MAIDSTONE, Manchester — Leaders in this south-central parish are among those pushing for greater interest in the historic value of Maidstone, which is said to be the first free village in Manchester.

Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips and custos of Manchester Garfield Green, while elated about the more than 2,000 patrons who turned out at the annual Fus A Augus event on Emancipation Day, have welcomed the idea of a wider reach for Maidstone with community-based tourism.

“I think a good way to start is to share the history of the community outside of this community, to allow people from other parishes to come and learn about what has happened here,” Green said last Friday.

Maidstone is widely recognised for its historical value and holds rich promise as a heritage-based tourist destination.

Crucially, in 1838 when slavery ended in Jamaica, Maidstone was among the first communities to be set up as a free village.

It boasts artefacts and relics dating back to the height of slavery and British colonialism. Records of plantation society show that the Maidstone plantation at one point had 65 slaves. Adjoining communities also had plantations and slaves: Glen Head had 77; Mons, 170; Johns Hall, 170; Huntley, 124; and Bath 13.

Green, who lauded the Maidstone Community Council and Phillips, emphasised the historic value of Maidstone.

“One of the things someone pointed out to me is where they call trial church, where they tried the slaves and the prison…if they could promote the community by sharing the history outside of the parish, you could invite people to come here. Tourists could come here as well to learn about the history of Jamaica,” he said, adding that it was his first time attending the event.

Phillips, who has continuously called on Jamaicans to embrace their heritage by commemorating historic dates, said in previous years the event in Maidstone — almost 12 miles north-west of Mandeville — has attracted close to 4,500 patrons.

“We have a generation that has information coming to them day to day, swiftly, and not understanding the Jamaican culture of where it is that we are coming from and what brought us here — and to be able to remind them is significant for me. We need to put more heart and soul into Emancipation compared to what we do for Independence. If we weren’t emancipated then we wouldn’t have an independence…

“For the 15 years that I have been Member of Parliament I have been sponsoring this event. The proceeds from this goes to the community council to maintain a museum which we built here in the community, and that museum has artefacts coming from the families who were freed as slaves,” added Phillips.

The Fus A Augus event, held at Nazareth All-Age School, saw patrons being entertained by Fab 5, Roy Rayon, Gem Myers, Peter Metro, and Lil Kish.

“The event is not just for people to have fun. We have the
Dinki Mini, maypole, the Jonkonnu, to share [the culture] with people who wouldn’t experience it otherwise. Then we had a gospel concert,” said Phillips.

Sophia “Sassy” Martin-Brown, a model and entrepreneur whose family is from Maidstone, said she wants the community to be promoted more.

“I have a mini mart in the community, my team and I come here every year, my grandparents are from here, so I always come back to support the community. I went to basic school here in the community.

“A lot of folks do not know about Maidstone. I grew up down here all my life. The world needs to know about the historic place,” she said.

From left: Kabrina Boswell, Shereta Bell, Jheanel Lindsay, Sophia “Sassy” Martin Brown, and Tanesha Lindsay pose for a photo at the annual Fus A Augus celebration in Maidstone, Manchester.

Security Manager Jovan Smith (left), Carmen Gentles (centre), and her cousin Kaydian Meade look at artefacts inside the Maidstone Museum in Manchester.

Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western Mikael Phillips speaking to the Jamaica Observer at the annual Fus A Augus celebration on Emancipation Day in Maidstone, Manchester.

GREEN…tourists could come here as well to learn about the history of Jamaica

Artiste Tajana “Lil Kish” Gardner (centre) poses for a photo with Gabriel Flemming (left) and Shanna-Jay Robinson.