Kingston, Jamaica: When Downtown was Kingston

Description

… a wonderful blend of historic facts as well as stories of life in Kingston. I recall the stories passed down by my mother’s family as they described life in the aftermath of the twin disasters of Fire and Earthquake in 1907, the very year in which my mother was born. Three decades later, as a small child, I came to a Kingston which … was lively, bustling and exciting.… The greatest fascination for me was watching the magical transformation of the city by the lighting of the gas lamps at dusk. For any reader of any age, this is a beautiful journey, a nice slice of history served up for you to enjoy!

Elaine Melbourne

Kingston’s streets and lanes ooze stories in every crack and crevice, when what we know today as uptown did not even exist. Suzanne Francis-Brown digs deep into the archives and memories of some oldsters and some not-so-old, to re-create this Kingston for a new generation. It is a graphic description, in words and pictures, of the histories, tales, and anecdotes about the city and parish of Kingston when the only Kingston we knew was Downtown Kingston.

We learn about its many people and the way they learned, suffered, worked, played, and prayed; about the origin and birthplace of the sound system, the studios, musicians and their producers in Trench Town and on Orange Street, who gave world-recognition to Kingston as the city of music. It is about the businesses that began Downtown, many of which have stuck to their physical roots even while expanding their activities uptown; and the religious denominations – Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Jews, Buddhists – which have remained faithful to their early worshippers by being steadfast in their Downtown locations.

Much has changed over the decades but a lot remains the same: like the streets, lanes and communities, and the stories behind their naming; like the hustle and bustle of a Coronation Market mainly on a Saturday or of commuters for whom Downtown Kingston remains, as it always was, the connecting hub for those coming from the east, west, and the north, whether for school, worship, work or sidewalk shopping, hair braiding or to attend court!

This book is about history, memory, legacy, and a recognition of the value of things past. But it is also about renewal, revival, and rekindling of the creative spirit that has fueled survival in the face of the many natural disasters endured throughout its history.

In these pages, drop in on the incantations of Kingston you may have known – or heard about or may even have roots in, or perhaps never ever imagined!