Admiral's Pen
from Studies in Jamaican History, Frank Cundall, 1909
Admiral's Pen
During the later years of the last century, the Jamaica naval station was one of very great importance to the British Empire. The North American (with which it is now united) was then considered a fine station for making prize money, but the West Indies was, to use Nelson's own words, " the station for honour." Earlier in the century, however, riches were added to honour for those who held command at Jamaica.
In addition to the naval station at Port Royal (where the commodore on the station now resides at Admiralty House), there was, to the west of Kingston, a dockyard at Greenwich (with a depot for military stores, and a hospital, as well as a cemetery* attached), which was the point of embarkation for the naval authorities, and a pen residence for the commander-in-chief near Kingston, known as "Admiral's Pen."
At times the admiral on the station had a house in the hills (it was at "Admiral's Mountain" that Nelson was nursed by Lady Parker in 1780, after his return from the San Juan expedition), and there was, at one period, a naval convalescent hospital (now called The Cottage) in the St. Andrew Mountains.
* This cemetery was probably established when the earthquake at Port Royal led to the choice of the north side of the harbour as a place of residence.
The earliest record of a suggestion for a permanent residence for the admiral on the station is to be found in the will of Zachary Bayly (the uncle of Bryan Edwards, the historian), who offered Greenwich Park, situated between Admiral's Pen and Greenwich, near Kingston, to the Government " for the use and residence of a governor, or of the commander-in-chief, for the time being, of his majesty's ships of war employed or kept upon this station," at a reduction of £1,000 sterling on a just valuation.
This offer, which Bryan Edwards, as executor,
made to the House in 1770, was not accepted. But in 1773 the House resolved "that a sum not exceeding £2,500 (currency) be laid out in purchasing the house and pen in the parish of St. Andrew, where Sir William Burnaby, admiral Keppel and admiral Parry formerly lived, to be annexed to the government for the use of the commander-in-chief of his majesty's ships of war on this station."
Admiral's Pen was bought on the 13th of January, 1774, by Jasper Hall et al.. Commissioners for purchasing a pen for the admiral on the station,
from John Bailing et ux., for the sum of £2,500 (currency). This was Lieutenant-Colonel Bailing, who was then Lieutenant-Governor. Its purchase was no doubt due to Rodney, who was then the admiral on the station. As he left, however, in that year, Gayton was probably the first admiral to inhabit it as an official residence.
On the 20th of May, 1863, Thomas Cushnie, for
the Executive Committee, bought it for £600 (sterling). It is now used as a Union Poor House for Kingston and St. Andrew. Its whitewashed walls and whitewashed stones along the drive recall the coastguard stations of England, and keep alive the memory of its connection with the navy of Great Britain at a period of some of its brightest achievements.
To Admiral's Pen, in 1780, Nelson was brought, after a short sojourn at Port Royal, on his return from the San Juan expedition, and, weak from fever and dysentery, was tenderly nursed by Lady Parker and her housekeeper, Mrs. Yates, while even the admiral himself took his turn in sitting up with the patient. We are told that Nelson's aversion from taking medicine was so great that they had to send it to him by the hand of the admiral's youngest
daughter. On the 11th of June Nelson went up to the admiral's hill residence, or " Admiral's Mountain," * as he calls it in a letter to his friend Ross.
Lady Nugent, the wife of General Nugent, the Governor, in her "Journal of a Voyage to and Residence in the Island of Jamaica," refers to the Admiral's Pen more than once.
In 1804, , on the i8th of April, she writes at
Spanish Town :--
" Up at half-past two, and arrive at the Admiral's Penn soon after daylight. Admiral Dacres there, with Sir J. T. Duckworth, to receive us with a large party of Navy men and a few civilians! Like Admiral Dacres very much ; he seems such a good-natured domestic man, always talking of his family. The morning spent m gossiping and talking nonsense, but we were all merry and much amused. . . . Cards after which to bed at 9 o'clock." On the 19th. General N., etc., off at daylight, to review . . . .
* This seems to have been in the Red Hills above Spanish Town, but its site has not hitherto been identified. ''Mountain” was not in those days an unusual term for a property in the hills in Jamaica
During the later years of the last century, the Jamaica naval station was one of very great importance to the British Empire. The North American (with which it is now united) was then considered a fine station for making prize money, but the West Indies was, to use Nelson's own words, " the station for honour." Earlier in the century, however, riches were added to honour for those who held command at Jamaica.
