With painstaking care and much heart, Marilyn Delevante has set herself the task of unearthing the story of the Port Royal Jews. In this astonishing book, she has gathered information from the gravestones of 163 graves of their burial ground, the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery, and revealed information that would otherwise have been lost to history and to descendants of this ancient Jewish community if it had not been for her tenacious scholarly labour in revealing names, dates, occupations, and interlinkages of those buried in this remote graveyard. It is a work of love and honour, brilliantly realized and invaluable to other scholars and a general readership alike.

This beautiful big soft cover book is glossy and precise, filled with astonishingly clear colour photographs of the cemetery and its wealth of information carved into the tombstones that remain extant. Delevante has collected a team that includes translators of Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew to render into English the inscriptions on the stones. She has presented these translations in a hefty chapter in the center of the book in a clear and interesting layout that gives maximum information in a short space in the text: The original inscription is to the left, the translation in a center column and a photograph of the tombstone is on the right. An example of the translation of #2, Isaac de Lucena, 23rd March 1684, Portuguese, reads: “The tombstone of the gentleman Isaac de Lucena who died 8th Nissan 5444. May his soul be bound up in the bundle of life.” (Translated from Hebrew.) “Here lies the blessed Ishak de Lucena, who died on the 8th of Nisan, 5444. May his soul enjoy Glory” (Translated from Portuguese). Delavante points out that Judith Berlowitz, who translated the Portuguese and Spanish Inscriptions on the graves, discovered that the unnamed tomb (#22 in the listing of Barnett &Wright in the 1960s) was that of Rabbi Joshua Pardo, a historically important figure. Delavante states: “The identification of Rabbi Pardo’s tombstone, and confirmation of his date of death is the single most exhilarating discovery made while conducting research on the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery”.

The title of this fascinating text is taken from Thomas Grey’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” (“The curfew tolls the knell of parting day”). It is a singularly appropriate title for a text whose main purpose is to honour and preserve the memory of the departed community of Port Royal Jewery. This previously unknown community bears many linkages to present Jamaican Jews and the book is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to trace his or her lineage. Delavante has done much of this work in the text. With painstaking care, she has traced the connections between the people commemorated on the gravestones and teased out their relationship also to living or surviving members of the community. It makes for absorbing reading though sometimes it is too detailed for the casual reader. Delavante’s intention is to promote interest in the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery for the purposes of preservation and maintenance of this invaluable historical site as well as to honour the dead and aid in genealogical research. Her pointers are astute and welcome, her photographs clear and interesting, and the text as a whole is a profoundly reverent contribution to Jewish scholarship of the Caribbean region.

The text is organized around chapters that locate the cemetery and open its meaning to the observer. Delevante is precise in discussing the geography of the graveyard and its relationship to the migration of Jews to the Caribbean as a whole. Her wonderful chapters on the town of Port Royal and the great earthquake of 1692 are among my favourites in the text. She discusses other scholarly contributions to this body of knowledge (the Silverman Article and The Barnett and Wright Project, 1960, where 163 if the extant tombstones were listed). Delevante gives an in depth description of the life of the Jews of Port Royal and the Jews of Spanish Town, where many of the inhabitants of Port Royal fled after the great earthquake and subsequent hurricanes that brought the thriving and wicked city of Port Royal to its knees. Delevante discusses the inscriptions, translations and photographs in detail along with the cemetery art of the stone masons. This contribution to preservation of the stones in book form is a great contribution to Caribbean scholarship and is a welcome addition to scholarship on the Jewish communities of the region, like Mordechai Arbell’s works The Jewish Nation of the Caribbean and The Portuguese Jews of Jamaica as well as Philip Wright and Dr Richard Barnett’s The Jews of Jamaica, Tombstone Inscriptions, 1663-1880.

Delevante draws on the entire region for inspiration but the focus of her text is, of course, Jamaica. By presenting the genealogy in the Hunt’s Bay cemetery and following it into the present community, she has contributed greatly to the narrative of present Jewish families and to families that bear the ancient Jewish names but who no longer practice the Jewish faith (some Henriques; deCordova descendants that live in Jamaica , Panama, Cayman and the United States). She presents a compelling narrative of the religious life and the rabbis of Port Royal and a specialized bibliography, glossary, and index. This is a thoroughly scholarly work with some repetitions owing to the organization of the text and many suggestions as to where future scholarship could go.

Marilyn Delevante was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1935. She has qualified as a Medical Practitioner at Glasgow University and worked in the Ministry of Health, Jamaica, for many years. In 2005, her first book was published. This was Island of One People: An Account of the History of the Jews of Jamaica, co-authored with her brother Anthony Alberga. In 2004, she first visited the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery and became passionate about the preservation of this unique historic site and the story of those buried there.

