Jamaican Parishes in Surrey Trivia Quiz

Answer: St. Thomas

St. Thomas, a very mountainous parish, is well watered by rivers and its coastline is dotted with many cliffs and sandy beaches. The town of Morant Bay is the capital of St. Thomas and it was in this town that the 1865 rebellion was ruthlessly crushed by the government. More than 700 people perished. Paul Bogle was hanged, but he has now been accorded Jamaica's highest honour, that of National Hero.

Stokes Hall Great House is located near Morant Bay. It is one of several great houses that can still be found all over the island. A great house was the home of the owner or of the overseer of a plantation or estate. Stokes Hall was built in 1710 by slaves owned by Luke Stokes, the former Governor of Nevis. The house was destroyed by earthquake in 1907 and now stands in ruins. There are plans at present to restore Stokes Hall as a heritage tourism site.

Answer: St. Andrew

From its border with Kingston to the south, St. Andrew reaches north and east into the foothills of the Blue Mountain range. The parish has defined urban, suburban and rural areas. The capital of the parish is Half-Way-Tree, a bustling transportation and commercial hub. Other important business centres are Cross Roads, New Kingston, Constant Spring, Liguanea and Manor Park.

King's House is an imposing structure with beautifully landscaped grounds. It has been standing at its present location since 1908. The Governor-General performs official duties as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, Jamaica's monarch and head of state.

Answer: Portland

The parish of Portland was named after the Duke of Portland, a former Governor of the island. It is the island's rainiest parish lying as it does in the direct path of the northeast trade winds and between the Blue Mountain range and the Caribbean Sea. Port Antonio, the capital, has the third largest port on the island as well as several fine historical buildings.

Areas of Portland are used frequently as locations by the Hollywood film industry. Since the 1950s, almost 800 films have been shot in the parish and some of the world's richest people own property there. Portland is also now coming into its own as an eco-cultural tourist destination for travellers interested in the outdoors and in enriching cultural experiences.

The Folly Mansion, a grand 60-room house, is located in Port Antonio. It was built in 1905 by a wealthy American for his wife, the Tiffany heiress. Although the mansion is in ruins, it still attracts many sightseers and professional photographers.

Answer: Kingston

The parish of Kingston is only 8.4 sq. miles (21.8 sq. km) in area and is located on the southern side of the island. Despite its many problems, it is Jamaica's economic, social and cultural centre.

Clarification - People who are not familiar with the country are puzzled as to what is being alluded to when locals use the word "Kingston." The word can be used in three different contexts. It can be used to refer to (1) the name of a parish, (2) the name of the capital city of the parish of Kingston, and (3) the name of the capital city of the entire Jamaican state. The question here uses the word "Kingston" as the name of a parish.

Gordon House, located on Duke Street in Kingston, is the place where since 1960 meetings of Jamaica's Parliament have been held. It is named in memory of George William Gordon, a former member of Jamaica's legislative assembly. As a politician, Mr. Gordon was critical of the island's Governor over the poor treatment and low status of ex-slaves in the society. In 1865, the Governor accused him of aiding in the Morant Bay Rebellion, had him transferred from Kingston to Morant Bay and ordered his execution there. The Right Excellent George William Gordon is one of Jamaica's seven National Heroes.

Between 1872 and 1960 government meetings took place at Headquarters House. Headquarters House, formerly known as Hibbert House, was built in 1755. It has been named a National Heritage Site because of its interesting architecture and history.

Answer: Vale Royal, St. Andrew

Vale Royal was built in 1694 by a British planter and was bought in 1928 by the Government as a residence for colonial officials. The house is located on Montrose Road and it boasts one of the few remaining lookout towers in St. Andrew that allowed residents to view marine traffic in Kingston Harbour.

While two of the structures named are located in the parish of St. Andrew, a Jamaican will place them in the parish of Kingston. This is because the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 for local government purposes. They form the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (the "Corporate Area") and it has become the custom for local people to refer to all places in Kingston and urban St. Andrew as being in Kingston. Places in rural St. Andrew, however, are referred to as being in St. Andrew.

