Everything about Saint James Parish Jamaica totally explained
Saint James>
|
|
| Location |
Latitude18°31'N
Longitude 77°59'W |
| Capital City |
Montego Bay |
| Major towns |
Adelphi, Cambridge,
Montpelier, Catadupa, Fairfield, Somerton, Irwin, Dumfries |
| County |
Cornwall |
| Area |
595 square km |
| Rank |
Jamaica's fourth smallest parish |
| Population |
178,000 in 2001 |
| Commerce |
Tourism, Agriculture
, Manufactoring |
St James is a parish, located on the north west end of the island of
Jamaica. Its
capital,
Montego Bay, originally called Manteca by the Spanish, was named the second
city of Jamaica, behind
Kingston, in
1981. The parish is the birth place of The Right Excellent
Samuel Sharpe (d.
1833), one of Jamaica's Seven National Heroes.
Brief history
When the Spanish occupied
Jamaica, Montego Bay was an
export point for
lard, which was obtained from wild
hogs in the
forests. In many of the Jamaica's early
maps, Montego Bay was listed as "Bahia de Manteca" (Lard Bay). The parish was given the name "St James" in honour of King
James II by Sir
Thomas Modyford, the island's first
English Governor. At the beginning of the English rule, the parish was one of the poorest; it had no towns, few inhabitants and little
commerce, except for the exported
lard. However, after the
treaty with the
Maroon in
1739, St James became one of the most important
sugar producing parishes. Annually, more that 150
ships arrived in Montego Bay bringing
slaves and supplies, and taking sugar. Commerce developed as wealthy
merchants and planters erected many elaborate town houses. In
1773 Montego Bay had the only
newspaper outside of
Kingston - The Cornwall Chronicle.
A fire, in
1795 and again in
1811, destroyed many parts of Montego Bay. After being rebuilt, it was again destroyed in
1831 by a
rebellion led by
Sam Sharpe. This rebellion was as a result of the slave owner's reluctance to free the slaves, even after England proposed that they end
slavery. Sam Sharpe, at first, tried to advocate
passive resistance, but a group of slaves became
violent and began setting fire to buildings and the surrounding
plantations and cane fields. As a result of being the main planner of the rebellion, Sam Sharpe was
hanged in the Montego Bay market place, which is today known as Sam Sharpe Square.
After
emancipation in
1834, the fortunes of the town and parish declined until the
banana trade was promoted by J E Kerr and Co. This prompted the start of
tourism in Jamaica. A Freeport was constructed in the
1960s, and later, a
cruise ship terminal was opened. Montego Bay was accorded city status on May 1,
1980. The
Sangster International Airport, one of the two on the island, is the hub for the national
airline,
Air Jamaica.
Geography
The parish is bordered by
Trelawny in the east,
St. Elizabeth in the south and
Hanover and
Westmoreland in the west. It covers an area of 594.9
sq km, making it one of the smallest parishes in Jamaica. The population was an estimated 178,000 in
2001.
About two-thirds of the parish consists of
limestone. The Nassau Mountains, which rise from St. Elizabeth, south of the parish, extend diagonally across St James. The range then decline to a point just south of
Montego Bay. Its highest point is approximately 1524 metres above
sea level.
Great River, which serves as the boundary between St James and its neighboring parishes Hanover and Westmoreland, and the Montego River, which rises in central St James and flows north, then west to Montego Bay, are the two main
rivers.
The city of Montego Bay may be roughly divided into two sections: the tourist area, which occupies the northern section of the
bay along the shore line, and the
commercial and
industrial sections, which are second only to Kingston in size and volume of
trade.
Commerce
Agricultural activities include
forestry, and the production of
sugar cane and other domestic crops. There are approximately 60 manufacturing establishments in the south of the parish, mainly for
garment,
woodwork, and food processing. There are also many industrial zones, including The Montego Free Zone, Bogue Industrial Estate, and Ironshore.
Tourism is the main source of
employment in the parish; one in four persons are employed in tourism. The major forms of employment in tourism are: 1)craft vending in the three craft markets in the parish, Harbour Street Craft Market, Old Fort Craft Market and Success Craft Market; 2)tour bus operating for such companies as JUTA and JCAL tours; and, 3) working in the many famous hotels located in the parish. Over 500,000 tourists annually visit St James, and this accounts for one-third of the revenue generated by tourism islandwide; Montego Bay is often called the Mecca of tourism in Jamaica.
Hotels
There are many famous hotels located in the parish of St. James, most of them in the Rose Hall area. These include:
Doctors Cave Beach Hotel, Wyndham Rose Hall, the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Half Moon Hotel and the newly built Iberostar Hotel located in Lilliput.
Sites
- Rose Hall Great house is the most famous in the parish, and probably in the island. It was built on a hill, two miles east of Ironshore in 1770 by John Palmer, the Custos of St James, who named the house after his wife, Rose. The house attracts over 100,000 visitors per year. The attraction to the house is triggered by the legend of 'The White Witch Of Rose Hall', Annie —the wife of John Rose Palmer— who reputedly murdered all three of her husbands, before being strangled by her slaves. It is believed that her ghost still haunts the property. In the Christmas/San Sharpe rebellion]] of 1831, slaves destroyed the house and it was left in ruins for over a century. John Rollins, a wealthy American, bought the property in 1966, and restored the house to its former grandeur.
Sam Sharpe Square is located in the centre of town. It displays a life sized sculpture of Sam Sharpe and his men during the Christmas rebellion in 1831.
Rio de Camorones or the Creek Dome was the source of drinking water until 1893. The dome still stands (although it no longer provides drinking water).
Old Fort was built in 1774 to protect the town. The old cannon is still pointing out to sea.
The Cage was a jail for recaptured runaway slaves. It is now used a Tourist Information Centre and museum.
St James is noted for its fine beaches. These include Greenwood, Rose Hall, Ironshore, Mahoe Bay, Walter Fletcher, Doctor's Cave, Cornwall Beach, Montego Freeport, and Spring Gardens.Further Information
Get more info on 'Saint James Parish Jamaica'.
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