The Jamaica Station was a

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of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

which existed from 1655 to 1830. Located in the British

colony of Jamaica The Crown Colony of Jamaica and Dependencies was a British colony from 1655, when it was Invasion of Jamaica (1655), captured by the The Protectorate, English Protectorate from the Spanish Empire. Jamaica became a British Empire, British colon ...

, it was headquartered at

Port Royal Port Royal () was a town located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest and most prosperous city in the Caribbean, functioning as the cen ...

. In 1830, the command was merged with the North America and Newfoundland Station to form the

North America and West Indies Station The North America and West Indies Station was a formation or command of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed in North American waters from 1745 to 1956, with main bases at the Imperial fortresses of Bermuda and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The ...

History

The station was formed, following the capture of

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

, by assembling about a dozen frigates in 1655. The first "Admiral and General-at-Sea" was Sir William Penn.Cundall, p. xx Its main objectives in the early years were to defend Jamaica and to harass Spanish ports and shipping. In the late 1720s three successive commanders of the station lost their lives to tropical diseases while undertaking a

Blockade of Porto Bello The Blockade of Porto Bello was a failed British naval action against the Spanish port of Porto Bello in present-day Panama between 1726 and 1727 as part of the Anglo-Spanish War. The British were attempting to blockade the port to stop the S ...

during the Anglo-Spanish War. The general ill-health associated with the station continued throughout the century. An assessment of Navy strength at the Jamaica station in 1742 found around 3,000 men were fit to serve out of a total Navy complement of 6,620. A Navy hospital was constructed in 1745 but its location was poor and many patients brought in for shipboard diseases developed additional tropical illnesses while in the hospital itself. A report to the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Tra ...

in 1749 found that the hospital was "rather a hurt to the avyService than a Relief." The station merged with the North American Station to form the

in 1830. The station closed in 1830, but the Royal Navy continued to operate the dockyard until it closed it in 1905. An earthquake in 1907 and hurricane in 1951 damaged the abandoned dockyard. Part of the station now houses the headquarters of the Jamaica Defence Coast Guard (HMJS ''Cagway'', Port Royal); the rest is being restored as part of the Port Royal Heritage Tourism Project.

Commanders-in-Chief

Commanders included:
= died in post

Naval Commanders-in-Chief at Jamaica

* Vice-Admiral Sir William Penn (1655) * Vice-Admiral

William Goodsonn Vice-admiral (Royal Navy), Vice Admiral William Goodsonn (1610in or after 1680), also William Goodson, was an English naval officer. Early career William Goodsonn joined the Roundhead, Parliamentary cause during the Second English Civil War in 1 ...

(1655–57) * Vice-Admiral

Christopher Myngs Vice Admiral Sir Christopher Myngs (sometimes spelled ''Mings'', 1625–1666) was an English naval officer and privateer, most notably in the Colony of Jamaica. Life The date of Myngs's birth is uncertain, but is probably somewhere between 1 ...

(1656–57) * Colonel William Mitchell (1662) * Vice-Admiral

(1662–64) * Captain Sir Thomas Whetstone (1663) * Admiral

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan (; – 25 August 1688) was a Welsh privateer, plantation owner, and, later, the lieutenant governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he and those under his command raided settlements and shipping ports o ...

(1669) * Admiral the

Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...

(1676) * Commodore Ralph Wrenn (1692) * Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Wheler (1693) * Vice-Admiral

John Benbow Vice-Admiral John Benbow (10 March 16534 November 1702) was an English Royal Navy officer. He joined the Navy in 1678, seeing action against Barbary pirates before leaving to join the Merchant Navy in which Benbow served until the 1688 Glorio ...

(1702) * Commodore

William Whetstone Rear-Admiral Sir William Whetstone (died 1711) was a Royal Navy officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession. Family and early life Whetstone appears to have been born into a naval family, his father John Whetstone had probably ...

