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The quiet charm of Falmouth Jamaica lies in its commercial buildings as well as its residences. Modest or grand, they offer a glimpse into a bygone period, a time when sugar was king.
In first part of the tour, we looked at some of Falmouth’s commercial buildings. For the second part, we’ll view some of the private homes that are located on Trelawny and King Streets. Both parts of the tour can be done together and will take about 2-3 hours to complete.
To start this tour, turn right after leaving the pier and follow Trelawny Street. When you cross Market Street (the Baptist Manse is at the corner of Trelawny and Market), we’ll arrive at our first stop on Trelawny Street.
Several of the homes we’ll see were owned by free people of color. During the 18th century, Jamaica had a sizable population of free people of color, who generally lived in the urban areas. Though the majority was poor, a good number accumulated considerable wealth.
Trelawny Street
Just behind the Baptist Manse is this well preserved home that once belonged to and is believed to have been built by Isaac Love, a mulatto mason. Love purchased the lot in 1781 from Edward Barrett.
Located next door to the Love House, this property is now being used by the Department of Corrections. I don’t know its background but judging from its design – 2 stories, brick, quoins, the archway, the verandah with fretwork – I’m guessing it could have been built in the 19th century.
Across the street from the Love House is this two story brick house. Construction date unknown.
Elizabeth Somerville House
Cross King Street and you’ll arrive at 8 Trelawny Street. The storyboard outside the house describes Elizabeth Somerville, its original owner, as a free woman of color. She was one of the first women of color to buy property in Falmouth after Emancipation in 1834. The house, constructed of wood, is typical of the houses that were built by free people of color around Falmouth. It had two rooms of similar size that were separated by a partition wall. The front room was probably used as a sitting and bed room, the back a waiting and sitting room. Since the house was made of board, cooking would probably have been done outside or in a separate structure away from the house.
King Street
Go north on to King Street to see this sweet little house. Another typical Falmouth house, it has been renovated. The outside has been coated with sand, to protect it from fire.
9 King Street was originally owned by Richard Barrett Waite, who was probably related to the Barrett family. It was likely built in the 1800s. It has a hip roof, tray ceiling and partial wrap-around verandah.
Davidson House
North on King Street, near the edge of the pier, is the Davidson House, which was owned by Mary Gairdner, a free woman of color. Gairdner was an extensive landowner in Falmouth. By her 1837 will, Gairdner deeded her “Creole” house to her son, Thomas Davidson, and provided that each of her four children were to remain in the houses in which they were living at the time of her death. The Davidson House is now privately owned.
At this point, we can retrace our steps to the pier. I’ll be bringing you more of Falmouth in other posts.
This is my submission to Travel Photo Thursday, which is organized by Nancie at Budget Travelers Sandbox. Be sure to head over and check out more photos from locations around the world.
Hi Marcia!
love the pictures! I am also planning to visit Jamaica. I bet that it is a nice place 🙂
-Nikki
It is, Nikki, especially if you like historic buildings. Hope you get to see it and have a great time in Jamaica!
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Hello there!
Thank you very much for sharing this nice post. I really love the pictures you posted here and letting us see different side of Jamaica that you don’t normally see.
Regards,
Anne
You’re welcome, Abby. Glad to share this other side of Jamaica with you.
I have to say that Davidson house looks like it needs some serious repairs… The others are simply beautiful. I’ll glad take 9 King Street any day. Just the wrap around veranda will keep me happy. 🙂 Falmouth is my must visit list now. 🙂
Eliz
It does, Elizabeth. I suspect the current owners are holding out for someone with deep pockets to purchase it.
I’m with you on 9 King, it’s a beautiful house inside and out.
A great follow up to your last post, Marcia. Interesting to see the building styles.
Thanks, Andrew. We have quite a mish-mash of building styles here.
Great walking tour! I love visiting old historic homes, they’re so charming and hold so much history!
Glad you like the tour, Jess. Hope you get to take it one of these days.
My how things have changed when you look at the last house and a huge cruise ship at the end of the street.
I think it’s actually quite brilliant to be cooking outside – no need to heat up a house. And I found it very interesting that a house was coated in sand to prevent fires. Maybe southern California needs some sand smeared on their houses in wildfire season.
Times definitely have changed, Leigh. Although Falmouth was always a port, ships used to anchor out at sea and goods were brought in by boats.
Cooking outside or in a separate structure was a common thing up to about 30 or so years ago when we had more homes made of wood.
You’ve hit on a good point about the sand for those So. Californian homes.
I’ve always liked houses with upstairs and downstairs verandahs. Does Falmouth have a lot of regulations in place if you own a historic home? Can the owners change them however they want or must they stay true to the original architecture?
Lots of places to enjoy the outdoors.
