1738-1820), was directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black branch of the Portuguese Royal House.
Queen Charlotte, some think that she was the first "Black Queen" in Great Britain?
Jamaican place-names can be straightforward, reflecting outstanding features of the natural landscape (eg., Above Rocks, St, Catherine). Or they can be historical, often either recalling events that took place, or famous people who lived, in an area (eg, Cudjoe Town). Many places are named after original landowners (eg, Nashville, Manchester, first owned by George Nash). Others reflect a sense of religion (eg., Mt. Zion, St. Thomas) or one of nostalgia for the places of origin of the many different immigrants in Jamaica.
Kingston (from King's Town) is a popular name found throughout the former British Empire, Ocho Rios, St. Ann (eight rivers) reflects Spanish influence, Guanaboa Vale, St. Catherine is said to come from the Arawak word for sour sop, guanaba. Denbigh, Clarendon is named after a place in North Wales and Whydad, St. Catherine is said to be named after a West African village. Still other place-names reflect a sense of matter of factness, eg, Shake-Hand Market, Portland, a square named for its use as a meeting place. Some also reflect a sense of whimsy such as Try See, St. Ann, a post-emancipation name inspired by the idea of having former slaves who received land "try and see" what could be done.
Kingston (from King's Town) is a popular name found throughout the former British Empire, Ocho Rios, St. Ann (eight rivers) reflects Spanish influence, Guanaboa Vale, St. Catherine is said to come from the Arawak word for sour sop, guanaba. Denbigh, Clarendon is named after a place in North Wales and Whydad, St. Catherine is said to be named after a West African village. Still other place-names reflect a sense of matter of factness, eg, Shake-Hand Market, Portland, a square named for its use as a meeting place. Some also reflect a sense of whimsy such as Try See, St. Ann, a post-emancipation name inspired by the idea of having former slaves who received land "try and see" what could be done.
HISTORY OF KING'S HOUSE
The list of Governors of Jamaica records the first Governor to Jamaica as early as 1661 as General Edward D’Oyley. At this time, the country was a Crown Colony of Great Britain. There was no official residence for Governors then and they resided wherever they wished and even lodged with the members of the Executive Council of the government of that era. The need for the Governors to have a permanent place to live in Britain’s colonies brought about King’s House. The official residence of Governors of Jamaica have always been called King’s House even during the reign of Queens.
By the year 1690 there was already a King’s House in Port Royal. Then Governor George William O’Brien, Second Earl of Inchiquin requested that a new King’s House be built in St. Jago De La Vega of the St. Catherine District. Plans for the King’ House in Spanish Town were prepared by Thomas Craskell, the Engineer of the island and the building was completed in 1762 while Sir William Henry Lyttleton was Governor a position he held from (1762-1766). King’s House in Spanish Town was obviously a building of considerable importance at that time. The capital was changed from Spanish Town to Kingston in 1872. The Governor at that time, Sir John Peter Grant, who served as Governor from 1866 to 1874 chose Somerset Pen, now known as King’s House Lands, on which was located the traditional home of the Anglican Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Jamaica for forty-six years to build the new King's House.
The list of Governors of Jamaica records the first Governor to Jamaica as early as 1661 as General Edward D’Oyley. At this time, the country was a Crown Colony of Great Britain. There was no official residence for Governors then and they resided wherever they wished and even lodged with the members of the Executive Council of the government of that era. The need for the Governors to have a permanent place to live in Britain’s colonies brought about King’s House. The official residence of Governors of Jamaica have always been called King’s House even during the reign of Queens.
By the year 1690 there was already a King’s House in Port Royal. Then Governor George William O’Brien, Second Earl of Inchiquin requested that a new King’s House be built in St. Jago De La Vega of the St. Catherine District. Plans for the King’ House in Spanish Town were prepared by Thomas Craskell, the Engineer of the island and the building was completed in 1762 while Sir William Henry Lyttleton was Governor a position he held from (1762-1766). King’s House in Spanish Town was obviously a building of considerable importance at that time. The capital was changed from Spanish Town to Kingston in 1872. The Governor at that time, Sir John Peter Grant, who served as Governor from 1866 to 1874 chose Somerset Pen, now known as King’s House Lands, on which was located the traditional home of the Anglican Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Jamaica for forty-six years to build the new King's House.