Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library

THE JAMAICA ALMANACS

The publication of Almanacs for Jamaica began in 1751. Almanacs are available at the National Library for 1751, 1776, 1779, and from 1781 through 1880 they appear to have been published annually (although copies have not survived for every year). The Almanac was prepared during the prior year, (for example the Almanac for 1811 was prepared in late 1810) so that the information would be available to the readers on January 1st, much like our modern calendars. The Almanacs contained blank pages which were intended to be used as a diary during the year.

At various times during its 100 year history the Almanac, besides containing names of persons, provided the following information: phases of the moon, eclipses, the times of sunrise and sunset, saints' days, holidays, the Jewish calendar and holidays, Anglican Lessons for each Sunday, the sovereigns of Europe, a chronology of Jamaica, the values of various coins used in the island, postage and shipping rates, rates for wharfage, stamp fees, poundage rates for stray animals, import duties, tables of exports and imports, schedules for the departures and arrivals of steamships and mail packets, the calendar for Circuit Courts, the hours of operation of post offices and banks.

The lists that are most important to the Jamaican researcher and genealogist are:

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

The Almanacs for 1811-1812, 1816-1818, 1820-1829, 1831-1833, 1838, 1840 and 1845 included a list of property owners etc. All of those lists are on this site. The lists were by Parish and contained the name of the property owner or other person in possession of the property, and the name of the property, where available. They were prepared from the "Givings-in to the Vestry" (the equivalent of a modern property tax return} for the year preceding the date of the Almanac.

From 1811 through 1833 the Almanac showed the number of slaves on each property, and the number of taxable stock, if any. The 1838 list shows the number of apprentices (see Glossary) instead of slaves and stock. In 1840 and 1845 it shows the number of acres or feet in the property.

The island was divided into three counties: Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey, each containing parishes. The Almanacs were sorted accordingly.

HOW TO READ THE LIST OF PROPRIETORS AND PROPERTIES

I. NOTICE THE TITLE ABOVE THE LIST

A. "Proprietors &c.*, Properties &c., Slaves**/Stock" (1811 to 1833)

B. "Proprietors &c., Properties &c., Apprentices**" (1838)

C. "Proprietors &c., Properties &c., Acres [or Feet]**" (1840 to 1845)

* "&c." (etc.) is always implied, even when not included in the heading. Properties were sometimes under the control of persons who were not the owners. Such a person may have been an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, receiver, attorney, or some other form of agent.

**This indicates to you what the numbers at the end mean, whether slaves or apprentices, or the acreage of the property.

II. APPEARANCE OF EACH ITEM

Proprietors etc.: Last name, First and Middle Names, Title, Modifier (Senior, Junior, Baronet, Knight, deceased, estate of, heirs of etc. The last three terms all indicate that the person named had died.)

......Capacity in which property is held, if applicable (although this is not always indicated in the Almanacs): Trustee, Receiver, Guardian, Executor, Executrix, Attorney [See Glossary].

A comparison of the Almanacs for all the years will be very useful to you. You will be able to determine the approximate year of death of the proprietor, based on when the terms "deceased", "estate of", or "heirs of" first appeared next to the proprietor's name. There may be more information in one Almanac than in others, for example, the full given name instead of initials of the proprietor, the middle name of the proprietor, the name of a particular property, or an indication whether the property was a pen or an estate.

Properties etc.: If the property name was given on the tax return it should appear here.

Numbers:

A. 1811-1833: Names only appear on the list if there were slaves on the property. If there is only one number it applies to slaves. If there are two numbers, separated by /, the second number refers to the number of taxable livestock on the property.
In the 1822 Almanac the method of recording stock for some parishes changed. This resulted in major increases in stock numbers for that year.
The 1829 Almanac included the following statement "It is necessary to apprize the purchasers of this Almanac that the foregoing Lists have been copied from the Rolls in the Receiver-General's Office, with the exception of those for St. Mary and Trelawny, which contain the numbers of Stock, for which Parish Tax is paid.  The remainder embrace only those for which a Tax is paid to the Public, working Stock being excepted."

B. 1838: The number of apprentices on the property. [See Glossary]

C. 1840 to 1845: Land in the country was measured in Acres. Land in major towns appears on the list by Feet. In some parishes the list combines the two. In that case I have indicated ' for feet after the number.

An asterisk (or other indicated symbol) indicating "assessed"

When a property owner failed to report holdings the Collector would "assess" the numbers. I have noted that in some parishes this assessment appears to be double the number reported on the previous report, and proprietors were not always identified as being assessed (usually with an *). In others, the number previously reported seems to have been increased, with the new number ending in 0 or 5.

Condition of the Almanacs.

If a section is illegible, I indicate the condition in [ ] square brackets. Sometimes I will put what the number or word appears to be, if it is difficult to read, but will follow this with a ? or [?]. Many of the Almanacs had deteriorated years before they were microfilmed. Some are almost 200 years old and the paper has browned, and the ink has faded. Edges are torn or have disintegrated. Spots or holes have developed on the pages. These Almanacs were retrieved from various places--from libraries, or from individuals. Some are in a better condition than others.

Parts of names that are missing from some of the original Almanacs have been replaced by ______, or by suggested names enclosed in [ ], based on the names in other Almanacs. If you do a Search and some names are missing in the middle of a series of the Almanacs on the site, please check the Almanac itself, as the name may be there with a missing letter, and will therefore not show up in the Search results.

Although the 1808 Almanac is a Civil and Military List, I will mention here that it was printed with the ancient typeset that wrote the letter "s" like an "f." I converted these to an "s," but in names that were not familiar to me I will give alternate spellings with "s" or with "f" and let the reader decide.

