This listing was compiled initially from Foster’s Postal History and additional notes from him passed to Derek Sutcliffe.
The notes state that from:
· 1782 to 1881 information was taken from the Almanacs of Jamaica
· From 1881 onwards the Handbook of Jamaica (which replaced the Jamaica Almanac)
· From 1904 onwards the full names of these officers were found from various editions of Who’s Who in Jamaica and information from letters from the Institute of Jamaica.
Further information has been extracted, by Steve Jarvis, from editions of the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper.
Prior to 1860 the Post Masters for Jamaica were appointed by the Post Master General in London, and their appointments would not appear in the Government lists, when made.
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Link | Acting From |
PMG From |
Absence From |
PMG To |
Postmaster | Notes | |
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1671 | Gabriel Martin | Appointed by the Legislative Council of Jamaica on 31st October 1671, but does not appear to have held the post for very long. | |||||
1687 | James Wales | Appointed in November 1687 by the Earl of Rochester (Postmaster General), and did not hold the position any length of time. | |||||
1691 | 1700 | Thomas Neale | Appointed by a Crown Patent of 17th February 1691 to the position of Postmaster of all the offices in the Americas. | ||||
1700 | 1701 | Andrew Hamilton Robert West |
A joint administration which was assigned to these two gentlemen by Thomas Neale. | ||||
1702 | Thomas Wood | Appointed by Edmund Dummer in accordance with the terms of his contract with the Post Office. Probably held office until 1711. | |||||
1721 | Robert Baldwyn John Cleaves Gilbert Kennedy |
These three gentlemen were taken into custody at this time and charged with exacting money for letters, and were probably acting as Postmasters with some authority. | |||||
1725 or 1726 |
1726 or 1727 |
Thomas Bartlet | He was accused of extorting money for letters under the power of a deputation from the Post Office in England. | ||||
1735 | 1737 | Alexander McFarlane | Appointed by means of a warrant from Alexander Spotwood. Deputy Postmaster General in the Americas. | ||||
1744 | James Angus Peter Baldwin Robert Baldwin |
These three men were charged with extortion and had been acting as Postmasters. | |||||
1747 | Lawrence Brodbelt | According to information from the Journals of Assembly. | |||||
1749 | John Macculloch | Appointed by Elliot Benger. Deputy Postmaster General in the Americas. under a warrant of 23rd August 1749. Died shortly afterwards. | |||||
1749 | 1751 | Mrs. Anna MaCulloch | Appointed to the office on the death of her husband by means of a warrant from the Governor. | ||||
1751 | 1754 | William Graham | Held the position by virtue of a `farm' from Mrs. Anna Macculloch. | ||||
1754 | 1781 | Edward Dismore | Appointed by the Postmaster General in April 1754 and in constant conflict with the local authorities. | ||||
1758 | 1759 | Robert Lock | A local appointment of 19th October 1758 in place of Edward Dismore. The action was declared illegal on 15th December 1759. | ||||
1782 | Thomas Gray | ||||||
1783 | 1793 | Francis Dashwood | A scandalous appointment! initially made on payment of £300 annually to a friend of Lord Carteret, the Postmaster General in London. Francis Dashwood's salary was £150 per annum! Born in Somerset, England on 1751 to Robert DASHWOOD and Mary Sweeting. Francis Dashwood married Frances Ludlow and had 1 child. He passed away on 1793. Died 19 Jun 1793 [Royal Gazette Sat 22 June 1793: Early on Wednesday morning, Francis Dashwood, Esq. Deputy Post Master General of this island, and in the commission of the peace for this parish. He was a few hours before his death in apparent good health, but was seized in the night with a fit of apoplexy, which shortly deprived him of life. In the department this Gentleman held under Government, he studiously endeavoured to give general satisfaction, and by his affability endeared himself to a large and respectable circle of friends and acquaintances.] |
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1793 | George Brooks | ) ) ) ) ) ) |
All these appointments are taken from the Almanacs of Jamaica for those years. [Royal Gazette Sat 22 June 1793: His Honour the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to appoint George Bogle, Esq. Deputy Post Master General of this island, protempore, in the place of Francis Dashwood, Esquire, deceased.] |
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1794 | George Atkinson | ||||||
1795 | George Bogle | ||||||
1796 | 1799 | Glocester Wilson | |||||
1800 | 1806 | John Smith | |||||
1807 | 1809 | Benjamin Barbauld | |||||
Link | 1810 | 1817 | John Milbourne Marsh | ||||
1822 | David Watt | ) ) |
Acting appointments from the Almanacs of those wars. | ||||
1823 | John Wilson | ||||||
Link | 1824 Feb 4 | 1832 Oct 17 | William Jekyll Anstey | Became Postmaster of Bath (UK) 18 Oct 1832 dismissed 29 Nov 1833. Correspondence from him in West Sussex archives to Lord Richmond | |||
1833 | 1834 | ??? | TF says: No information available for these years, however … | ||||
