Vintage Jamaica

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

New Years, 1980. Lady Sarah Spencer Churchill surveying her lair in the hills above Montego Bay, Jamaica, New Years 1980.

Originally published May 16, 2001: She was attracted to the Caribbean when she reached majority (and was married) because she was allowed to spend the income from her small trust in pounds, but not in dollars. Her father, the duke of Marlborough, and so many other British friends, including Noël Coward, as well as American friends, went to Jamaica. She was also attracted to the island culture, and she visited often.

Sarah loved Jamaica. Her heart was really there, more than anyplace else, for most of her life. She loved Content, her hillside estate above the village of Reading, outside Montego. The property had originally been a fort built in 1732. By the 1960s, Montego Bay, with Round Hill and Tryall, was one of the stops for the jet setters and international nomads. The great yachts all made the stop. It was very British, very Colonial.

I think Sarah bought Content in the mid-60s from a very elderly British baronet. It sat at the end of a long circular driveway, a deceivingly small looking one-story white stucco house almost buried in bougainvillea. When you entered, it transformed into a quite large house of two stories (it was hillside) with seven or eight bedrooms and bathrooms, and wide, comfortable public rooms, with wood or tiled floors. All overlooking a magnificent sweeping view of the island below and the Caribbean.

There were always houseguests. They were entertained by large dinner parties that she'd have, or large ones she'd be invited to, bringing her dozen houseguests along. There was the party she was invited to when she not only brought her houseguests, but also the piano, so that one of her houseguests could entertain.

Dozens, scores, probably hundreds came over the years. Clementine Churchill came to stay when Sir Winston died. Sarah called her friend Noël and asked him to come over to visit, to cheer her up. In the mid-70s, the young John Kennedy came with school chums and Secret Service. Everybody else came too. Prince Andrew came for R&R after the Falklands. The Queen Mum, stars of stage and screen, politicians, writers, hairdressers, manicurists, carpenters, interior decorators, friends of friends, their children.

Jamaica was in many ways a rather primitive place, compared to American standards. It was very British for the whites, big old houses, kept up, but nothing extravagant. Just damned useful. Everything had to be brought in from the mainland: appliances, parts, auto parts, foods, wines, dry goods. Things were often in need of patching up. Sarah liked this kind of roughing it. She was often shipping things in to upgrade the place.

The house was very old. The modern "conveniences" were all added over the years and quite improvisationally. Sarah never spent any more than she had. After her grandmother died (in 1964), she became a wealthy woman. Not rich, but wealthy. Sarah ran her house with a staff of five or six, including a Jamaican butler/major domo named Alty, who came with the house, along with his wife, the housekeeper, Melvia.

Melvia was, according to Sarah, a Communist, and as much as Sarah hated the Communists, and as aristocratically sure she was of her position in life, (her friends often called her "The General" on the island), Sarah was intimidated by Melvia. Alty was one thing (and of course he made a great rum drink that all the guests got plastered on), for he was a man. And men needed to be straightened out. But Sarah didn't tussle with her maid, Melvia.

Bernard and Harvey Astley in mule panniers, in Jamaica, c. 1908
(courtesy of Cynthia (nee Astley) and Alastair McCrae)