Hibbert House, also known as Headquarters House, is the head office of the

Jamaica National Heritage Trust The Jamaica National Heritage Trust is responsible for the promotion, preservation, and development of Jamaica's material cultural heritage (buildings, monuments, bridges, etc.). The organisation maintains the list of National Heritage Sites in Ja ...

. It is located at 79 Duke Street in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...

. It was built by

Thomas Hibbert Thomas Hibbert (1710–1780) was an English merchant and plantation owner who became a prominent figure in colonial Jamaica. Life Thomas was the son of Robert Hibbert (1684–1762) and his wife Margaret Tetlow Mills. Born into a family owning ...

, a wealthy young English merchant, in 1755 to serve as his residence. Hibbert migrated to Kingston in 1734, at a time when Jamaica was becoming the largest and wealthiest of the British Caribbean islands and the largest single destination of African slaves. In the early 1750s, he formed a partnership with Nathaniel Sprigg to serve as factors for slaves, purchasing them off the ships from Africa and reselling them to planters and others in Jamaica. Hibbert also helped found a major West Indian house in London, trading in sugar and rum.

The building

The two-story house is made from fine flemish bonded brick, stone and timber. The walls are brick with limestone quoins. The front of the building has Jamaican Vernacular

fretwork Fretwork is an interlaced decorative design that is either carved in low relief on a solid background, or cut out with a fretsaw, coping saw, jigsaw or scroll saw. Most fretwork patterns are geometric in design. The materials most commonly used ...

. The house has a basement and an attic with dormer windows, a courtyard and several outhouses. Offices were on the ground floor with bedrooms above.

History

Cast-away in Jamaica - Head-Quarter House, Kingston

Headquarters House or "Hibbert House", as it was known up to the time of the owner's death, stands as a reminder of the wealth and power of the Kingston merchants in their glory days. Hibbert was among the first of many wealthy merchants to build in the Georgian style of architecture. This style had become fashionable in 18th century England. This style would play a large part in the development of Jamaican architecture. Hibbert became involved in politics and in due course was named Speaker of the

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible governme ...

in 1756. When the Capital of Jamaica temporarily moved from

Spanish Town Spanish Town ( jam, label=Jamaican Creole, Panish Tong) is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the historic county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the Spanish and British capital of Jamaica from 1534 until 1872. Th ...

to Kingston in 1754. the House of assembly and Legislative Council held their meetings at Hibbert House until 1758. Hibbert never married, but he maintained a 24-year relationship with Charity Harry, dating from the birth of their daughter Jane Harry in 1756. Charity Harry, described as Hibbert's housekeeper and a "free mulatto," could read and own property. Hibbert provided her with a home, clothes, furniture, and other possessions. Upon Hibbert's death the house was passed to his heir and nephew and not to his daughter Jane or long time consort Charity. In 1814 the house was sold to the War Office of the West Indies Regiment to serve as its headquarters, and as the residence for the General of the army that was garrisoned there. This is where it gained the name of "Headquarters House". Since the house is located near the harbor and it also has a good view of the city the house was very desirable as a military headquarters. It was during this time that the crow's nest/ sentinel post was built on the roof. While Hibbert House served as the Headquarters House, several illustrious commanders resided there: *

Willoughby Cotton Lieutenant General Sir Willoughby Cotton (1783 – 4 May 1860) was a British soldier. Family Willoughby Cotton was born in 1783, to Vice-Admiral Rowland Cotton and Elizabeth Aston. They also had a daughter, Sydney Arabella Cotton. Rowland Cot ...

, who ordered the militia to crush the Christmas Rebellion of enslaved Africans, led by Sam Sharpe in 1831. * William Gomm who founded the Military Hill Station at New Castle, St. Andrew in 1841. * Luke O'Connor, Commander in Chief of the Military Forces which put down the

Morant Bay rebellion The Morant Bay Rebellion (11 October 1865) began with a protest march to the courthouse by hundreds of people led by preacher Paul Bogle in Morant Bay, Jamaica. Some were armed with sticks and stones. After seven men were shot and killed by th ...

of 1865. *Mayor

John Eyre John Eyre may refer to: Politicians *John Eyre (died 1581), Member of Parliament for Wiltshire and Salisbury *John Eyre (died 1639), MP for Cricklade * John Eyre (1659–1709), MP for Galway Borough, son of the above *John Eyre (died 1745), MP for ...

, organized his attack on St. Thomas to crush the Morant Bay Rebellion at Hibbert House.

Recent history

Hibbert House was purchased by the Jamaican government in 1872 for five thousand pounds Sterling. Kingston became the permanent seat of the Jamaica legislation and Hibbert house was used as the Offices of Colonial Secretary until 1960. Since 1983, Headquarters House has been used as the head office of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. The building has survived social, political and structural changes as well as the forces of nature to become a truly national historic treasure, worthy of preservation.

Notes

Bibliography

*Jennings, Judi. Gender, Religion, and Radicalism in the Long Eighteenth Century: An 'Ingenious Quaker' and Her Connections (ashgate, 2006).

External links