Harmony Hall

"Jamaica Mercury and Kingston Weekly Advertiser", April 20th, 1779

quoted in the Daily Gleaner, October 4, 1901

As with Jasper Hall and Bull House, it is not easy to find information about the history of Harmony Hall, but in this case this is in large part because 'Harmony Hall' virtually disappeared from the records when the property was developed as the Mico Normal School for the training of teachers from 1836. On this page I will set out the references to Harmony Hall before it became absorbed into 'The Mico'.

The name 'Harmony Hall' is intriguing; the other houses were known by the names of their owners (Constantine House became known as Jasper Hall for most of its history), so where did the name 'Harmony Hall' come from? This also raises the question as to who built Harmony Hall: the suggestion is made that it was Eliphalet Fitch, who was certainly a prominent merchant in Kingston in the late 18th century. However, Fitch was, it appears, born in Boston on November 5, 1740, which would seem to make him too young to have been a wealthy Kingston merchant, building a fine house in the later 1750s. I am still hoping to get more information on this point!

as an entertainment centre

I have found no references to Harmony Hall as a residence, and I am waiting for material which, I hope, may provide some confirmation, or otherwise, as to Eliphalet Fitch being its owner. However, there are a few references to it as a location for concerts. In January 1789, according to Richardson Wright in Revels in Jamaica, 1682-1838, a group of amateur and professional musicians met at Thompson's Tavern to plan for regular concerts, to be supported by subscription; Harmony Hall was chosen as the venue, and it was indicated that the bands of the regiments currently in Jamaica would be involved. Wright gives no information on the success, or otherwise, of the project.

This seems to be a reference to an early concert under this scheme:

SUPPLEMENT TO THE CORNWALL CHRONICLE
No. 821] SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1789 [No. 742
KINGSTON, March 7
The monthly Subscription Concert at Harmony Hall on Wednesday, gave great satisfaction to a very brilliant and crowded audience, of which his Honour the Lt. Governor . . . made a part. Generally speaking it was by far the best Concert given here these last 10 years, and displayed the abilities of the performers in a very favorable light; but the admirable talents of Signior Peppe justly entitle him to particular mention. His hearers were unanimous in showing the warmest tokens of approbation.

Note re 'Signor Pepe': Revels in Jamaica, page 196 - 1791: '. . . December 5th a benefit concert for Mr Weldon. In the latter program we find the name of a Signor Pepe, who tells the town that he is back on the Island after fifteen month's absence and, if he receives enough encouragement, hopes to settle down there for good. The encouragement will be measured by the extent to which the genteel populace patronize his offer to teach them singing, the violin, mandolin, and Spanish guitar.'
page 197 - 1792: '. . . concerts given by foreigners in this last decade of the eighteenth century. Signor Pepe leads the way with a concert in March at the Kingston Theatre . . .'

Grand Walk, Vauxhall Gardens, ca 1751, by Canaletto

Later, Felix Byrne, a Jamaican musician who received some training in London, at first tried to start a school in Kingston, but, failing at that, set up a pleasure gardens, apparently on the model of the Vauxhall Gardens, which he had presumably visited when he was in England. Some time around 1802-4 Byrne opened Harmony Hall Gardens, with flower-bordered walkways, a smoking room, four vocal performances each evening, and 'adequate' refreshments. Subscribers received a pearl or silver ticket, for themselves and their families. Although reports suggest that the facility did not prove a success, John Stewart mentioned 'Harmony-hall gardens' in An Account of Jamaica: And Its Inhabitants, in 1808. Wright suggests the property was auctioned off - or perhaps only the furnishings and fittings, since a Felix Bryan [?Byrne] is mentioned in 1897 as the owner of the property before Mico acquired it.

