Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica

Saint Andrew
Parish

Saint Andrew in Jamaica
Country Jamaica
County Surrey
Capital Half Way Tree
Other towns Stony Hill, Golden Spring, Constant Spring, Lawrence Tavern, August Town, Gordon Town, Irish Town, Mavis Bank, Bull Bay
Area
 • Total 455 km2 (176 sq mi)
Area rank 12
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 573,369
 • Density 1,300/km2 (3,300/sq mi)

Saint Andrew (capital: Half Way Tree) is a parish, situated in the southeast of Jamaica in the county of Surrey. It lies north, west and east of Kingston, and stretches into the Blue Mountains. In the 2011 census, it had 573,369, the highest population of any of the parishes in Jamaica. George William Gordon (d. 1865), one of Jamaica's seven National Heroes, was born in this parish.

It contains many attractions, historical sites, famous residents, and the country's financial capital.

The parish has a rich musical tradition, with numerous well-known musicians and developing popular types of Jamaican music. The Studio One studio founded by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd is in Saint Andrew. Mavado, Sean Paul, Buju Banton, Elephant Man, The Mighty Diamonds, Monty Alexander, Beres Hammond, Lady Saw, Sugar Minott, Bounty Killer, Mr. Vegas, Richie Spice are some of the parish's current musician residents.

The area of Trench Town became famous for such residents as The Wailers (Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Bob Marley), and Toots Hibbert, who created reggae music. Waterhouse is another hometown to many musicians, including Keith Hudson, King Tubby's, U Roy, Sir Jammy's, Black Uhuru, Dennis "Senitor" Allen, Early B. Super Cat, Ninja Man, Shabba, and Beenie Man. It is also the home of Olympic gold medalist, Shelly-Ann Fraser.

Devon House, built in 1881, was the residence built by George Stiebel, Jamaica's first black millionaire. He gained his wealth in Venezuela and returned to Jamaica. He was appointed as the Custos, a high civic post, of Saint Andrew. His residence has been restored and is operated as a house museum; it is open to the public for tours and special events. Concessions include a Devon House ice cream shop.

The grounds of the Hope Estate, built in the 17th century, now support Hope Garden (Royal Botanical Gardens), one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The University of the West Indies is located on the estate and uses some of the historic buildings. Part of the navigable aqueduct is still intact. Vale Royal, the residence of the Prime Minister, and King's House, the Governor General's residence, are significant historic buildings.[2] The area of Norbrook was once the plantation of George William Gordon. The Bob Marley Museum is located in a mansion on Hope Road that was once owned by politician Chris Blackwell. It is now open for guided tours.

Geography

St. Andrew was one of the first parishes to be established by law in 1867. Before being established, it was known as Liguanea.

St Andrew is located at 18°01′N 76°54′W / 18.017°N 76.900°W / 18.017; -76.900Coordinates: 18°01′N 76°54′W / 18.017°N 76.900°W / 18.017; -76.900 and covers an area of 455 km2 (176 sq mi). The parish lies just north of Kingston, bounded in the west by St. Catherine, north by St. Mary, northeast by Portland along the Blue Mountain range, and east by St. Thomas. In 1923, the parishes of St Andrew and Kingston were administratively merged to form the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), with a single elected council and a mayor. Parts of the geographic area of Saint Andrew is often referred to as the "Corporate Area, town, Kingston Metropolition area, uptown Kingston, Kingston 2-20". The current mayor of KSAC is Angela Brown-Burke.[3]

Cross Roads, New Kingston, Half-Way-Tree, Matilda's Corner, and Constant Spring are important commercial centres in St. Andrew, but may be regarded as suburbs of Kingston. Coronation Market bordering both Saint Andrew and Kingston, is one of the largest, if not the largest outdoor market in this part of the island provides a venue for farmers throughout Jamaica. West St. Andrew, however, is a populous residential area. Total population of the parish was 573,369 in 2011.[1]

Notable people

Economy

Much of the parish is devoted to agriculture. Its principal products include coffee, mangoes, cocoa, peas, beans, sugarcane, cattle, dairy goods, cigar and cigarette, vegetables and ground provisions. To encourage the movement of industrial plants from the business areas of Kingston, and to facilitate the establishment of new industries with local and overseas capital, the government has established an industrial estate in St. Andrew, bordering on Western Kingston. This industrial estate is over 1.2 km² (300 acres) in size.

Tourism plays a major part in the economy of the parish. The major hotels in this southeastern part of the country can be found on Knutsford Boulevard, also known as The Strip. The area of New Kingston is seen as the financial capital of the island, with its large headquarters for banks and investment companies. The commercial areas, with their many malls, plazas and stores, provide employment for many in the urban area of the parish. Gypsum is found in large quantities, in eastern St. Andrew, the largest deposits being in the area of Bull Bay, a mile and a half of the coast.

At the south of Papine, several miles northeast of Kingston is the University of the West Indies, occupying 2.6 km² (1 mile²) of the Liguanea Plain at the foot of Long Mountain. The University of Technology, Jamaica, formerly the College of Arts, Science and Technology, is located nearby. So too is the United Theological College of the West Indies. The Edna Manley School for the Visual Arts is also located in Saint Andrew, not far from the National Stadium.

The parish of Saint Andrew also has some of the top high schools on the island. Campion College, Camperdown High School, Jamaica College, Calabar High School, Ardenne High School, Immaculate Conception High School, Saint Andrew High School for Girls, Holy Childhood High School for Girls, Meadowbrook High School, St. George's College, Saint Hugh's School, Excelsior High School, and a campus of Kingston College, in Rollington Town, are some of those schools.

Saint Andrew provides the vibrancy that creates a city environment, nightlife, many restaurants, outdoor facilities, and tourist attractions, making the city of Kingston what it is today.

Government and infrastructure

The St. Andrew Juvenile Remand Centre of the Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica is located in Stony Hill, St. Andrew Parish.[4]

Transportation

Road

Main article: Roads in Jamaica

The primary roads through Kingston to the rest of the island all pass through St Andrew including the A1 to Lucea, A3 to Saint Anns Bay, A4 to Annotto Bay and B1 to Buff Bay via Newcastle. The Transport Center, located in Half-Way-Tree, Saint Andrew is a depot for public buses servicing many parts of the tri-parish area (Saint Andrew, Kingston and Saint Catherine)and the outlying areas.

Rail

Main article: Railways of Jamaica

The main railway line from Kingston to the rest of the island ran through western St Andrew en route to Spanish Town. It is now closed.

Air

Jamaica's 2 primary airports are Sangster International Airport located in Montego Bay, St James and Norman Manley International Airport located on the Palisadoes Peninsula in Kingston, St. Andrew.

Sea

Plumb Point Lighthouse is located at Great Plumb Point on the Palisadoes Peninsula.

Important places

Towns, communities and villages

References

  1. 1 2 "Population usually resident in Jamaica. by parish":2011". Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  2. ↑ The Right To Be Proud: A Brief Guide To Jamaican Heritage Sites
  3. ↑ Cunningham, Anastasia (April 3, 2012). "Brown-Burke Sworn In As New Kgn Mayor". Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Juvenile Correctional Centres". The Department of Correctional Services, Jamaica. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
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