Jamaica History Trivia

1. What luxurious hotel, once located on Harbour Street close to Kingston's waterfront, was formerly a popular winter resort for the world's rich and famous?

From Quiz Kingston, Jamaica Potpourri

Answer: Myrtle Bank Hotel

Myrtle Bank Hotel was built sometime in the 1800s, but started to operate as a hotel in 1891 just in time for the Jamaica International Exhibition of that year. It was one of the most famous hotels in the world and in its golden era was host to members of the British Royal Family and celebrities such as Errol Flynn, Noel Coward, and Truman Capote. The hotel, which had been rebuilt after its destruction by the 1907 earthquake, later suffered a major fire in which some guests and staff perished. It is sad to note that Myrtle Bank had an official "whites only" policy. People of African descent could serve as entertainers and hotel staff but were not welcome as guests nor were they allowed to use the amenities. There is a well-remembered story about an Afro-Jamaican journalist who, in 1948, challenged the existing state of affairs. He jumped into the hotel's swimming pool and refused to leave when ordered to do so. He insisted that he would leave only on the return of the white guests who had run away from the pool when he jumped in. His brave action succeeded in breaking down the colour barrier at the hotel. The hotel was eventually demolished in 1960 to make way for the redevelopment of the waterfront area. It was reported in October 2011 that an agreement may have been reached between the government, who own the land, and private interests to build a new hotel and condominium apartments on the site. The Tower Isle Hotel is located in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, on the island's north coast. It was built in 1949 by business magnate Abe Issa who has been called "The Father of Jamaican Tourism." In the early days, the hotel was a luxurious playground for Hollywood celebrities. It is believed that the embarrassingly gaudy, floral "Tower Isle shirts" popular with locals and tourists during the 1950s took their name from this hotel. In 1978, Mr. Issa introduced the "all-inclusive couples concept" at Tower Isle which made stays at the hotel affordable for many more people. The hotel is part of the Couples Resorts Jamaica chain and, interestingly enough, the business is still controlled by members of the Issa family. The Constant Spring Hotel on Hope Road was built in 1888. It was built to accommodate some of the 300,000 visitors expected to visit the island for the 1891 Jamaica International Exhibition. Its 100 rooms were lavishly decorated and every imaginable amenity was provided. Operating the hotel proved to be unprofitable, however, and in 1940 it was sold to the Scottish Franciscan sisters. The nuns moved their school from its original downtown location to this site. The school, known as the Immaculate Conception High School, can still be found on these premises today. Frenchman's Cove is located in Port Antonio in the parish of Portland on the island's northeastern coast. It is an all-inclusive hotel that dates from the 1960s.

From Quiz Kingston, Jamaica Potpourri

Answer: Madame Rose Leon

Madame Rose Leon (1911-1999) was born in Kingston. She entered politics in 1944 as a member of the JLP and in 1949 was elected to represent a St. Andrew constituency in the legislature. In 1960, however, she refused to support her party's decision to seek Jamaica's withdrawal from the West Indies Federation. She resigned from the party. In 1967 she accepted an invitation to join the PNP and two years later she regained her former constituency, and took her place in Parliament for the PNP. Madame Leon served her country in a variety of political capacities, including a term as the Deputy Mayor of Kingston, before she retired from active politics in 1980. She was an astute businesswoman establishing with her husband a successful cosmetics manufacturing company in 1938 and later, a beauty school. Both of these enterprises still exist. In 1999 Madame Leon was murdered during a robbery at her home. Jamaicans around the world were saddened by the news and outraged to learn of the violent manner in which she was killed. During her lifetime, Madame Leon received Jamaica's highest honours. Other awards have been granted posthumously. Madame Leon is remembered lovingly for her indomitable spirit and her work continues to inspire Jamaican women who want to venture into politics and business. Miss Gladys Longbridge refers to Lady Gladys Bustamante (1912-2009), the wife of Sir Alexander Bustamante (1883-1977) who is one of Jamaica's National Heroes. Their association began in 1936 when Miss Longbridge, as she was then, became his personal secretary. Bustamante or "Busta" as he was affectionately called, founded the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and in 1943, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Ms Longbridge worked tirelessly alongside him in the party and the trade union movement. Several life-changing events occurred for her in 1962: Sir Alex was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Jamaica obtained its independence from Britain and Sir Alex became Jamaica's first Prime Minister. He and Lady Bustamante were also married in that year. Lady Bustamante is buried beside her husband in the National Heroes Park in Kingston. The Hon. Sarah Dingle Foot (1939-) is the daughter of the late Hugh Mackintosh Foot, Baron Caradon, who was Governor of Jamaica from 1951 to 1957 and his wife, the late Baroness Sylvia Foot. In Jamaica, Sir Hugh and Lady Foot, as they were then known, so immersed themselves in the lives and welfare of the people that there was great sadness at their departure. While in Jamaica, the Hon. Sarah attended Priory School in Kingston and resided with her parents at King's House, the Governor's official residence. In 1961, she married Major Timothy Nicholas Percival Winter Burbury and took his surname. They have two children Camilla and Charles Burbury. Although the Hon. Sarah now lies in Cornwall, England, the Foot family has not severed its ties with Jamaica. Her son, Charles Burbury, resides there as owner and operator of a coffee plantation and tourist resort in the Blue Mountains. Mrs. Edith Dalton James (1896-1976) was a prominent educator and politician. A founding member of the People's National Party, she ran unsuccessfully for election in 1944 and again in 1949 in the constitutency of St. Andrew Western. Coincidentally, Madame Rose Leon ran against her in the 1949 election and won the seat. Mrs. Dalton James made histoty as the first woman to be elected as President of the Jamaica Union of Teachers. She was re-elected to this position four times between 1949 and 1962. She was a member of the Women's Liberal Club and advocated for women's rights in Jamaica and in the Caribbean. She received numerous awards for her service to education and other awards are made each year in her memory. Institutions in Kingston that have been named after her include a high school, a public library and a child care centre.