as a Roman Catholic chapel

Although there were Roman Catholics in Jamaica in the 18th century, no priests had been allowed to serve in the island after 1705. However, in 1791, the removal of old restrictions on Roman Catholics in England, was favourable to a request from Spaniards living in Jamaica to be able to have a priest of their religion in the island. The arrival of emigrants from the revolution in Haiti added to the need for such a priest. In the following years several priests arrived in the island at various times and a chapel was established on West Street; known as the Spanish Chapel it was also attended by the Haitians. In his book, Father Osborne gives a detailed account of the controversies within the Catholic community in the later 1790s, which led to the establishment of a second chapel, by a priest from Haiti, William Le Cun, O.P., on High Holburn Street, at Jasper Hall. The removal took place in November, 1799, but other priests continued to make use of the old Spanish Chapel, and the squabbles among the priests continued for several years into the new century, virtually until the death of Le Cun in October 1807.
At some date, not clearly indicated, Le Cun had moved his chapel from Jasper Hall to Harmony Hall:

Why Le Cun gave up his residence and chapel on High Holborn Street and removed it to a place called Harmony Hall on Hanover Street is not known, but his new chapel-residence had the advantage of being more centrally located in a rapidly expanding city whose Catholic population was growing proportionally. Both the residence on High Holborn Street, called Jasper Hall, and the one on Hanover Street, named Harmony Hall Gardens, were two of Kingston's most spacious residences. The Harmony Hall chapel served Catholics of all nationalities when the Spanish chapel was closed after DeLema [another priest] departed from Jamaica at the request of his majesty's government.

While Le Cun still occupied Harmony Hall, it was sold, and he was given notice to vacate. This posed a problem, where a place, suitable and spacious, could be found to house both chapel and residence. After exhausting all possibilities, Le Cun had no alternative save to return to the old Spanish Chapel on West Street. He wrote to the government for permission to reopen this chapel on 19 June 1807, stating that Harmony Hall had been sold and there was need for a place of worship for the Catholics of Kingston. On 27 June Colonel Walshe replied that Governor Sir Eyre Coote was unwilling to grant permission unless Le Cun first secured the sanction of the Kingston magistrates. Evidently he was unable to obtain this sanction. All sacred vessels and church ornaments were removed from West Street to the Hanover Street chapel and an inventory attested to by Constable David de Castro on 2nd July 1807.
[page 159]

for further information:
History of the Catholic Church in Jamaica, Francis J. Osborne - 1977

William Le Cun died at Harmony Hall in October 1807, but no further information is provided on the buildings on Hanover Street. By 1811 Holy Trinity had been built on the corner of Duke and Sutton Streets as the centre for the Roman Catholic community in Kingston.

Perhaps someone can fill in the gap between the sale of Harmony Hall in 1807 and its acquisition as the location for 'the Mico' in the mid-1830s?

on to 'The Mico'

'He [Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton] writes of his interest in every detail [Rev. John McCammon] Trew could provide on the schools there [Jamaica], especially the one established at Harmony Hall . . .' Calendar of the Papers of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, 1786-1845, Rhodes House Library.

the old Mico Institution, Hanover Street, Kingston

[note: Frank Cundall wrote '. . . the house to the north of the old "Mico" in Hanover street, once called "Harmony Hall." ' I do not imagine the main building in this drawing was Harmony Hall, but the building glimpsed 'to the north' of it looks too small for such an impressive house. This picture does not appear to tell us anything about the original edifice.]

'The institution was located on a property by the name of Harmony Hall.'
Jamaica: Development of Teacher Training Through the Agency of the Lady Mico Charity from 1835 to 1914
Vincent D'Oyley, 1964

Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton

Daily Gleaner, December 1, 1894
[from editorial on the history of Mico]
The original buildings consisted of those that extend from Beeston Street down but not including the large schoolrooms and dormitories, which form the central part of the present premises. These central premises mark the first stage of enlargement. The third consisted in the purchase and addition of the residence occupied by the Rev. Mr. Gillies.

