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Westmoreland's Rich History
 Westmoreland
is the western most parish situated
on the south side of the island. It
has an area of 807 square kilometres
(311 square miles). There are over
10,000 acres of morass land the
largest part of which is called the
Great Morass. This contains plant
and animal material collected over
centuries. This can be mined as
peat, an excellent source of energy.
The morass also serves as a natural
sanctuary for Jamaican wildlife. The
remaining area consists of several
hills of moderate elevation and
alluvial plains along the coast.
There are numerous rivers meandering
through this parish. The Cabaritta
River drains the George’s Plain and
can accommodate boats weighing up to
eight tons for 12 miles. It is 39.7
kilometres long. Other rivers are
called Negril, New Savanna,
Morgan’s, Gut, Smithfield, Bowens,
Bluefields, Robins, Roaring, Great
and Dean River.
The Spaniards built one of their
first three settlements at what is
now Bluefields in this parish.
Columbus also stopped there on his
second voyage when he landed in
Jamaica. They called it Oristan
after a town in Sardinia which they
then ruled.
The parish was named Westmoreland in
1703 because it was the most
westerly point in the island. In
1730 Savanna- la-Mar (the plain by
the sea) replaced Banbury as the
capital. The coast often provided
refuge for pirates. Henry Morgan the
pirate who later became Lieutenant
Governor of Jamaica set sail from
Bluefields in December 1670 for his
successful raid on Panama City.
Here, in 1694, the militia repulsed
a French landing party. The renowned
English naturalist Phillip Henry
Gosse lived in Bluefields for 18
months and sent specimens of rare
plants and animals to England and
dealers in Canada. He also wrote two
books,’Birds of Jamaica’ and ‘A
Naturalist’s Sojourn’ in Jamaica
which are still valuable today.
A major event which began in
Westmoreland and changed the course
of Jamaica’s history was the 1938
riots at the Frome sugar estate. The
changes that came in the wake of
this led to universal adult suffrage
in 1944 as well as a new
constitution which put Jamaica on
the road to self government and
eventually independence. The two
national heroes, Sir Alexander
Bustamante and Norman Washington
Manley,emerged as political leaders
during this time.
The latest figure on its population
is about 140,000. Most dense areas
include its capital Savanna-la-Mar.
There several smaller but major
towns: Bluefields, Bethel Town,
Negril, Seaford Town, Grange Hill,
Frome, Darliston and Little London.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES/ SOURCES OF
INCOME
Agriculture: Major agricultural
products include sugar, bananas,
coffee, ginger, cocoa, pimento,
honey. This sector is the largest
employer.
Fishing: There are 19 fishing
beaches with over 90 boats engaged
in the industry.
Tourism: Since the 1950s this has
been the single fastest growing
sector. The major hotels are Sandals
Negril, Poinciana Beach Resort,
Grand Lido, Hedonism, Negril Beach
Club, Negril Cabins. Negril is one
of the main tourist destinations.
Manufacturing: This is the third
largest sector. Manufactured items
include food and drink, tobacco,
animal feeds, textile and textile
products and printing.
MAJOR
HISTORICAL/CULTURAL/RECREATIONAL/ECOLOGICAL
SITES
The Great Morass: This stretches
north ten miles from the South
Negril River to Orange Bay and is
two miles wide. It is virtually
impenetrable and is said to be the
remnant of a primeval forest. It is
the second largest freshwater
wetland in the island and forms a
refuge for endangered waterfowl. At
the edges where it links to flowing
water systems the endemic fish the
god-a-me is found. It can live out
of water in moist shady spots.
The morass is critical to the Negril
environment. Like a giant sponge it
filters the water flowing down from
the interior of the parish. The
Negril Watershed Environmental
Protection Area has been created to
protect the morass and reefs. As the
tourism sector there expands it
places additional demands on the
infrastructure and increases the
danger to the environment.
Mannings High School: In 1710
Thomas Manning left 13 slaves, land,
cattle and “produce of a pen” in
Burnt Savannah to endow a ‘free
school’ in Westmoreland. The school
was established in 1738. More modern
buildings surround the original
wooden structure. It is the second
oldest secondary school in the
island.
Bluefields House: This is
noted for its association with
Phillip Henry Gosse the English
naturalist who spent 18 months there
(1844 - 1845). While there he
collected and sent to the British
Museum hundreds of specimens of
local flora and fauna. In its garden
today is a breadfruit tree believed
to be one of the first brought to
the island by Captain Bligh of
Mutiny on the Bounty fame.
It is believed to be on the site of
one of the three earliest Spanish
settlements which was called Oristan.
No remains of this settlement have
been found.
Savanna-la-Mar Baptist Church:
This church was founded on June 7,
1829 by the Rev. Thomas Burchell. At
this time the anti-slavery movement
was gaining momentum in the West
Indies and England. Another famous
emancipator, William Knibb, was also
pastor at this church.
Email:
paul_nathan2006@yahoo.com
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