In addition to the naval station at Port Royal (where the commodore on the station now resides at Admiralty House), there was, to the west of Kingston, a dockyard at Greenwich (with a depot for military stores, and a hospital, as well as a cemetery* attached), which was the point of embarkation for the naval authorities, and a pen residence for the commander-in-chief near Kingston, known as "Admiral's Pen."
At times the admiral on the station had a house in the hills (it was at "Admiral's Mountain" that Nelson was nursed by Lady Parker in 1780, after his return from the San Juan expedition), and there was, at one period, a naval convalescent hospital (now called The Cottage) in the St. Andrew Mountains.
* This cemetery was probably established when the earthquake at Port Royal led to the choice of the north side of the harbour as a place of residence.
The earliest record of a suggestion for a permanent residence for the admiral on the station is to be found in the will of Zachary Bayly (the uncle of Bryan Edwards, the historian), who offered Greenwich Park, situated between Admiral's Pen and Greenwich, near Kingston, to the Government " for the use and residence of a governor, or of the commander-in-chief, for the time being, of his majesty's ships of war employed or kept upon this station," at a reduction of £1,000 sterling on a just valuation.
This offer, which Bryan Edwards, as executor,
made to the House in 1770, was not accepted. But in 1773 the House resolved "that a sum not exceeding £2,500 (currency) be laid out in purchasing the house and pen in the parish of St. Andrew, where Sir William Burnaby, admiral Keppel and admiral Parry formerly lived, to be annexed to the government for the use of the commander-in-chief of his majesty's ships of war on this station."
Admiral's Pen was bought on the 13th of January, 1774, by Jasper Hall et al.. Commissioners for purchasing a pen for the admiral on the station,
from John Bailing et ux., for the sum of £2,500 (currency). This was Lieutenant-Colonel Bailing, who was then Lieutenant-Governor. Its purchase was no doubt due to Rodney, who was then the admiral on the station. As he left, however, in that year, Gayton was probably the first admiral to inhabit it as an official residence.
On the 20th of May, 1863, Thomas Cushnie, for
the Executive Committee, bought it for £600 (sterling). It is now used as a Union Poor House for Kingston and St. Andrew. Its whitewashed walls and whitewashed stones along the drive recall the coastguard stations of England, and keep alive the memory of its connection with the navy of Great Britain at a period of some of its brightest achievements.
To Admiral's Pen, in 1780, Nelson was brought, after a short sojourn at Port Royal, on his return from the San Juan expedition, and, weak from fever and dysentery, was tenderly nursed by Lady Parker and her housekeeper, Mrs. Yates, while even the admiral himself took his turn in sitting up with the patient. We are told that Nelson's aversion from taking medicine was so great that they had to send it to him by the hand of the admiral's youngest
daughter. On the 11th of June Nelson went up to the admiral's hill residence, or " Admiral's Mountain," * as he calls it in a letter to his friend Ross.
Lady Nugent, the wife of General Nugent, the Governor, in her "Journal of a Voyage to and Residence in the Island of Jamaica," refers to the Admiral's Pen more than once.
In 1804, , on the i8th of April, she writes at
Spanish Town :--
" Up at half-past two, and arrive at the Admiral's Penn soon after daylight. Admiral Dacres there, with Sir J. T. Duckworth, to receive us with a large party of Navy men and a few civilians! Like Admiral Dacres very much ; he seems such a good-natured domestic man, always talking of his family. The morning spent m gossiping and talking nonsense, but we were all merry and much amused. . . . Cards after which to bed at 9 o'clock." On the 19th. General N., etc., off at daylight, to review . . . .
* This seems to have been in the Red Hills above Spanish Town, but its site has not hitherto been identified. ''Mountain” was not in those days an unusual term for a property in the hills in Jamaica
slideshow of the pages about Admiral's Pen :-
the semaphore
from Tom Cringle's Log
"The admiral, for instance, had a semaphore in the stationary flag-ship at Port-Royal, which communicated with another at his Pen, or residence, near Kingston; and this again rattled off the information to the mountain retreat, where he occasionally retired to careen; . . ."
"The admiral, for instance, had a semaphore in the stationary flag-ship at Port-Royal, which communicated with another at his Pen, or residence, near Kingston; and this again rattled off the information to the mountain retreat, where he occasionally retired to careen; . . ."
A British Marine officer, Emeric Essex Vidal. who was also a well-known artist, was apparently in Jamaica in 1823, and painted several pictures of Admiral's Pen and it surroundings. Most of his paintings were of places in South America where he was posted for long periods.