Cherry Garden House, a former great house for a sugar estate, is located at Russell Heights, St. Andrew. It is privately owned.

Harmony Hall House was built in the late 19th century as the great house of a small agricultural estate. Ownership has changed hands many times over the years and it now functions as an art gallery. Harmony Hall has been named a national monument.

Colbeck Castle was built by the British as a key point in their line of defence against the threat of Spanish invasion. The Castle has been designated a national monument and there are plans to restore this massive stone and brick structure as a heritage tourism site.

Answer: Bath Mineral Spa, St. Thomas

One of the two treasures found in the quiet, small town of Bath, St. Thomas, is its mineral spring. The spring water is rich in sulphur and lime and is believed to be therapeutic for rheumatic ailments and skin diseases.

Bath's other treasure is the Bath Botanical Gardens. The gardens were established in 1779 and are believed to be the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Many of the foreign plants at Bath were brought to the island by Captain Bligh in 1793. The site is maintained by the National Heritage Trust because of its historic value. It is open to the public.

Answer: Fort George, Portland

Fort George was built overlooking Port Antonio's harbour as protection from invasion by the Spanish. The fort also protected landowners from the large population of freedom fighters, known as Maroons, who lived in the area. The fort held guns, cannons and its walls were more than ten feet thick. All that remains of the fort today are the munitions building, the defence walls and a line of cannons. The site is open to the public.

Titchfield High School, bordered on three sides by the Caribbean Sea, is a historical landmark in Portland. The school dates from 1786 and it has been located at its present Fort George site since 1883. Some sections of the school grounds are National Heritage Sites and as such cannot be modified or renovated.

Answer: Giddy House, Kingston

Giddy House was built to store weapons and gunpowder for Fort Charles. Fort Charles and the Giddy House are located at Port Royal which is at the western end of the Palisadoes spit (a strip of land that partly encloses Kingston Harbour). After the earthquake struck, the building partially sank leaving it at a lopsided angle. Visitors to Fort Charles and the Giddy House will find an onsite museum containing models of the two before and after the quake as well as maps and artifacts from Jamaica's colonial past.

Holy Trinity Cathedral was destroyed by the 1907 earthquake at its Duke Street location and was rebuilt in 1911 at its present North Street site.

Two of the buildings that comprise Jamaica College were built before the 1907 earthquake but they suffered no earthquake damage.

Built in 1853, the Plumb Point Lighthouse is also located on the Palisadoes spit. The lighthouse sustained no damage from the 1907 earthquake, but records show that its light did go out. This is the only time in its history that this has occurred.

Answer: Portland

Buff Bay, Orange Bay and Hope Bay are located on the north coast of the parish of Portland. They were once served by the Bog Walk to Port Antonio rail line, a branch line that linked Portland to eight of the other parishes on the island.

Hailed as one of the most beautiful places in Jamaica, this area is known for its gorgeous white sand beaches, coves and rivers. It lies within easy driving distance of Port Antonio and abounds with vacation rental properties. Somerset Falls and Hidden Falls in Hope Bay are two natural attractions that should not be missed.

Answer: St. Andrew

The Bob Marley Museum is located in the parish of St. Andrew and is probably Jamaica's most visited attraction. The museum is housed in the former residence and recording studio of the famous singer, composer and musician. Guided one-hour tours of the museum offer visitors the opportunity to view displayed memorabilia and artifacts from Bob Marley's life and career.

Mr. Marley was honoured by the Jamaican government with the Order of Merit shortly before his death in May 1981. He is so beloved in his own country and abroad that more than thirty years after his death, celebrations are still held on February 6 in many countries to commemorate his birthday. A bronze statue of Mr. Marley stands in Celebrity Park, St. Andrew, not far from Jamaica's National Stadium.