'A 17th century charity: a brief history of the Mico Training College, Jamaica.' By the Editor.
Journal of the Institute of Jamaica, July 1896, Vol. II, No. III.

The defined area on the east side of Hanover Street, as shown on the section of the Hay's 1745 plan of Kingston, and the application for the registration of title in 1897, show clearly the location of Harmony Hall and Harmony Hall Gardens, as well as the Old Mico.

Hay's plan/map of Kingston, 1745

Daily Gleaner, April 26, 1897

Applications to bring Lands under the Registration of Titles Law - 21 of 1888.
WHEREAS the several Parties mentioned below have applied to have the Lands therein respectively described brought under the Registration of Titles Law — No. 21 of 1888; and the Referees having provisionally approved of the Registration of the Titles for the said Lands and having directed that publication of the same be made as specified below and that Notice be served on the persons in possession, charge of, or owning the adjoining Lands.
This is therefore to notify all persons having any interest in, or claim against any of the said Lands mentioned below, that in case no Caveat forbidding the Registration of the Title to any of the said Lands be received by me on or before the expiration of the period limited for lodging Caveats respecting any parcel of Land described below they shall proceed, as by law directed, to bring such Lands under the operations of the said Law.
HY. F. POUYAT. Registrar of Titles
N.B.—Forms of Caveat may be had on application at the Office of Titles, No 15 Church Street, Kingston.
Name of Applicant:
Henry Hemingsway Kilburn, and Thomas Middleton Geddes of Kingston in the Island of Jamaica, Ministers of the Gospel as the duly constituted attorneys in this Island of the Trustees of the Lady Mico Charity, who are the owners of an estate in fee simple in possession in the said land.
Date of Provisional Order of Approval:
9th April 1897

Property:
April 15th, 1897.
All those three lots or parcels of land situate on the east side of Hanover Street in the city and parish of Kingston, and marked in the plan of the said city 922, 923, 924, lately known as the Mico Institution, formerly called Harmony Hall, containing by estimation from north to south 150 feet, and from east to west 150 feet, be the same more or less with all buildings erected thereon, and butting and bounding west on Hanover Street aforesaid, north on Beeston Street, east on Rum Lane, south on the land secondly hereinafter described formerly in the possession of Felix Bryan [Byrne?], and called Harmony Hall Gardens, but now in the possession of the Trustees of the Lady Mico Charity. And all those three lots pieces or parcels of land situate in Hanover Street in the city and parish of Kingston, and numbered in the plan of the said city 919, 920, and 921, containing together by estimation from north to south 50 feet, and from east to west 150 feet, be the same more or less with ail buildings erected thereon, recently forming part of the Mico Institution and butting and bounding west on Hanover Street aforesaid, east on Rum Lane, north on land firstly therein described in possession of the Trustees of the Lady Mico Charity, and south on land formerly in the possession of Nathaniel Marston, deceased, but now of the Trustees of the Lady Mico Charity and recently used as the residence of the principal of the Mico Institution, and about to be sold to Thomas McNish.

and after the 1907 earthquake . . .

Jamaica, General Report, 1907

the Post Office on Harbour Street after the 1907 earthquake

the new Technical School -

Daily Gleaner, January 10, 1911
         Meeting of the Mayor
             And Council.
        Future Use of Old Court House
             In Harbour Street.

     GIVING AWAY OLD COURT HOUSE
     The Colonial Secretary wrote in reply to the clerk's letter of 24th October last stating that the Governor would be prepared to surrender to the Council the old Court House and the portion of the building formerly used as a post office at the corner of Harbour Street and Duke Street, and that instructions had been issued for a Board of Survey to inspect the old furniture contained in the buildings with the view of vacating them.
     His Excellency went on to point out, however, that if the Council had no immediate use for the old Post Office, he would be glad if the new Technical School may be temporarily housed there until the old Mico buildings are vacated by the Courts.
    This was agreed to.

Hibbert House

Constantine House

Bull House