Manchester Jamaica
Jamaica's 'Wash Belly' Parish

Map Showing Parish Of Manchester Jamaica

The last (hence the term 'wash belly') parish to be formed in Jamaica, Manchester Jamaica, has an area of 830.1 km2, and a population of 191,991, based on 2018 report by the Statistical Institute Of Jamaica.

It was coffee cultivation that led to its creation in 1814 and the founding of the town, its capital, Mandeville.

Up to the early 18th century, the hilly areas that make up the parish were large‘y in wilderness. Then coffee cultivation was begun on a large scale and the Manchester hills were found to be particularly suitable for the crop. Soon the area became populated with coffee growers.

However, the new residents found themselves isolated from the surrounding parish capitals.

On 29 November 1814 the residents of Mile Gully, May Day, and Carpenter’s Mountain, petitioned the Assembly to carve out a new parish and establish a town that would make religious, judicial and civic centres closer to them.

That petition pointed out that no parochial or public building was closer than 64km to the majority of inhabitants of the area and there was no church!

On the 13th of December, 1814, the separate parish of Manchester was formed out of parts of the surrounding parishes of St. Elizabeth, Clarendon, and Vere, and named after the Duke of Manchester  who was governor at the time.

The chief town of Mandeville was named after his eldest son. More on Mandeville here.

Since sugar was not grown commercially in the parish of Manchester, the plantation system never took hold there. After emancipation, the newly freed slaves became independent land settlers and continued to grow coffee and other crops. (See free villages.)

Manchester today produces much of Jamaica’s Irish potato crop as well as Citrus, Cattle, and Ground provisions.It is also one of the parishes in which bauxite is mined on a large scale.

The Train Wreck :-(

Despite its economic contirbution to the country, Manchester Jamaica also has the dubious distinction of the Kendal train wreck!

On Septemer 1, 1957, a train returing to Kingston from Montego Bay crashed, injuring close to 700 persons and killing close to 200 - one of the worst disasters in Jamaica's history and one of the worst railway crashes in the world!

The excursion was organized by the St. Anne Anglican Church in Kingston.

Historical Sites & Attractions In Manchester Jamaica

Despite that, Manchester is home to some of Jamaica's most cherished heritage sites and attractions.

These include:

• St. Mark's Anglican Church (aka Manchester Parish Church)
  
  The church opened its doors in 1820. The chapel and timber clerestory and tower were added later. For many years this was the only church in the parish. One rector was the notorious Revd Bridges. 
  
  In the slave rebellion of 1832, led Sam Sharpe, the organ loft was reportedly used as a jail. Nonconformist missionaries were believed by the authorities to be implicated in the rebellion and many of them were arrested including the Rev H.G. Pfeiffer, a Moravian.
  
  The Mandeville jail was so full he was locked in the organ loft to await a court martial. In the meantime, a sympathetic person galloped all over the parish collecting character witnesses on his behalf and they were rushed to the trial in time to secure his acquittal.
  
  
• The Mandeville Court House
  
  A fine example of indigenous architecture. It is build of Limestone blocks cut by slave labour. The courthouse was one of the four original public buildings of the town and took some time to complete because of the vestrymen kept changing their minds about the design.
  
  It was finished around 1820. The first school in the town was held in the ground floor.
  
  
• The Mandeville Hotel
  
  The building was originally the barracks when Mandeville was a garrison for English troops. Many of these troops died in a yellow fever outbreak and were buried in the eastern part of the Parish Church yard.
  
  In the 18903, after the garrison had departed, the building became a hotel called the Waverley. When Miss Jane Brooks took over in 1898, it became Brooks Hotel and finally was known as the Mandeville Hotel.
  
  It became the centre of social life for British retirees in Manchester, as well as for white Jamaicans from the area, during the first half of the 20th century.
  
  Unfortunately, an unwritten colour bar existed there for years, enforced by various dowagers whose keen training for genetic markers could allegedly pick out any newcomer of dubious origin.

