Governor of Jamaica

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Commissioners submit findings that corroborate James Williams’s account

📅 21 Oktober 1837

On 21 October 1837, commissioners George Gordon and John Daughtrey sent Governor Lionel Smith the proceedings of their inquiry. They reported that James Williams’s allegations received “few and...

Governor Lionel Smith assents to Jamaica’s act ending apprenticeship

📅 16 Juni 1838

On 16 June 1838, Governor Lionel Smith assented to an act passed by Jamaica’s Council and Assembly to end praedial apprenticeship from 1 August. He described it as the total abolition of praedial...

Governor Eyre declares martial law across most of Surrey County

📅 13 Oktober 1865

On 13 October 1865, Governor Edward John Eyre declared martial law in Surrey County, excluding Kingston, after the Morant Bay uprising. Although the uprising was suppressed within days, martial law...

Martial law ends after the Morant Bay crackdown

📅 13 November 1865

On 13 November 1865, the thirty-day period of martial law in Surrey County ended. The uprising had been suppressed within days, yet emergency rule continued while Black Jamaicans faced military...

An Order in Council establishes Jamaica’s Crown Colony constitution

📅 11 Juni 1866

On 11 June 1866, an Order in Council established a new Crown Colony constitution for Jamaica, replacing the former representative arrangement with a Legislative Council under direct imperial...

Colonial Secretary Cardwell condemns aspects of the Morant Bay repression

📅 18 Juni 1866

On 18 June 1866, Colonial Secretary Edward Cardwell sent Governor Henry Knight Storks a dispatch accepting the Royal Commission’s criticism of the repression. The British Government condemned Gordon’s...

A limited elected element returns to Jamaica’s Legislative Council

📅 19 Mei 1884

On 19 May 1884, the final Order in Council restructured Jamaica’s Legislative Council and restored a limited elected element. Nine of the Council’s members were elected, while the Governor, ex-officio...

Police fire on strikers at Old Frome

📅 2 Mei 1938

On 2 May 1938, a crowd of strikers gathered at the company’s office at Old Frome. Colonial authorities told Parliament that the crowd demolished the office and attacked staff and police, after which...

Universal adult suffrage takes effect under Jamaica’s new constitution

📅 20 November 1944

On 20 November 1944, Jamaica’s new constitution came into effect and universal adult suffrage was introduced. Adults aged 21 and older could vote without the property qualifications that had...