III. TRANSCRIPTION OF THE ALMANACS

I have transcribed the information as it appears in the Almanac, but I have eliminated most of the abbreviations that appear in the Almanacs, to make it easier for the reader. The original Almanacs shortened many words to save on space.

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CIVIL LISTS

These lists showed people in government positions, magistrates, and other offices (which included organists, street inspectors, etc). Some listed clergy, missionaries, teachers, police inspectors, doctors, lawyers, bank managers, consuls, societies, lodges, and companies.

MILITARY LISTS

These listed officers not only in British Regiments and Royal Navy stationed in the island, and the West-India Regiment, but also officers and staff of the local Militia.

VOTERS LIST

The 1860 Almanac contains the Voters List for that year. In 1831 Jews had been given the right to vote so they are included here.


Almanacs are listed in date order. To access a page, please click on the links below.

 

1751 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

This is the first Almanac ever published for Jamaica. It was compiled by William Daniell, and it is available at the National Library of Jamaica.

1751 Civil List


1776 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

This is the second oldest Almanac that is available at the National Library of Jamaica.

MILITARY LISTS

Military

[See 1839 Civil List, Part 6 Cornwall, Trelawny for the 1776 list of Proprietors and Properties in Trelawny.]


1779 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

This is the third oldest Almanac that is available at the National Library of Jamaica.

MILITARY LISTS

British Military and Navy, Jamaica Militia

OTHER

Form of Assignment of Bond, diary entry


1782 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS

Army


1784 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1787 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

 

MILITARY LISTS


1790 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

 

MILITARY LISTS


1796 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1799 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1802 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1805 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS

 


1808 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1811 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

N. B. Those marked thus *** are taken from the Poll Tax returns of 1809, not being able to procure them for the present year.


1812 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1816 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

"RETURN OF PROPRIETORS, PROPERTIES, ETC. GIVEN IN TO THE VESTRIES FOR THE MARCH QUARTER 1815".


1817 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1817 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL AND PAROCHIAL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1818 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1820 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1821 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1822 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1823 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1824 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

 

MILITARY LISTS

 

CIVIL LIST


1825 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1826 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES (BASED ON 1825 RETURNS)


1827 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1828 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

1829 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1831 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

1832 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1833 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES


1838 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

 

1839 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS

GRAND CAYMANAS

1839 Grand Caymanas [Cayman]


1840 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

Note in the 1940 Almanac: "The List for the Parish of Portland could not be obtained either from the Receiver General's Office or the Clerk of the Vestry when this Sheet was put to Press."


CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS

1840 St. James Militia (in Samples folder)


1842 JAMAICA ALMANAC

An excerpt. A paper setting forth the steps taken by the government to encourage immigration.


1845 JAMAICA ALMANAC

LISTS OF PROPRIETORS ETC. AND PROPERTIES

This Almanac contained the most extensive list of names of people and properties.

HISTORY OF JAMAICA, 1492-1844

History 1492-1727

History 1728-1811

History 1812-1844


1849 JAMAICA ALMANAC

An excerpt. A list of properties which had been abandoned by the owners since 1832.

Three excerpts: Voter Qualifications. Jewish leaders. Commentary on the Post Office in 1758.


1850 JAMAICA ALMANAC

Excerpt. The state of Jamaica in 1664.

Excerpt. Leaders of the Jewish synagogues.


1851 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS


1857 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS

Military - British Regiments and West India Regiments.  Jamaica Militia


1860 JAMAICA ALMANAC

REGISTER OF VOTERS FOR 1860

1860vl01 Kingston

1860vl02 St. Catherine

1860vl03 Port Royal and St. Andrew

1860vl04St. Thomas in the Vale

1860vl05Manchester and St. Ann

1860vl06 St. David

1860vl07 Trelawny

1860vl08 Clarendon and St. John

1860vl09 St. Elizabeth and Hanover

1860vl10 St. George and Portland

1860vl11 St. James

1860vl12 St. Mary and Metcalfe

1860vl13 Westmoreland

1860vl14 St. Thomas in the East

1860vl15 St. Dorothy and Vere


1861 JAMAICA ALMANAC

"WHO'S WHO? IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE JAMAICA ALMANAC"

 

The format of the 1861 Almanac differs from previous issues. Individuals are sorted by occupation or by public office. The occupations listed below are indicative of those on that page, but for a complete list please use the links to each page.


1865 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL AND PAROCHIAL LISTS


MILITARY LISTS

1865 Almanac Military, Militia, and Volunteers of Jamaica.


1870 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL AND PAROCHIAL LISTS

MILITARY LISTS

1870 Military List


1875 JAMAICA ALMANAC

CIVIL LISTS

PAROCHIAL LISTS


1877 WHO'S WHO AND WHAT'S WHAT
IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED
DeCORDOVA'S ALMANAC FOR 1877
AND 1877 BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF KINGSTON


1880 JAMAICA ALMANAC

1880 Almanac - Acres of land in cultivation in Jamaica in 1878 by Parish.

Please note - the rest of the 1880 Almanac is in poor condition and is difficult to read.


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Jamaica Almanacs Slave-owners, Civil & Military officers, Magistrates etc.

Items in the Samples Directory

Items in the Members Directory

Transcriptions from Registers and Wills (Church of England, Dissenters, Civil Registration)

Jamaican Roman Catholic Church Registers - transcriptions

Jamaican Methodist Baptisms - transcriptions

Jewish births marriages deaths - transcriptions

Slaves and slavery in Jamaica

Photographs, maps, prints, etc.