Friday 16 February 2024

EXPLORING JAMAICA’S FORGOTTEN GEMS - GARDEN HILL IN ST. CATHERINE

  

As a budding travel influencer (given to me by SM..lol), I find myself drawn to the often-overlooked villages and districts that hold the roots of our ancestry. These are the places where our parents and grandparents ventured, seeking opportunity abroad in the UK, USA, and Canada, mostly many are now returning for their final rest.

This past Saturday, (Feb 10 2024)  I seized the opportunity to both support a friend bidding farewell to her 94-year-old mother and revisit my childhood village, Garden Hill, St Catherine, where I attended primary school. Walking the corridors of Garden Hill Primary School, memories flooded back with overwhelming joy. The classrooms, divided by an open section used for worship and various functions, seemed unchanged over time.

As I drove up to the school for the Thanksgiving service, the winding, narrow, hilly roads presented a challenge – how did the buses navigate these bumpy roads without mishap in the past? I recalled getting off the bus at the bottom of the hill, where the sign read "Garden Hill Primary School," and making the steep climb to the teacher's cottage, often carrying some load as a child.

The transformed hall, adorned with white chairs and flowers, provided a beautiful setting for the service. Surprisingly, there was even a designated spot for photos – a testament to the attention to detail in honouring the departed.

The interment at the church lot on the hill posed a challenge for me, with inappropriate footwear and the physical demands of climbing. Reflecting on the schoolyard, I marvelled at how well Garden Hill Primary School has been preserved, with memories flooding back of my Aunt Daph, the headmistress during my time there.

As a special child at Garden Hill, being the 'daughter' of the headmistress, I was showered with fruits and held to high standards of discipline. Life in the village revolved around church, with Sunday school followed by the 'big people' service.

In memory of Miss Vie, Violet Duhaney Flowers, nee Blake, I am grateful for her descendants' cherished memories and countless tributes, a testament to her enduring impact. Though gone, she will never be forgotten.

The awe-inspiring hills of Garden Hill. 

Lanse  Whittingham-Lyons remembering Miss Vie.



Lois Grant trying - will not take the chance up that hill to the church.
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Friends in support of the bereaved.
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At the Garden Hill Primary School - not much has changed. 


Writer, Lois Grand

Lois Grant - JP, MA, BA (Hons), Dip Mass Comm, Cert. Broadcast Journalism BBC-London, is a distinguished communications professional with a legacy of groundbreaking achievements. From her early days at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) to leading the Public Relations unit at Grimax Advertising. She co-founded Innercity Promotions, celebrated for pioneering live dance hall concerts. In the '90s, Grant established her agency, Corporate Image Communications and Productions, creating innovative events for brands like Tastee Limited, COK Credit Union, and the Jamaica National Building Society. Her impact extends to shaping the political landscape of three Caribbean islands., Jamaica included. She was a former Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica (2007-2013). Grant continues to contribute as a consultant working for prestigious entities such as the US Network, NBC Sports and more recently as a travel influencer.


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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nice😀

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