Chat-bout.net - The quiet parish nestled in west Jamaica

The quiet parish nestled in west Jamaica

Hanover was established on November 12, 1723, and given the family name of British monarch George I, who was from the House of Hanover in Germany.

In the early colonial days, Lucea - the parish capital - was a bustling trade centre and became the hub of an important sugar, growing region and market centre. Jews from Europe settled in the parish as merchants, storekeepers, haberdashers, shoemakers, and goldsmiths.

After emancipation in 1834, the free people prospered and supplied produce to much of the rest of Jamaica. The harbour was used to export bananas until after the 1960s.

A deep-water pier was built but was mostly used for the shipping of molasses. The port was closed in 1983, but old Fort Charlotte still stands at one side of the entrance to the harbour.

Hanover is the birth parish of one of Jamaica's national heroes and former prime minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante.

The parish is bordered by St James in the east and Westmoreland in the south. Except for Kingston, Hanover is the smallest of the 14 parishes in Jamaica.

The parish has a mountainous terrain and is the second-rainiest parish in the island. The Great River is the most prominent water source and is currently part of a massive expansion plan proposed by the Government.

Agriculture is the mainstay for many Hanovarians while tourism continues to be the source of employment for many. It is home to popular tourist resorts such as the Round Hill and Tryall hotels, as well as the Spanish-owned Grand Palladium and Lady Hamilton resorts.

Hanover shares the Negril strip with Westmoreland, which boasts brands such as Grand Lido, Couples and Sandals.

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