Exploring the shared history of Jamaica and Wales

Freeman of the City of Bangor and Past Mayor, Derek Hainge, explains the origins of the story of the shared history of Jamiaca and Wales ....

I am sharing some history to explain the link with the Pennant family from here in North Wales and the name of a community Pennants in Jamaica. 

The Pennant family lived in Flintshire in North Wales and one son, Gifford Pennant, supported Oliver Cromwell and was given a military role as ‘Master of Horse’ on a convoy of British ships that set sail across the Atlantic sea in 1654 with the aim of capturing the island and wealth of Hispaniola which Spain had captured. However, when they were unsuccessful, they sailed on in 1655 to try to capture an easier target and that was the island now called Jamaica. 

Politics changed in Britain and it was unwise for Gifford Pennant to return, so he made the decision to make a life for himself in Jamaica and began to develop plantations in Clarendon.

He gave his name to one of these plantations which is now the area called Pennants and later plantations were called Denbigh, Kupis, Coates Pen, Thomas River and Kings Valley.

He proved to be good at making money out of these plantations, this was because he bought enslaved Africans who had to do all the work for no pay. His son Edward Pennant even became the Chief Justice of Jamaica.

Over 100 years later the family had become very wealthy and his son John Pennant decided he would take his wife to his family home in Wales and their baby, named Richard Pennant, was born on the journey, he grew up to continued to manage his plantations with letters sent back and forth by sea.

Giffard Pennant 1625  > 1676/77 died aged 51 

Edward Pennant 1672 > 1736 - father died when he was 3 or 4.

Samuel Pennant 1709 > 1750 - father died when he was 37 - moved to Wales in 1737 aged 28 

Richard Pennant 1737 > 1808.  on marriage in 1765 Penrhyn Estate re united 

George Hay Dawkins Pennant 1764 > 1840  Built Penrhyn castle as today