PENNEY'S ADVENTURE JAMAICA
ESCORTED ALL-INCLUSIVE ALL ISLAND SMALL GROUP & INDIVIDUAL ADVENTURE TRAVEL PACKAGE
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE
Swimmin at Pirates Cove Negril
Swimmin at Pirates Cove Negril
PORT ROYAL
DEVON HOUSE
WELCOME TO KINGSTON AND PORT ROYAL
Kingston is the capital of Jamaica and largest city, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long and spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airportt to the rest of the island. In the America , Kingston is the largest predominantly English-speaking city south of the United States. Kingston was founded in July 1692 as a place for survivors of the 1692 earthquake that destroyed Port Royal. Before the earthquake, Kingston’s functions were purely agricultural. The earthquake survivors set up a camp on the sea front. Approximately two thousand people died due to mosquito-borne diseases. Initially the people 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 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. The new grid system of the town was designed to facilitate commerce, particularly the system of main thoroughfares 66 feet (20 m) across which allowed transportation between the port and plantations farther inland. 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.
A BRIEF HISTORY ON KINGSTON AND PORT ROYAL
In 1755 the governor Sir Charles Knowles, had decided to transfer the government offices from Spanish Townto Kingston. It was thought by some to be an unsuitable location for the Assembly in proximity to the moral distractions of Kingston, and the next governor rescinded the Act. However, by 1780 the population of Kingston was 11,000, and the merchants began lobbying for the administrative capital to be transferred from Spanish Town, which was by then eclipsed by the commercial activity in Kingston.
By the end of the 18th century, the city contained more than 3,000 brick buildings. The harbour fostered trade, and played part in several naval wars of the 18th century. Kingston took over the functions of Spanish Town (the capital at the time). These functions included agriculture, commercial, processing and a main transport hub to and from Kingston and other sections of the island.
The government passed an act to transfer the government offices to Kingston from Spanish Town, which occurred in 1872. It kept this status when the island was granted independence in 1962.
In 1907, 800 people died in another earthquake known as the 1907 Kingstone earthquake, destroying nearly all the historical buildings south of Parade in the city. That was when a restriction of no more than 60 feet (18 m) was instituted on buildings in the city centre. These three story high buildings were built with reinforced concrete. Construction on King Street in the city was the first area to breach this building code.
During the 1930s, island-wide riots led to the development of trade unions and political parties to represent workers.
The city became home to the Mona campus of the University of the Wast Indies founded in 1948, with 24 medical students.
Not until the 1960s did major change occur in the development of Kingston’s city centre. The international attention of reggae music at that time coincided with the expansion and development of 95 acres (38 ha) of the Kingston city centre waterfront area. These developments led to an influx of shops and offices, and the development of a new financial centre: New Kingston, which replaced the Knutsford Racetrack. Multi-story buildings and boulevards were placed within that section.
In 1966 Kingston was the host city to the Commonwealth Gamaes.
The western section of the city was not the focus of development, and that area proved to be politically tense. The 1970s saw deteriorating economic conditions that led to recurrent violence and a decline in tourism which later affected the island.
In the 1980 general elections, the democratic socialist People's National Party ( PNP ) government was voted out, and subsequent governments have been more market-oriented. Within a global urban era, the 1990s saw that Kingston has made efforts to modernise and develop its city structure and functions. Various organisations such as the Kingston Restoration Company, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), the Port Authority of Jamaica and the Port Royal Development Company, among others sought to develop the urban structure of the city.
Tour Duriation - Anywhere from 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours
What to Bring: Your camera
What to wear: Dreass casual shorts and t-shirt wear a hat sun glasses, bug spray.
Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica . Founded in 1518, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and comerce in the Caribbean Sea by the latter half of the 17th century. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1692, with an accompanying tsunami and widespread fires. Severe hurricanes have regularly damaged it. Another severe earthquake occurred in 1907.