From Quiz Jamaica: A Bit of History (1494-1962)

Answer: Tacky

Eventually caught and defeated, the rioting slaves were either killed or deported to the former colony of British Honduras, now known as Belize. Tacky and the other ringleaders were executed. Cudjoe was a Maroon who worked with Nanny in the early 1700s to resist the occupation by the British. Calico Jack was the nickname of English pirate John Rackham. He was especially noteworthy for being the employer of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two of the most famous WOMEN pirates in history. Determined not to let convention get in the way of his love for then-married Bonny, Calico Jack commandeered a ship and was able to pass Bonny and Read off as male pirates. They roamed the Caribbean, raiding and plundering Spanish ships until October 1720, when they were caught by pirate-hunter Jonathan Barnet. Barnet had been employed by the Governor of New Providence (the Bahamas) to capture them. Calico Jack was tried in St. Jago de la Vega (Spanish Town), Jamaica on November 16, 1720 and hanged the next day. Marley is my reference to Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley (February 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981), Jamaica's most famous musician. Although preceded by many talented musicians, it was Marley's talent as singer and songwriter that gained Reggae worldwide acceptance. Marley developed cancer in 1977 but refused most treatments to combat the melanoma. On route from Germany to Jamaica in 1981, Marley fell ill and died in Miami, Florida (USA) on May 11. He was the recipient of the "Order of Merit", Jamaica's third highest honor.

From Quiz Kingston, Jamaica Potpourri

Answer: Times Store Ltd.

Times Store was one of Kingston's landmark retail outlets. The store first opened for business in 1898 and operated for more than 100 years. Generations of Jamaicans bought goods at the store or lunched in what is believed to have been Jamaica's first cafeteria. From its sponsorship of the Kingston Santa Claus Parade, the store carved out a special place for itself in Christmas celebrations. For most people, the day of the parade marked the beginning of the Christmas season. The parade consisted of floats, marching bands, marchers representing community groups, and costumed figures. Thousands of people lined the route which ended at the store where the Mayor of Kingston was on hand to greet Santa Claus. It was a great treat for children to be taken to visit Santa and to buy toys in the store. Of these three retail stores all of which are located in Kingston, (Sangster's Book Store, Nathan and Co. Ltd. and E.A. Issa & Bros. Ltd.), Sangster's is the only one that is still in existence. Sangster's, the largest bookstore and book publisher in the island, was established in 1938. Since 2009, Sangster's has been owned by Carlong Publishers (Caribbean) Ltd., a local firm, who bought it from The Gleaner Company. During its time, Nathan and Co. was the largest retail business in Jamaica. It was established in Kingston by Alexander McDowell Nathan in 1882. In the beginning there were two stores in Kingston, "The Bee Hive" on Harbour Street and "Metropolitan House" on King Street. Sadly, Mr. Nathan perished in the 1907 earthquake that destroyed the Metropolitan House building. Ownership of the business passed to his son. The store was rebuilt in 1908. It is said that Nathan's brought the first escalator to Kingston and once they overcame their fear of this novelty, children would go to the store to ride the escalator as many times as they were allowed. Before it closed, the business grew to four stores in the city and four branches around the island. E. A. Issa & Bros. Ltd. was a retail business started in 1894 by three Issa brothers. Their first store on Harbour Street was destroyed in the 1907 earthquake and was rebuilt in 1911. In 1916, the brothers dissolved their partnership with one brother continuing to operate the retail stores while the others pursued other ventures. There is a long-standing belief that the Issa King Street store was the first retail location in Jamaica to have air conditioning. Even though this store was closed in the 1960s, the Issa family continues to own other retail stores that are found in plazas around Kingston.

