OLD NAVAL CEMETERY
This Cemetery was laid out for the British Navy Circa 1742. It is beside an earlier cemetery which was destroyed in the Great Earthquake of June 7, 1692. Many victims of the dreaded yellow fever and other 18th & 19th century epidemics were buried here. Among the graves is an interesting memorial, which is in the shape of an anchor. It is in memory of the men of H.M.S. “Goshawk” who were drowned at Port Royal.
The Jamaica National Heritage Trust in Association with the British High Commission.
Tombstones that are still legible….
| IMG # | SURNAME | Given Name | RANK | Died In |
| NB04 | COLES | George | Naval Storekeeper | 1897 |
| NB15 | COPE | Thomas B. B. | Nav. Lieu | 1882 |
| NB21 | CROSS | William Alfred | Signalman | 1896 |
| NB14 | DeHORSEY | Infant | 1872 | |
| NB06 | DUFFEY | George Allan | Lieut. | 1897 |
| NB23 | FROST | James | Lieut. & Q.M.S. RE | 1900 |
| NB16 | GRIMSTON | Oswald D. | Sub lieutenant | 1883 |
| NB20 | HEAVER | Ada Eliza | 1895 | |
| NB11 | HULL | John | Supt. Carpenter | 1878 |
| NB17 | LEONARD | Edwin | Gunner | 1883 |
| NB18 | MEADOWS | George Drinkwater | 1878 | |
| NB03 | MUTTON | Rev Thomas | Chaplain | 1901 |
| NB01 | PARKER | Helen Margaret | 1901 | |
| NB19 | PHELIPS | John | Lieut. | 1885 |
| NB09 | PHILLIPS | John Mortlock | Surgeon | 1886 |
| NB13 | PRETYMAN | Edward John | Sub lieutenant | 1871 |
| NB08 | RALPH | Henry Harrison | Naval Storekeeper | 1889 |
| NB22 | RUSSEL | Alexander Carter | Captain RA | 1903 |
| NB07 | SHAEN-CARTER | Arthur Tilson | Lieut. | 1894 |
| NB02 | THOMPSON | S. H. | SPR. | 1900 |
| NB05 | THOMPSON | William T. | Staff Commander | 1897 |
| NB12 | WALL | James Gethings | Surgeon | 1873 |
| NB10 | WHITE | Edward | Commodore | 1882 |
| NB17 | WRIGHT | George | Private | 1883 |
MONUMENTS
In Memory of the Men who were accidentally drowned at this Port on the night of 27 Jun 1886 belonging to H.M.S. “Goshawk”. Erected by their Shipmates.
Harr
y MYERS, AB William WEDGE, AB William HEWITT, ORD
Richard ANDERSON, ORD
William DIGNUM, Stoker
George MILES, Gunnermate
Walter HAYNES, Ship’s Cook
William NICKOLLS, LDC Stoker
Phillip DEVEREUX, LDC Seaman
George J. KENNETT, Stoker
William H. DICKER, Stoker
Simeon ROPER, Pt R.M.L.I
Joseph GREEN, Pt R.M.L.I.
William R. BARNES, Pt R.M.L.I.
Erected by the Officers and Men of H.M.S. “Ready”. In Memory of their Shipmates who died during their commission 1888 – 1891
Alfred MASTERS, Pt. R.M.L.I.
Alfred NORTHWOOD, Pt. R.M.L.I.
Wm. HALL, W.R. Steward
Wm. HARVEY, W.R. Steward
Wm. ALLEN, W.O. Steward
Sacred to the Memory of the following N.C.Os. of the Royal Engineers who died at Port Royal
Q.M.S. LUCAS, 11.9.97.
C.S.M. EVE, 16.12.97
SERGT. FREEMAN, 15.4.98
The following tombstones were either not found or were partially illegible and information sourced elsewhere……
In Memory of those belonging to H.M.S. “Urgent” who died of yellow fever in 1885-
WIlliam WHEELER, Signalman
John FRANCIS, Pt. R.M.L.I.
