The first reference to a West India regiment in the Jamaica Almanacs is
in 1802, when the second is recorded, and so continues to 1809; then
till 1813 the fifth is recorded: in that and the following years the
second and seventh were also at Up-Park. Then the second occurs down to
1842, being accompanied by the third in 1841 and 1842. A new chapel
erected to replace the one destroyed by the earthquake was consecrated
in May 1912, and in 1915 four windows were put in to replace those (lost
with the old chapel) which had been erected to the memory of officers
and men of the 2nd W.I.R. who fell in the Ashantee war of 1873–74.
=Plum-Tree Tavern=, which stands on the junction road between Kingston
and Annotto Bay, and seven miles distant from the former, is of interest
as having been the scene of one of the last duels fought in Jamaica.
The late Dr. Cargill, in his article entitled “A few Words about ‘The
Captain’s Story’” in “The Journal of the Institute of Jamaica” for July
1896, says: “A very amusing duel (almost the last fought in Jamaica)
took place near ‘Running Water’ [Constant Spring Estate], and was
omitted from the ‘Captain’s Story’ by request of the parties concerned.
As they are all dead and gone there is no reason why it should not now
be related. My uncle, Dr. John Marston and a Captain Peel, R.N., went to
a party and were requested to sing. Captain Peel sang _first_, and then
Dr. Marston was asked to sing the same song that Captain Peel sang, but
got more applause. Peel conceived himself insulted and called out
Marston. They fought at ‘Plum Tree.’ I have the pistols, Wagdon and
Barton’s hair-triggers. They fired and missed, but Marston’s shot hit a
tree and glanced off on to the forehead of a Mr. Berry (a book-keeper)
who had hidden in the bush to see the fight. Dr. Marston had to leave
the battlefield to attend to Berry, who was supposed to be killed. In
the meantime ‘Mrs. Jasper’ (my mother) heard of the duel and came down
to Plum Tree and prevented further hostility. Mr. Berry only died a few
years ago. He had the mark of Dr. Marston’s bullet in the space between
the eyes. I have often seen the wound, which had broken the outer table
of the bone there.”
Unfortunately old Plum-Tree Tavern was wrecked by the hurricane of 1903,
and little more than the lower walls now remain to bear witness to
old-time life in Jamaica.
A fort on Bridge Pen (formerly Berthaville) and, at the foot of the Long
Mountain, now a ruin, was probably erected as a protection against
rebellious slaves marching on Kingston.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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