(1702–03) * Vice-Admiral

John Graydon Vice-Admiral John Graydon ( – 12 March 1726) was an English officer of the Royal Navy. He was active during the Nine Years War and the War of the Spanish Succession. Life In June 1686 Graydon was appointed lieutenant of ; in May 1688 first li ...

(1703) * Rear-Admiral Sir William Whetstone (1705–06) * Commodore William Kerr (1706) * Rear-Admiral Sir John Jennings (1706) * Rear Admiral

Charles Wager Admiral Sir Charles Wager (24 February 1666 – 24 May 1743) was an English Royal Navy officer and politician who served as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1733 to 1742. Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic ...

(1707–09) * Commodore James Littleton (1710–12) * Rear-Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker (1712–13) * Commodore

Edward Vernon Admiral Edward Vernon (12 November 1684 – 30 October 1757) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. He had a long and distinguished career, rising to the rank of admiral after 46 years service. As a vice admiral during the War of Jenkins' E ...

(1720) * Vice-Admiral

Francis Hosier Vice admiral (Royal Navy), Vice Admiral Francis Hosier (c. 1673–1727) was a British naval officer. He was a lieutenant on George Rooke, Rooke's flagship at the Battle of Barfleur in 1693. He captured the ''Heureux'' off Cape Clear Island, Cap ...

(1726–27) * Commodore Edward St. Lo (1727) * Vice Admiral Edward Hopson (1728) * Rear-Admiral Edward St. Lo (1728–29) * Commodore

William Smith William, Willie, Will, Bill, or Billy Smith may refer to: Academics * William Smith (Master of Clare College, Cambridge) (1556–1615), English academic * William Smith (antiquary) (c. 1653–1735), English antiquary and historian of University C ...

(1729) * Rear-Admiral Charles Stewart (1730–32) * Commodore

Richard Lestock Admiral Richard Lestock (22 February 1679 – 17 December 1746) was a Royal Navy officer who rose to the rank of admiral. He fought in a number of battles, and was a controversial figure, most remembered for his part in the defeat at the Battl ...

(1732) * Commodore Sir Chaloner Ogle (1732–35) * Captain Digby Dent (1736–37) * Commodore Sir Chaloner Ogle (1737–39) * Admiral

(1739–42) * Rear-Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle (1742–44) * Vice-Admiral Thomas Davers (1744–46) * Captain Cornelius Mitchell (1746) * Captain Digby Dent (1747) * Rear-Admiral Charles Knowles (1747–48) * Captain Polycarpus Taylor (1748) * Commodore George Townshend (1749–52) * Rear-Admiral George Townshend (1755–57) * Rear-Admiral

Thomas Cotes Thomas Cotes (died 1641) was a London printer of the Jacobean and Caroline eras, best remembered for printing the Second Folio edition of Shakespeare's plays in 1632. Life and work Thomas Cotes became a "freeman" (a full member) of the St ...

(1757–60) * Rear-Admiral

Charles Holmes Sir Charles John Holmes, KCVO (11 November 1868, Preston, Lancashire – 7 December 1936, Kensington, London) was a British painter, art historian and museum director. Holmes was Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University (1904 to 1 ...

(1760–61) * Commodore Sir James Douglas (1762) * Rear-Admiral Augustus Keppel (1762–64) * Rear-Admiral William Burnaby (1764–66) * Rear-Admiral William Parry (1766–69) * Commodore Arthur Forrest (1769–70) * Rear-Admiral

George Rodney Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, Order of the Bath, KB (baptism, bap. 13 February 1718 – 24 May 1792), was a Royal Navy officer, politician and colonial administrator. He is best known for his commands ...

(1771–74) * Vice-Admiral

Clark Gayton Clark Gayton is an American multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer and musicians' rights advocate. Biography Born as Carver Clark Gayton Jr. to Carver Clark Gayton and Mona Marie Lombard, Clark Gayton is a professional musician (trombone, ...

(1774–78) * Vice-Admiral

Peter Parker Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Silver Age of ...

(1778–82) * Vice-Admiral

Joshua Rowley Vice-Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley, 1st Baronet (1 May 1734 – 26 February 1790) was a Royal Navy officer who was the fourth son of Admiral Sir William Rowley. Sir Joshua was from an ancient English family, originating in Staffordshire (England) ...