William COUGH, E.R.A. of H.M.S. “Tyne”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daniel EDWARDS, Boatswain – 1886
Charles ANDERSON, Surgeon – 1886
Harry VIZE, Pt. R.M.L.I. – 1886
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacobus WILMS, Seaman and Karl Molen BROCK, Seaman of H.M.S. “The King of the Netherlands Corvette Soembing” – drowned in the Kingston Harbour 1869
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Samuel James DAVIS, Assistant Paymaster of Her Majesty’s Ship “Narcissus” – Died 1871
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William HALES, Ship’s Cook of H.M.S. “Plover”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Francis Hunt RICHARDSON, M.D. R.N. – Died 1867
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry BEER, Private, Royal Marine – Died 1866
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William DUIRS, M.D. Deputy Inspector General of the Naval Hospital, Port Royal – Died of yellow fever 1897
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Revd. W. B. McLEANE, Chaplain of H.M.S. “Aboukir” – Died of yellow fever 1867
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Van Jakob Johan ANTON died berik phaff Kapitein Lieutenant Ferzee By de Koningly Ke Nederlands Che Marine Kommandant Van S.M. Stoomschip Soembing – Died 1869
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charles CLEMENT – Died 1878
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The undermentioned Officers and Men of H.M.S. “Dryad” who died on the 24 Sept 1875 from injuries received through an explosion in the engine room-
Mr James DALTON, Chief Engineer
Mr William EDWARDS, Engineer
William RICH, Leading Stoker
William VOUALL, Stoker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edward Henry ARDEN, Lieutenant R.N – Died of yellow fever 1879
and Hannah ARDEN, his wife
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George SEXTON – Died 1884
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry HARRISON, R.A. – Died 1882
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mrs LASLETT, widow of Surgeon Laslett, Royal Naval Hospital – Died from Yellow Fever 1878
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
James King BELL of Armagh, Ireland, Paymaster of H.M.S. “Boxer” – Died 1879
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Surgeon, William McCARTHY A.M.D. – Died 1880
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thomas GROVES, Sapper R.E. – Died 1883
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George W. HENDERSON, Navigating Sub Lieutenant H.M.S. “Bullfinch” – Died 1878
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hannah SAYGE – Died of Yellow Fever 1869 after nursing the eldest boy of Agustus & Harriet PHILLIMORE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry John HESKETH, Lieutenant Royal Navy. Late of H.M.S. “Vestal” – Died 1871
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Revd. Thomas HOWE, Chaplain of H.M.S. “Aboukir” – Died 1864
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lieutenant J. W. HODGSON – Died 1868
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Captain George NAYLOR, R.M.L.I., H.M.S. “Constance” – Died 1867
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nicolas KITT, R.N. Boatswain – Died 1876
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Constantine CLIFTON – Died 1893
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. DOREY, P.O. 1st Class – Died 1897
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
John MILES, A.B. of H.M.S “Fartar” – Died 1897
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William EDGCOMBE, Stoker of H.M.S. “Wrangler” – Died 1888
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alfred Mayyo Kuk WAFFENG, Martimeirster – Died 1898
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alfred J. B. DUCKHAM, Late Naval Storekeeper – Died 1886
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frederic W. LASLETT, Surgeon – Died of yellow fever 1878
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. W. GRIFFITHS – Died 1878
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Francis J. ASHMA, Carpenters crew – Died 1887
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lieutenant John PHILLIPS, R.N., H.M.S. “Urgent” – Died 1885
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edward J. JAGO – Died 1897
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thomas BRAY, O.S., H.M.S. “Charybdis” – Died 1903
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
H.M.S. “Urgent” –
In Memory of T. LARGE, Yeo of Signal, died 20 Nov 1897.
Erected by his Shipmates.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jamaican Ancestral Records 
These pics are so refreshing history is my favourite subject its good to see someone bringing these sceenes to light,Love it plz do more.e
Thank you so much for this page, I am so excited!!
I was told that THOMAS Large my 1st cousin 2 x removed, was a crew member on HMS Urgent, when yellow fever broke out he helped nurse those suffering but was one of the first to die!
The story goes that his name was on a plaque in the church and the other men had a wooden cross errected with the exact words you have given, in memory of him.
As I live near Liverpool England, someone kindly looked for me but said there was nothing, I almost believed there was no truth in the story but now I have found your lovely photo and the words!
However before I get too excited do you think you may have misread the initial as you have J and his would be T, the cross looks as though it would be difficult to read, I am amazed that its still standing.
He was the eldest child of Thomas Samuel Large of Manchester and his wife Mary Cunliffe of Liverpool.
Thank you again
Sandra
Dear Sandra,
You are perfectly right. I looked again at the image and the grain of the wood fooled me..It is “T”!!!
Thanks very much for that correction, and happy for you that you have “found it” and that the monument is still standing! And yes there is a plaque in the church with his name. That has his first name as Wm (short for William!!)
Good to have this history available. Will you be covering Curphy Nursing Home for old soldiers? Hope so. Great start here. Thanks.
I have done Curphy Home, however, they used tin to mark most of the older graves and unfortunately someone has painted them over. Makes deciphering very difficult, hence the reason I have not uploaded the information as yet.
You might be able to capture the information on the painted tin by doing rubbings….
I’m looking for a Digby Gilbert Dent who died in 1737 in Jamaica and supposedly was buried in Kingston Church-yard, according to family notes on the family tree. I wonder if you would have any idea of where I could start looking for his grave. His death date was supposed to be 6 August 1737 and he was a Commodore Captain of the West India Squadron on the Jamaica Station. Many thanks for any leads you might be able to give me. Regards Jenni Christie
Hi. Great work deciphering all the details on the monuments.
One small correction. You state that “James HINGBELL of Armagh, Ireland, Paymaster of H.M.S. “Boxer” – Died 1879”
In fact the officer’s name was Paymaster James King Bell (of HMS Boxer). He contracted Yellow Fever in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and subsequently died of the disease. He was buried at Port Royal together with Lt Edward Henry Arden RN (also of the Boxer) who contracted the same disease at the same time.
Military History of the Royal Navy 1857-1900 states:
“….off the coast of Haiti, where, in the summer, a revolution was in progress. At Port-au-Prince, besides protecting British interests, she embarked a number of refugees, including a rebel leader who had sought shelter in the British consulate ; and more than once, while lying there, she was threatened with attack from the shore. Unhappily, owing to the insanitary condition of the town and of the people whom she saved from it, yellow fever attacked her officers and crew, and carried off, among others, Lieutenant Edward Henry Arden, and Paymaster James King Bell”.
https://archive.org/stream/royalnavyhistory07clowuoft/royalnavyhistory07clowuoft_djvu.txt
Further to Lieutenant Bell, this item is extracted from the Gleaner newspaper, Kingston, Jamaica; issue dated Saturday 9 August 1879, p2, c3 – under Local Gleanings:
“H.M.S. Boxer, 4 guns, Commander Ailington, from Port-au-Prince, arrived at Port Royal yesterday morning, having on board the body of Lieut. Bell, who had died at sea of yellow fever. The corpse has been buried at Port Royal.”