Porus, Jamaica
Encyclopedia
Porus is a village in Manchester, Jamaica
. It overlooks a plain to the south with hills behind it to the north. A tributary of the Rio Minho
runs parallel to the main road, helping to keep the atmosphere cool.
James Phillippo
as a free village
for ex-slaves following emancipation
. It was his sixth such village. It was originally called Vale Lionel after the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Lionel Smith
, but was soon renamed "Porus" most probably after the porous soil in the vicinity.
In its early days its population was very small although it boasted a large coffee market. It is now a thriving community of predominantly small farmers and artisans.
in south central Jamaica to Savanna-la-Mar
on the south west coast.
. Although all services on the line have ceased, the extensive (for Jamaica) station buildings remain.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. It overlooks a plain to the south with hills behind it to the north. A tributary of the Rio Minho
Rio Minho (Jamaica)
At the Rio Minho is the longest river in Jamaica. It rises close to the island's geographic centre, flows generally south-southwest and reaches the Caribbean Sea at Carlisle Bay in the central south coast, to the west of the island's southernmost point, Portland Point.The town of May Pen,...
runs parallel to the main road, helping to keep the atmosphere cool.
History
Porus was founded 1840 by the missionaryMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
James Phillippo
James Phillippo
James Phillippo was a Baptist missionary who campaigned for the abolition of slavery.-Early years as a missionary:...
as a free village
Free Villages
Free Villages is the term used for Caribbean settlements, particularly in Jamaica, founded in the 1830s and 1840s independent of the control of plantation owners and other major estates.-Pioneering the concept:...
for ex-slaves following emancipation
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
. It was his sixth such village. It was originally called Vale Lionel after the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Lionel Smith
Sir Lionel Smith, 1st Baronet
General Sir Lionel Smith, 1st Baronet GCB GCH was a British diplomat, colonial administrator, and soldier.His mother was noted writer and feminist Charlotte Turner Smith....
, but was soon renamed "Porus" most probably after the porous soil in the vicinity.
In its early days its population was very small although it boasted a large coffee market. It is now a thriving community of predominantly small farmers and artisans.
Road
Porus is on the A2 road which runs from Spanish TownSpanish Town
Spanish Town is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the former Spanish and English capital of Jamaica from the 16th to the 19th century...
in south central Jamaica to Savanna-la-Mar
Savanna-la-Mar
Savanna-la-Mar is the chief town and capital of Westmoreland parish, Jamaica.It is a coastal town and contains a fort, constructed in the 18th century for defence against pirates....
on the south west coast.
Rail
From 1895 to 1992 Porus was served by Porus railway station on the Kingston to Montego Bay lineRailways of Jamaica: Kingston to Montego Bay
The Kingston to Montego Bay line was Jamaica's main railway. It linked the capital Kingston with the second city Montego Bay, passing enroute most of the major towns.-Construction, operation and closure:...
. Although all services on the line have ceased, the extensive (for Jamaica) station buildings remain.
Public amenities
There are two schools, churches, a post office, a police station, a comprehensive health clinic, and various small retail outlets.External links
- Aerial view.
- Photos: Fruit stall Downtown Bar Fruit stall Fruit stall Police station Community centre Methodist church United church School Station Train []