From Quiz Jamaica: A Bit of History (1494-1962)

Answer: George Gordon and Paul Bogle

Since Emancipation in 1838, the now-free slaves did not fare much better than before. Poverty and mistreatment were still the norm even though a few of the educated elite tried to change the conditions. George William Gordon, a free coloured landowner and a Member of the House of Assembly representing St. Thomas, was an outspoken critic of abuses imposed on the populace by, among others, the Anglican Church. Edward John Eyre, the new Governor (1864) of Jamaica and a devout Anglican, despised Gordon and deprived him of his commission as a Justice of the Peace. On October 11, Paul Bogle, a dedicated supporter of Gordon, marched with a band of men to demonstrate in front of the courthouse. The ruling official (Custos) at the time, Baron von Ketelhodt, called on the local militia to fire at the crowd. Bogle and his men stormed the courthouse, killing Ketelhodt and some of the militia. Eyre sent a warship that landed at Morant Bay and quashed the revolt quickly. Over 600 people were killed in retaliation for the rebellion. Both Gordon and Bogle were hanged in Morant Bay. Bogle claimed to the end that Gordon knew nothing of the revolt. In 1969, both were declared National Heroes. Jamaica currently has seven National Heroes. In addition to Nanny, Sharpe, Gordon, and Bogle, the other three are: - Marcus Garvey (August 17, 1887 - June 10, 1940) was born in St. Ann. He was a founder of the UNIA-ACL (Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League) and encouraged those of African heritage to re-connect with their ancestral roots. He was credited with inspiring the "Nation of Islam" and "Rastafarian" movements, among others. Garvey died of a stroke in London, England, and his ashes were returned to Jamaica after the end of World War Two. He was the first to be declared a National Hero (November 15, 1964). -Alexander Bustamante (February 24, 1884 - August 6, 1977) was the son of an Irish planter and Taino mother. Imprisoned in 1940 for his outspoken views against Colonial rule, he was released in 1942 and formed the "Jamaica Labor Party", or JLP, the following year. Bustamante served as Jamaica's first Chief Minister from 1953 - 1955 and went on to become Jamaica's first Prime Minister from 1962-1967. He was declared a National Hero in 1969. -Norman Manley (July 4, 1893 - September 2, 1969), a cousin of Bustamante, was born in the Parish of Manchester. He founded the "People's National Party", or PNP, in 1938 and served as Chief Minister between 1955 - 1962. Although Manley never did serve as Prime Minister, his son Michael (Manley) served two terms (1972 - 1980, 1989 - 1992). Norman Manley was declared a National Hero shortly before his death in 1969.

From Quiz Kingston, Jamaica Potpourri

Answer: The Right Rev. Percival Gibson

Bishop Gibson (1893-1970) was born in Kingston. He was a brilliant classical scholar, theologian, and educator. His achievements have earned him great admiration and respect throughout Jamaica. His entire life was a series of "firsts." He was the first Afro-Jamaican student to be admitted to Jamaica's St. Peter's Anglican Theological College; the first Jamaican to gain the Bachelor of Divinity degree; the first Jamaican to hold four university degrees at the same time; and the first clergyman to establish three high schools and a teachers college. For 30 years Bishop Gibson served as headmaster of Kingston College, one of the schools he founded, all the while discharging his duties as a member of the Anglican priesthood. The Right Rev. Neville Wordsworth DeSouza was born in Trelawny, Jamaica and served as Anglican Bishop of Jamaica from 1979-2000. The Most Rev. Bishop William Hardie was born in Yorkshire, England. He served as Anglican Bishop of Jamaica from 1931-1950. The Most Rev. Bishop Enos Nuttall was born in Lancashire, England and served as Anglican Bishop of Jamaica 1880-1916. He was also the first Archbishop of the West Indies from 1893 to 1916. A hospital in Kingston owned by the Anglican Diocese bears his name.

From Quiz Jamaica: A Bit of History (1494-1962)

Answer: Out of Many, One People

"Out of Many, One People" was adopted as the official Jamaica motto to reflect the multi-racial makeup of the island's population. In 2006 Jamaica had almost 3 million inhabitants. Of these, 90% were of African descent and the other 10% made up of Asian, Indian, and Caucasian races. Some facts: - The Flag. A yellow X with the top/bottom triangles in green and the left/right triangles in black. - Coat of Arms. A male Arawak on one side and a female Arawak on the other side of a white shield with a solid red cross dotted with 5 pineapples. A Jamaican crocodile stands, facing left, on the Royal Helmet of the British Monarchy situated on the top-center of the shield. - Fruit. The Jamaican ackee (Blighia sapida) is a popular delicacy often cooked with salted codfish. - Flower. The lignum vitae (Guiacum officinale) was found by Christopher Columbus. - Tree. The blue mahoe (Hibiscus elatus) is a tree indigenous to Jamaica. It is often used to make furniture. - Bird. The swallow-tail hummingbird (Trochilus polytmus) is a species that is found only in Jamaica. The feathers of this hummingbird are considered to be among the most beautiful and colorful of all the species around the world. - Industry. Worldwide, Jamaica has one of the largest reserves of bauxite, a raw material used to make aluminium (pop cans, etc). First produced in 1952, it has helped to generate much-needed foreign currency along with tourism. This quiz is dedicated to: - My two dear children, Rebecca and Benjamin. Their father was born in Jamaica. - The peaceful indigenous Arawaks. They were gone before their time. - All Jamaican-born people who display positive influences throughout the world. Thank you for playing my ninth quiz creation.

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