(1782–83) * Vice-Admiral

James Gambier Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier, (13 October 1756 – 19 April 1833) was a Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator. After seeing action at the capture of Charleston during the American Revolutionary War, he saw act ...

(1783–84) * Captain John Pakenham (1785) * Captain Alan Gardner (1785) * Rear-Admiral Alexander Innes (1786) * Commodore Alan Gardner (1786–89) * Rear-Admiral

Philip Affleck Admiral Philip Affleck ( December 21, 1799) was a Royal Navy officer. He was the younger brother of Sir Edmund Affleck. Affleck held various commands throughout the latter half of the 18th Century, most notably as commander-in-chief of the Jam ...

(1790–1793) * Commodore

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

(1793–95) * Rear-Admiral William Parker (1796) * Commodore

Richard Rodney Bligh Admiral Sir Richard Rodney Bligh, GCB ( bap. 8 November 1737 – 30 April 1821) was a Royal Navy officer who served in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Eventually rising to the rank of admiral, he ...

(1796) * Vice-Admiral Sir Hyde Parker (1796–1800) * Vice-Admiral

Lord Hugh Seymour Vice-Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour (29 April 1759 – 11 September 1801) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who served in the American Revolutionary War, American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. The fifth son of Francis Seymo ...

(1800–01) * Rear-Admiral

Robert Montagu Robert Montagu may refer to: * Robert Montagu, 3rd Earl of Manchester (1634–1683), English politician and courtier * Robert Montagu, 3rd Duke of Manchester (c. 1710–1762), MP * Robert Montagu (politician) (died 1693) * Robert Montagu (Royal ...

(1802) * Vice-Admiral Sir John Duckworth (1803–04) * Vice-Admiral James Richard Dacres (1804–08) * Vice-Admiral

Bartholomew Rowley Admiral Bartholomew Samuel Rowley (10 June 1764 – 7 October 1811) was a British naval officer who served during the American, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Biography He was the second son of Vice-Admiral Sir Joshua Rowley and w ...

(1809–11) * Commodore James Giles Vashon (1811) * Vice-Admiral

Charles Stirling Charles Stirling (28 April 1760 – 7 November 1833) was a vice-admiral in the British Royal Navy. Early life and career Charles Stirling was born in London on 28 April 1760 and baptised at St. Albans on 15 May. The son of Admiral Sir Walter ...

(1811–12) * Rear-Admiral William Brown (1813–14) * Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane (1814–15) * Rear-Admiral John Erskine Douglas (1816–17) * Rear-Admiral Sir Home Riggs Popham (1817–20) * Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Rowley (1820–23)

Commander-in-Chief, West Indies

* Commodore Edward Owen (1823) * Vice Admiral Lawrence Halsted (1824–27) * Vice-Admiral

Charles Elphinstone Fleeming Charles Elphinstone Fleeming (18 June 1774 – 30 October 1840) was a British admiral of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He commanded a succession of smaller vessels during the early years of t ...

(1828–29)

Sub commands

References

Sources

* * * Cundall, Frank (1915). "Historic Jamaica : With fifty-two illustrations". archive.org. London : Published for the Institute of Jamaica by the West India Committee, pp. 28–31. *

External links

A voyage to the islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, St. Christophers and Jamaica : with the natural history of the herbs and trees, four-footed beasts, fishes, birds, insects, reptiles, &c. of the last of those islands; to which is prefix'd an introduction, wherein is an account of the inhabitants, air, waters, diseases, trade &c of that place, with some relations concerning the neighbouring continent, and islands of America ... by Hans Sloane London : printed by B.M. R. Bentley and M. Magnes for the author, 1707-1725 (contains map of Jamaica Station). Royal Geographical Society of South Australia
{{Royal Navy fleets Commands of the Royal Navy Military units and formations established in 1655 Military units and formations disestablished in 1830 History of Jamaica Port Royal