Yes, if you own a historic home, you have to be faithful to the original design and fabric of the home. For example, you can’t use regular cement because it is incompatible with the materials they used at that time. There’s an organization that helps with renovations and provides training so that skilled workmen are available. But it’s a long, slow process and there are many properties to save.
I too love taking a walk along towns to capture houses. Get them in all shapes and sizes and also colors!! Its just so fascinating 🙂 Thanks Marcia 🙂
You’re welcome, Arti. It’s a fascinating look at how people lived back in the day.
We hardly build houses like these anymore but they were way more practical and better suited to the climate than what we have now.
So interesting to see your photos and read about the history behind these buildings. Another fan of 9 King St!
Yay, yes, it’d be lovely to call it home.
I really like no. 1 Trelawny St. I like the bricks, and the boxiness of it. Looks very British.
I saw in the Bob Marley documentary the village that he grew up in. The houses were just one room board construction. Just like the one you have in this post. It is so interesting to think of what life would be like in a one-room house. You wouldn’t have to worry about the kids lazing around inside all day.
Hehehe, that’s one way of looking at it. I thought about privacy, especially when they start to get older.
Yes, 1 Trelawny is a beautiful house. I haven’t been inside but I suspect it follows the normal layout for houses built around that time.
You know, a few months ago I was strolling about in Belize City. These scenes remind me a little of that. Something about the British/Caribbean combination, perhaps?
Yes, it’s definitely that combination, Sophie. Would love to see Belize City as well.
Very interesting. At first I saw great similarities to English architecture and then to Australian. I love the eclectic mix of styles.
It’s all based on English architecture that was brought here in the 18th century. I’m sure it would have gone to Australia as well.
Oooh, taking this walk now through these lovely pictures. I have no doubt I will enjoy this walk in situ. Such a charming area.
Thanks, Marlys. Glad you like the pictures. I’m sure you’d like Falmouth, it’s a charming little town.
Oh wow – I have loved going on this walking tour with you – both this post and the one previous – so interesting to see the different buildings and houses and the history behind them. Your research is a credit to you. Fascinating. I don\\\’t know what I thought of when I think of Jamaica – but this has certainly opened my eyes. Thank you!Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for stopping by my blog the other day.
Thanks and you’re welcome, Jill! I’ve enjoyed discovering Falmouth — and I’m not done!
Will be bringing you more in later posts.
Wow! There really is some lovely architecture in Jamaica!
You should check out our latest info graphic which illustrates the cheapest and most expensive countries to travel to: http://tinyurl.com/cqgeb88
I like this part of the walking tour much better. There’s so much charm and history to these homes. They’re beautiful! I love that there are storyboards for visitors to learn more about them. My favorite has to be the 9 King Street one – love verandahs.
Thanks, Mary. Glad you love this part of the walk. Yes, that King Street house is definitely beautiful – inside as well as out.
You could spend the entire day on the verandah — as i’m sure the owners did, especially on warm days.
HI Marcia, thanks for the interesting walking tour. Its amazing how preserved those very old private homes are. What’s more interesting for me are the stories behind them. I’m particulary intrigued by the story of Elizabeth Somerville. Imagine being a free woman of color at the time and being able to purchase her very own home – it must be quite an achievement for her. I feel so proud of her and others like her who made good lives for themselves.
You’re welcome, Marisol. Elizabeth Somerville is quite an intriguing woman. I’ve thought a lot about her since I found her house. I can’t even imagine a life like hers, or what it must have taken for her to be able to buy her own home. She’s an inspiration.
What an interesting tour of homes in Falmouth. I particularly like the small one on King Street – I had no idea that homes were coated in sand to protect from fire.
When I was younger and we had more homes that were made of wood and it was pretty common to see ones that were sand dashed, as we call it. It protected the home from fire and probably termites as well.
nice photos and a different side of Jamaica that you don’t normally see. thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome and thanks, Eileen. It’s side of Jamaica that I love to share so I’m glad you like it.
I really like the 9 King Street house. Something about the wooden structures and the roof.
I do, too. It is a beautiful house with a lot of intricate details.
I love the rusted corrugated iron roofs (we have those in Queensland) and I personally would love to see Davidson House restored – it is so beautiful. Next favourite is 2 Trelawny Street House. There are so many houses worth saving!
I love the corrugated roofs as well, especially when it rains. It’s such a soothing sound that i always just want to pull the curtains and sleep. I’ve been asking about the Davidson House as well. It’s in such a prominent location, I’m wondering if the owners — it’s privately owned — are hoping Royal Caribbean will purchase it. I agree, Falmouth has many homes worth saving. There’s an organization I volunteer with that’s doing some of the restoration but it’s a complicated process, not the least of which is raising the money that’s needed to do the work.
Such beautiful, colorful photos 🙂 I love it 🙂
Thanks, Muza-chan!