Jamaica House Inn

On the other side of Union Street from the Madeira Inn, and reference perhaps to the Madeira Islands being on the other side of the Atlantic from the Caribbean Islands, was the Jamaica House Inn. Clearly there is also a strong liquor theme going on here, wine and rum, both steeped in images of pirates, privateers and Jolly Jack Tar’s Join-the-Navy-and-see-the-World experience.

The Jamaica House, like it’s near neighbour the West India House and the Madeira on the other side of street, are long since gone as has the rest of the original stretch of Union Street between Battery Street and St Mary Street … and to the west beyond, but it stood across from and a little to the west of one of the few surviving Union Street pubs, the old Royal Sovereign (now the Firkin Doghouse).

Licensees

1847 - Peter Vosper
1852 - Samuel Vosper
1862 - William Simmons
1873 - James Yole
1877 - S Vosper
1880 - Thomas Retallack
1885 - John Way
1895 - T Weaver
1898 - Edward Yelland
1907 - ARB Hawken
1919 - Frances Massell
1923 - JP Higgins
1928 - E Parritt
1937 - Cyril Wood
1951 - Howard Newnham