C. Roy
Reynolds IN 1938 THE country was nearly torn apart by riots and unrest, centred mainly on the Frome sugar factory, then under construction, and the Kingston waterfront. What is seldom remembered was that the reaction was not limited to Jamaica alone as several other Caribbean territories experienced unrest as well.
While there was a definable geographical focus of the unrest the depressed social and economic conditions of the territories ensured that the visible protesters enjoyed huge support among the masses. Britain, apparently, was alarmed at the situation and as she had done on many other occasions she established a "royal commission" to enquire into the circumstances. The man selected to lead that commission was Lord Moyne of Bury St. Edmunds. On October 31, 1938 he arrived in Jamaica: "Lord Moyne Arrives to Conduct Island Inquiry," said front page on November 1.
A sidebar story recorded that the rest of the commission would arrive on that day. Whether pomp and ceremony would play a role in addressing the problems "Mi Lud" was here to address or not no one might have known, but pomp was what we would get. Moyne arrived in Kingston harbour aboard what The Gleaner called "his palatial yacht Rosaura! With him were his wife and two daughters; the Hon. Murtaugh Guinness and the Hon. Gratnia Guinness.
The yacht was described as of 1,552 tons with a gross length of 282 feet and 34 feet in breadth, capable of 15 knots and with a range 15,000 miles.
It had been a triple screw, turbine-driven channel steamer, named 'The Dieppe' operated by the Southeastern Railway Company which had been converted at a then enormous cost of 60,000 pounds. Lord and Lady would indeed be arriving in Jamaica in style.
During the voyage they had made several other stops, no doubt to set the stage for other parts of the commission's work. As the yacht anchored in the stream of the Kingston harbour a group of dignitaries waited at the Myrtle Bank Hotel pier in the Harbour Master's launch for the signal to approach.
Returning in the "Arawak" with the greeting party, The Gleaner reported that Lord Moyne wasted no time and was driven to the public buildings on King Street to inspect the facilities being prepared for him to carry out his work. The Gleaner did not say if his lordship was disappointed that workmen were still carrying out the standard white-wash and dressing up usually done to welcome royalty regardless of the reason for their visit.
The Surveyor General's department had been hustled out of the accommodation to make way for Mi Lud. Accommodation as well was prepared at the Constant Spring Hotel and among the welcomers at that venue was F.H. Robertson, Tourist Trade Commissioner.
Lord Moyne was first shown what The Gleaner called "the western lounge, where a large semi-circular table for the commissioners and tables for the secretarial staff were already laid out." They were then taken upstairs to see the living accommodation.
Lord Moyne then called on the Governor at King's House and returned to his yacht where he spent the night with his family.
The other nine commissioners arrived the next day in less ostentatious fashion, but there was no doubt that most of them were people of high social, and obvious political standing. They would come by the steamship "Orbita" at the Royal Mail pier. The Gleaner listed them as: Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, a former Governor whom the paper gushed was one of the ablest administrators to direct the affairs of the island; Ralph Asheton, M.P.; Sir Walter Citrine, Professor Engledow, CMG; Sir Percy MacKinnon, Mr. H.D. Henderson, Mr. Morgan Jones, MP; Dame Rachael Crowdy and Dr. Mary Blacklock. They brought with them a number of technical staff.
In an interview with The Gleaner the ex-governor was reported to have expressed his delight at again being in Jamaica and the newspaper also reported that he had long considered a acquiring a winter house in Jamaica and might still do so.
The commissioners had studied a number of documents pertaining to their mission while on their way but apparently they had their eye on other matters as well. For in reporting on its interview with Stubbs, The Gleaner quoted him as saying he hoped that we would have a horse race meeting on November 9 as "all the commission are keen on seeing some racing in Jamaica during their off hours."
C.Roy Reynolds is a
freelance journalist.