Port Royal was once home to privateers employed to nip at Habsburg Spain's empire when smaller European powers dared not directly make war on Spain. As a port city, it was notorious for its gaudy displays of wealth and loose morals. It was a popular homeport for the English and Dutch sponsored privateers to spend their treasure during the 17th century. When those governments abandoned the practice of issuing letters of marque to privateers against the Spanish treasure fleets and possessions in the later 16th century, many of the crews turned pirate and used the city as their main base during the 17th century. Pirates from around the world congregated at Port Royal, coming from waters as far away as Madagascar
After the 1692 disaster, Port Royal's commercial role was steadily taken over by the town (and later, city) of nearby Kingston. Plans were developed in 1999 to potentially redevelop the small fishing town into a tourist destination served by cruise ships, which could capitalize on its heritage, with archaeological findings at the heart of possible attractions. While here in Port Royal you will be blasted back intime with a visit to Fort Charles that house the main museum and the giddy house
The museum is situated on the site of the legendary musician’s home, which he purchased in 1975. This house, featuring 19th-century architecture, was Marley’s home until his death in 1981. It was converted into a museum six years later by his wife, Mrs Rita Marley. The main museum displays Marley’s personal treasures.
The property also features a well-equipped 80-seat theatre, a photographic gallery, and a gift shop selling T-shirts, posters and CDs and other Bob Marley memorabilia as well as items from Jamaica. You can also tickle your palate with sumptuous meals from the Legend Cafe. The venue allows you to see every aspect of the life of Bob Marley.
The Bob Marley Museum welcomes both locals and visitors from overseas.The entry fee is $25.00 USD for adults and $12.00 USD for children (ages 4-12). USD $5 per Student with valid Jamaican school ID. The tour is guided and is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes in duration. The Museum is open Mondays to Saturdays and is closed on Sundays. The first tour begins at 9:30am and the last tour commences at 4:00pm.
Come and enjoy the sights and sounds of Brother Bob.
BOB MARLEY MUSEUM
Built in 1881 by George Steibel, Jamaica's first black millionaire, Devon House, Jamaica is a regal monument to Jamaican artisanship. It also bears testimony to the fact that humble beginnings and overwhelming setbacks can be overcome.
Born to a Jamaican housekeeper and a German Jew in the 1820's, young George did not have things easy. Leaving school at the tender age of 14, he became a carpenter's apprentice. He was a natural at carpentry and at age 19 got involved in the reconstruction of the famous Ferry Inn.
With financial help from his father, George bought a ship and started a cargo business. He very soon had three ships and a booming business trading with other West Indian islands. Being a very entrepreneurial young man, he soon realized that gun running to rebel slaves in Cuba could be rather lucrative. Unfortunately his luck soon ran out and after doing a stint in a Cuban jail, he decided that the straight and narrow would after all be the safer road to take.
In 1851 he married the love of his life, Magdalene Baker, daughter of a Moravian Missionary. They soon had a son and daughter and life was good. That was until his ships sank off the coast of Venezuela, with George being on board. Fortunately, he had the foresight to tie his money belt around his waist and was able to make a new start in a strange new country. For 15 years George peddled and started amassing a fortune by buying gold and selling it in Caracas.
Unbelievably wealthy, he returned to Jamaica in 1873. However, with all the good there was some sad too. His son had died of an unknown illness while he was away. Soon after his daughter married Richard Hill Jackson, a prominent young solicitor, George decided to have his dream house built. Calling in the help of builder Charles P. Lazarus, Devon House was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
George lived there with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren for what must have been the happiest years of his life. Both George and Magdalene enjoyed entertaining and Devon House was often filled with guests having the time of their lives.
Devon House, Jamaica nearly suffered the indignity of being turned into condominiums by a developer. Fortunately the then Minister of Development and Welfare, Edward Seaga, had the foresight and power to prevent what would have been a major disaster. He made sure that Devon House was saved and preserved as a historical landmark for posterity.
Words cannot do justice to Devon House and its entire magnificent splendor. From Palm Hall to the Grand Ballroom, which still has the original English crystal chandelier bought by George, as well as the original ceiling done in Wedgwood style, Devon House, Jamaica can only be appropriately appreciated when seeing it with your own eyes.
Visitors can enjoy a tour to Devon House and enjoy a delicious meal and a do bit of shopping at one of the splendid crafts and souvenir shops. Devon House provides a pleasant experience with its luscious lawns, and caters for many functions. You might not be lucky enough to attend a function there, but a visit to Devon House, Jamaica will nevertheless leave you with a warm, happy feeling... much like in the time of George and Magdalene.
Find us on Facebook
GET IN TOUCH
We'd love to hear from you