Link | 1833 | John Morce | Blue Book for 1833 states DPMG = John Morce with a footnote saying that Mr Morce, Acting DPMG died without having made any return of the Office – no dates of Office. | ||||
Blue Book for 1834 states: Anstey as DPMG but absent from Colony for whole year. | |||||||
1833 Jul 19 | Samuel Le Fevre | Declined the appointment | |||||
1833 Nov 25 | 1834 Jan 29 | Samuel M’Quoid | Appointment cancelled Born about 1796, Died 1867 |
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Link | 1834 Feb 8 | 1834 | Lord Sussex Lennox | Brother of Duke of Richmond – GB Postmaster General. Blue Book for 1834 states: absent from Colony from Nov 1834 (1802 – 1874). |
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1834 Oct 20 | 1850 Jul 2 | John Wilson | Appointed by Rt. Hon. The Marquis of Cunningham on 20 Oct 1834 at a salary of £400 per annum, increased to £1500 in 1844. Arrived in the island 16 Jan 1835 [Blue Book 1835] |
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Link | 1850 Sep 21 | 1860 Jul 31 | Maurice O'Connor Morris | He was dismissed on 31st July 1860. | |||
Link | 1860 | 1867/8 | Alexander James Brymer | The first official Colonial appointment to the office. Still in post 8 Jul 1867 |
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1868 Mar 1 | 1870 Apr 20 | W. Kemble | Date of First Appointment under Colonial Govt 1838. Appt. PM 1 Mar 1868 Sal: £600 Resigned on pension of £180 pa 20 Apr 1870 [Blue Book 1870] |
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Link | 1869 Aug? | 1870 May 1 | 1891 Oct 31 | Fred. Sullivan | Chief Clerk PO 1 Mar 1861 to 30 Apr 1970 Acting PMG by 12 Aug 1869 according to PO Notice PMG from 1 May 1870 to 31 Oct 1891 [CO137-547] |
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Link | 1891 Dec 8 | 1903 Sep 4 | 1903 Oct 13 | George Henry Pearce | |||
Link | 1903 Oct 13 | 1905 Jan 15 | Alfred Henry Miles | ||||
Link | 1905 Jan 16 | 1914 Sep 10 | 1915 Mar 20 | John Barkly Lucie-Smith | |||
1906 Jul 16 1907 May 28 |
TH MacBayne | Chief Clerk to act as Postmaster for Jamaica (leave of absence for Lucie-Smith (Gazette 19 Jul 1906) Also for 6 weeks from 18 May 1907 (Gazette 30 May 1907) Also Ellis Wolfe stand-in from 5 May 1910 to 27 Nov |
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Link | 1914 Sep 10 | 1915 Mar 20 | 1925 Apr 1 | 1925 July 1 | Ellis Wolfe | ||
Link | 1925 Apr 1 | 1925 Jul 7 | 1937 Apr 1 | 1937 Jul 1 | Reginald Honan Fletcher | Also wartime postal censor | |
1933 May 23 | Mr. H. C. Savage | Mr. H. C. Savage, Assistant Postmaster, has been appointed to act as Postmaster for Jamaica as from the 23rd May, 1933, during leave of absence granted to Mr. R. H. Fletcher, or until further orders (Gazette 11 May 1933) | |||||
Link | 1938 Jul 11 | 1938 Oct 11 | 1944 Dec 12 | 1945 May 12 | William Alexander Campbell | Confirmed as Postmaster in Gazette 29 Jun 1939 | |
Link | 1944 Dec 13 | 1945 May 13 | 1948 May 17 | 1949 Mar 17 | Esric Lionel Morris | ||
Link | 1946 Jul 29 1948 May 17 |
1949 Mar 18 | 1953 Apr 30 | 1953 Oct | George Fitzgerald White | JGZ19460808 states acting from 1946 Jul 29. Also wartime postal censor |
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Link | 1953 May 1 | 1954 Feb 22 | 1955 Sep 24 | 1955 (by 12 Dec) |
Allison Alfred Vernon Nash | 24 Sept 1955 Nash announces 9 months leave of absence prior to retirement (Gleaner 24 Sept 1955) | |
1955 Sep 24 | 1955 Dec 10 | F. O. Rousseau | Acting Postmaster General from 24 Sept 1955 Deputy PMG to Green, later PMG |
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Link | 1955 Dec 12 | 1959 Oct 20 | 1959 Nov 24 | Joseph Green | |||
1959 Oct 20 | 1960 Jan | 1964 Jun | F. O. Rousseau | Still in post 2 June 1964 (according to PO Notice) | |||
1964 May 18 | CS Irving | 18 May 1964; Postmaster General [Gazette 4 Jun 1964] Mr. C. S. Irving, Assistant Postmaster General, has been appointed to act as Postmaster General, with effect from the 18th of May, 1964, and until further orders, vice Mr. F. 0. Rousseau and during the absence from the Island of Mr. H. A. Fairweather. |
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Link | 1964 Jun | 1965 Feb 15 | 1966 Oct to 1968 Apr | Harrington A. Fairweather | Appointed PMG 15 Feb, but immediately on 3 months leave prior to special duties in the Ministry of Communications and Works. On 17 Oct 1966 still PMG but not clear when relinquished PMG post |
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Link | 1965 Feb 15 | 1968 Apr 5 | 1972 Nov 6 | 1973 Jan 30 | Winston G Brown | ||
LG Jackson | Seems to have been acting PMG on 18 Nov 1966 (Gleaner) | ||||||
Link | 1973 Feb 1 | By 1974 Jan | 1977 Oct | 1978 May | Rupert .I. Knight | ||
Link | ? | 1978 By Dec 9 |
1979 May? | K. L. DePass | Gleaner 9 Dec 1978 refers to: Mr. K. L. DePass as Postmaster | ||
Link | 1979 By May 14 |
1979 By Nov 13 |
1984 Sep 29 | Hicks (HM) Williams | Acting PMG by 14 May 1979 & still acting 19 Aug 1979 PMG by 13 Nov 1979 |
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Link | 1984 Oct 4 | 1999/2000 | Sam .E. Stewart | Was still Postmaster General 17 Dec 1999 | |||
Link | 2000 Sep | 2005 Sep | Dr. Blossom O'Meally-Nelson | ||||
Link | 2005 Oct | 2006 Aug 1 | Michael Gentles | ||||
Link | 2021 Mar 1 | Lincoln A. Allen |