Other Key Historical Sites In Manchester

Other key historical sites in Machester Jamaica include:

1. Maidstone– one of the first communities to become a free village, orchestrated by the  Nazareth  Moravian  Church.
   
   
2. The Bloomfield  Great  House
   
   
3. Marlborough  Great  House - built in 1795 and designed  by  a  Scottish architect named  Forsyth.
   
   
4. Roxborough - the birthplace of Norman Washington Manley, one of Jamaica's national heroes.
   


5. Manchester  Club  Golf  Course -  The  oldest  surviving  club  in  the  western  hemisphere.


6. Williamsfield Railway Station – with its Georgian architectural style.
   
   
7. Mandeville Jail and Workhouse –  one of the the first  buildings  erected  in  the  parish! Located of the current police station.
   
   
8. And, The Mandeville Rectory

You have received :-)
Now share you new found knowledge with your friends!

References:

• Parish Profile: Manchester, https://jis.gov.jm/information/parish-profiles/parish-profile-manchester/ (Link) 
• History of Manchester, https://www.nlj.gov.jm/history-notes/History%20of%20Manchester.pdf
• Manchester Parish, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Parish

Other Pages Related To Manchester Jamaica

• Famous Places In Jamiaca
• National Anthem Of Jamaica

Return to Parishes Of Jamaica from Manchester Jamaica
Return to My Island Jamaica from Manchester Jamaica

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

Back To The Top Of This Page

New! Get My Latest Book👇🏿

You asked, I've answered! You no longer need to save for months or years, to enjoy paradise! JAMAICA On A Budget is your passport to experiencing what I call 'The Real Jamaica' on a budget! I spilled the beans! sharing my top tips on finding cozy accommodations and secret gems, only the way a native could! Click Here to pick it up on my e-store and start saving now!

See The Best Of Jamaica - In Videos!

My channel reaches over 140,000 subscribers worldwide and has leveraged over 11 million views, sharing, what I call 'The Real Jamaica'. Subscribe today and join our family of viewers.

Read More ...

New! Experience The REAL Jamaica!
Book Your Private Tour here and experience Jamaica the way we (locals) do!

---

P.S. Didn't find what you were looking for? 
Still need help?

Click Here to try our dependable and effective Site Search tool. It works!

Or, simply click here and here, to browse my library of over 500 questions and answers! Chances are someone already asked (and got an answer to) your question.

---

SHOP JAMAICAN Book Local Tours

Book Your Vacation Travel TIPS and Cautions

Watch My Videos!

Featured Video!

Travelling To Jamaica? 

Read this BEFORE you go

👇🏿

Recent Articles

• 
• 
• 

1. Jamaican Sorrel: More Than a Holiday Drink - It’s a Healing Powerhouse

   Jul 05, 25 12:02 AM

   For most Jamaicans, Sorrel means one thing—Christmas. That bright red drink, often spiked with ginger, rum, and pimento, is a staple on nearly

   Read More

2. Am I Entitled to a Pension from Jamaica After Working There Years Ago?

   Jul 02, 25 07:56 PM

   Question from Leslie, London, UK: I worked in Jamaica from 1977 to 1984 in the Correctional Services, migrated, and I am now 65 years old.

   Read More

3. What Happens If You Register a Business But Don’t Get the License?

   Jul 02, 25 07:06 PM

   Question from Fabian Lindo, Kingston, Jamaica: Good day. Hope this platform is still operational. I was reading your response to Brandon from

   Read More

4. Use US Dollars or Jamaican Dollars When Visiting Jamaica?

   Jul 01, 25 10:42 PM

   Question from Alan, Georgia, USA: How do Jamaicans view the US dollar vs the Jamaican Dollar? Is it better to use one over the other when I

   Read More

5. Who Are Jamaica’s National Heroes and What’s Their Story?

   Jun 30, 25 08:09 PM

   Question from Lisa, UK: What’s the story behind Jamaica’s national heroes? I only really know about Marcus Garvey. Hi Lisa, I love that

   Read More