Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
“Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies,” was written by James Henry Lawrence-Archer [1823-1889], and published in 1875. It contains 441 pages plus 12 prefatory pages. These web pages contain the complete text, including the description of Arms which are illustrated in the book but not reproduced here.
I have retained the page numbers so that the reader may use the Index which Lawrence-Archer provided, as well as the computerized Search.
A century after Archer wrote his book, Frank Cundall and Noel B. Livingston wrote some Annotations to the Monumental Inscriptions. They added more recent tombstones, and made some corrections to what Archer had seen. The annotations for the Spanish Town cathedral and churchyard have been added here. See the Annotations links following the main text below.
NOTE: Although Lawrence-Archer may be credited with preserving the information on tombstones and monuments, his remarks on the genealogy of certain families are not always accurate. The reader should verify his remarks by finding documentation to back them up.
The author's Index is included and everyone has free access to use it for locating by page number the names that appear in the book (as well as using the general Search function.)
Jamaica [F]
Other islands [F]
iii- xii. Title, Contents, Preface. Monumental In. Preface
1 - 20. Introduction, Chronology, Civil Lists. M. I. Intro - Jamaica
21 - 38. Cathedral, St. Catherine. St. Catherine. M. I. St. Catherine
39- 58. Cathedral, St. Catherine, continued. M. I. St. Catherine 2
59- 77. Cathedral, Fort Augusta, Green Bay. M. I. St. Catherine 3
78- 97. Kingston Cathedral Church. M. I. Kingston 1.
98- 117. Kingston Parish Church Yard. M. I. Kingston 2
118- 137. Kingston Parish Church Yard. M. I. Kingston 3
138 - 158. Kingston continued. M. I. Kingston 4
159 - 176. Kingston continued. M. I. Kingston Ebenezer
176 - 195. Kingston continued. M. I. Kingston 6
196- 216. Kingston continued. M. I. Kingston 7
216 - 236. Kingston continued. M. I. Kingston 8
[Note, there are monuments in Spanish Town and Kingston to people resident in other parishes]
237 - 250. St. Andrew. M. I. St. Andrew 1
251 - 264. St. Andrew continued. M. I. St. Andrew 2
265 - 285. St. Andrew continued. M. I. St. Andrew 3
286 - 295. Port Royal and 296- 298 St. Thomas in the East. M. I. Port Royal/St. Thomas in the East
299 - 300 Vere, and 301-306 Clarendon. M. I. Vere/Clarendon
307 - 316 St. Dorothy, St. George, Metcalfe, St. John, St. Ann. M. I. Jamaica other
316 - 329. St. James and Trelawny. M. I. St. James/Trelawny
329 - 342 Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth. M. I. Hanover, Westmoreland, St. E
345 - 357 Barbados Introduction, Chronology, Civil Lists. M. I. Barbados Intro
359 - 370 St. Michaels, St. Ann. M. I. Barbados St. Michael/St. Ann
371 - 384. St George, St. Thomas, St. Andrew, Christ Church. M. I. Barbados 3
385 - 401. St. Philip, St. Lucy, St. Peter. M. I. Barbados 4
405 - 414. Antigua. Chronology and Monumental Inscriptions. M. I. Antigua
417- 420. Governors and Monumental Inscriptions. M. I. St. Christopher.
423- 426. Governors and Monumental Inscriptions. M. I. British Guiana.
[No Monumental Inscriptions]
429 - 430. Grenada. Governors and Lieutenant-Governors
430 - 432. Other islands mentioned briefly.
432 Honduras. Governors and Administrators.
433 - 440. Index to Jamaica. [F] M. I. Index Jamaica
441 Index to Barbados, Antigua, St. Christopher and British Guiana. [F]M. I. Index Other
Notes and additions to the Inscriptions.
The following is a key to abbreviations used by Lawrence-Archer throughout the book:
&c. = etc.
(Ab.) = abstract, summary
AET., AETATIS SUAE = (Latin ) aged, at the age of
Bart. = Baronet
B. M. = black marble
C. Y. = Church Yard
DAUR. = daughter
G. M. = gray marble
M. = Monument
m. = married
M. M. = marble monument
MEM. OF ASSLY. = Member of Assembly
MERCHT. = merchant
NAT. = (Latin, natus) born
N. B. [referring to a place, found in Scotch Burial Ground] = North Britain
OB., OBIIT = he (or she) died
obl. = obliterated
ob. inf. = died as an infant
PAR. = Parish
Qy. = Query
s = son
s.p. = without issue, childless
T. = tomb
viv = living
w. = wife
W. M. = white marble
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