“The story is,” says Lawrence-Archer, “that it is turned on its face, to
conceal the epitaph of an early Rector of the parish, who was hanged for
coining counterfeit doubloons in the vestry. It is said he was
discovered in consequence of having issued one from his mint before it
was quite cold. The story is most improbable.” In 1885 the slab was
raised and turned, when it was found to be to the memory of James
Ramadge, a merchant of Kingston, who died in 1755, aged thirty-three
years. Why it had ever been placed face downwards is not known. But that
there is some reason for the legend is proved by a reference to the “St.
Jago de la Vega Gazette” for December 19, 1801, where we read:
A number of counterfeit Doubloons and Eight-Dollar pieces are now in
circulation. The inscription on the face is Carol’s 3d., date 1761.
The face does not by any means resemble any effigy given of him or any
coins issued by Spanish Government during his reign. It is a perfect
copy of the head of Ferdinand the 6th, which appears on the doubloons
issued by him ten years before the accession of Charles the 3rd to the
throne. The pieces now in circulation are said to have been coined by
a Reverend Mr. Smith, who suffered for the crime many years ago on the
Kingston Parade.
Can this have been the Hadden Smith who was curate of Kingston parish
church in 1766?
The death of Peter Wagstaffe (who died in 1759) was curiously enough
recorded on two tombstones, both lying in the north aisle.
In the churchyard are three interesting tombstones, those of Janet
Scott, sister to Michael Scott (the author of the well-known “Tom
Cringle’s Log”), who was two years her brother’s senior, and evidently
came out with him and his bride in 1818, when he returned from Glasgow
to Jamaica; to Robert Bogle, his brother-in-law, of the firm of Bogle,
Harris & Co., of Glasgow; and to Robert Hamilton, who was planting
attorney to Sir Edward Hyde East, the owner of Maryland, on which stands
Raymond Hall, where “Tom Cringle’s Log” was written. Hamilton was a
friend of Scott’s, and was portrayed as Aaron Bang in the Log. The
Scotts and the Bogles were evidently old friends. A “Jennet Scott, the
daughter of Robert Bogle and Margaret his wife,” was baptized on April
5, 1793. She was probably a sister of the Robert Bogle who was Scott’s
brother-in-law. The following are the inscriptions on the three tombs:
Here lies Interr’d the remains of Mr. Robert Bogle, third son of
Robert Bogle, Esqr., Merchant, Glasgow, formerly of this city Merchant
who departed this life on 21st December 1819 aged 18 years.
Miss Janet Scott, fourth Daughter of Allan Scott, Esq., of Glasgow,
departed this life on the 4th January 1819 aged 32 years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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