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Book Launch

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

First let me say that I was surprised and more than a little flattered that Marilyn should have asked me to make a few remarks at this afternoon’s launch of her latest work, “The Knell of Parting Day.”
After all I doubt that many would credit me (and rightly so) with either any great literary or historical expertise. That said, I am a great admirer of scholarship in general and it is also the case that most of my non-professional reading consists of historical biographies and the like which I find fascinating for the perspectives they offer.
So, after brief consideration I decided to accept. Lest you should believe that my motives were entirely academic though, I should point out, as many of you here will know, that Marilyn is not a lady who readily takes no for an answer!
I finished reading The Knell of Parting Day about two weeks ago and began to set down some thoughts for inclusion in the remarks I would deliver today. In the first instance I began to write what would have amounted to a review of the book, describing those chapters on the history of Jews in Jamaica, the pictures and invaluable translations of tombstone inscriptions, the interesting genealogical information, and the fascinating stories of Rabbis who served the Jewish community of Port Royal. But then I stopped and asked myself “is such a review really the best use of I could make of the limited time allotted?”
After all I would expect that all of you will, and I would certainly recommend that you do, purchase a copy of the book and read it for yourselves! It then occurred to me that the time might be better spent speaking of my impressions of the book in general and the author in particular, whose passion for her subject clearly permeates this entire work.
And that is probably a very good place for me to start, for it is that very characteristic, which I would describe as a “passionate persistence” that seems to have been responsible for sustaining her in the grueling work of documenting Jewish history in the Caribbean, very often against great odds. That passion also has much to do I think with Marilyn’s own sense of self and historical connection to the rich history of her own ancestry which as the book points out may be traced back to Isaac Henriques who settled in Jamaica at the turn of the 19th century. Indeed the name Henriques, spelt both with an s and with a z, are to be found in the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery itself.
Marilyn tells me that she does not like it when people ask her "Is that the book about the graveyard?"
No she says; “it is a book about some amazing people about whom we previously knew little and about whom we now know a little more.”
So why a book about Hunt’s Bay Cemetery and the Jews of Port Royal in particular? Marilyn gives us a number of clues in the text. The book’s title for example, was inspired by the Thomas Gray Poem entitled “Elegy Written in a country churchyard,” whose first stanza reads as follows:
“The curfew tolls the Knell of parting day,
The lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea,
The Plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.”
For me, these words immediately conjure a sense of the reflective peace and tranquility by which Marilyn confesses to have been drawn to cemeteries throughout her life. And when we learn that the poem in question was a favourite of her Grandfather, Vernon Henriques, who himself was involved in efforts to restore the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery in the 1930’s, we may begin to appreciate that this is not just a work inspired by historical scholarship. Rather it is a labour of love that the author seems to have been compelled by her history to write.
It is important to understand also that for Jews, the honouring of the dead is an important and central tenet of the faith. Even the most unobservant of jews will for example be very familiar with the special prayer of mourning – the Kadeesh – and it is instructive to note that the only photograph of the author to appear in this work is one taken while she recites the Kadeesh over the graves at the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery. In a very real sense therefore this work is also a fulfillment of Marilyn’s responsibility as a Jew to honour the dead.
And what better subject matter than a historically important Jewish cemetery that has been the victim of almost criminal neglect for so many years? The book serves to prick the collective conscience of all Jamaicans, and Jamaican Jews in particular, in the hope that we will summon up the will to have this important historical site properly restored and thereafter preserved for future generations. I take the opportunity of this occasion to call upon the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and the United Congregation of Israelites to immediately take the steps necessary to identify funding and to commence this important work.
And to underscore this call I would like to quote in closing two more verses from Thomas Gray’s famous poem that I believe are apropos and that I was particularly moved by:

On some fond breast the parting soul relies,
Some pious drops the closing eye requires;
Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
Ev'n in our ashes live their wonted fires.

For thee, who mindful of th' unhonour'd Dead
Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;
If chance, by lonely contemplation led,
Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate.

The knell of Parting Day does indeed inquire into the fate of our ancestors who are buried at Hunt’s Bay and Marilyn has been that kindred spirit. Marilyn, as a Jew and a Jamaican I thank you for your efforts and for the gift of work well done.

Thank you. 

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review/ THE GLEANER

The Knell of Parting Day: A History of the Jews of Port Royal and The Hunt’s Bay Cemetery

by Marilyn Delevante

Those of literary bent will immediately recognize the title of this splendid book as coming from the distinguished English poet Thomas Grey’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard; “The curfew tolls the knell of parting day”

The title is appropriate title for the book, for it digs deep into the past and brings to light the story of those of the Jewish Faith who passed on many centuries ago but who are now remembered. The search and restoration of heritage and historical sites is more often, not only a labour of love, but also one that often brings pain at the memories that emerge from that search. In this case it is a personal and loving search for ancestors from a distant past.

Dr. Delevante who spent over thirty years in medical practice in Jamaica ended up as the Senior Medical Officer for Kingston before retiring from the Government Service. She helped to develop many new approaches to the practice of Public Health. She has authored and produced a well researched and a fascinating portrayal of the life and times of the Jews of Port Royal. The book goes far beyond the limitations of the title and demonstrates how an obvious deep commitment to her Jewish roots has led to a restoration programme for a historical site that had lain largely neglected in the bushes of Hunt’s Bay though the first efforts at restoration began about 1937. Her first visit to the cemetery in 2004 has led to a passionate desire for the preservation of this unique historical site and the story of those buried there. The burial site lies behind the Red Stripe factory plant and a rough road runs from the plant to the cemetery.

The author points out in the Preface that: “Hunt’s Bay is one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in the western world with tombstones dating back to 1672 and for that reason alone deserves to be treated as a historically significant site. Many members of the Jamaican Jewish community can trace their family line to those buried in the cemetery, but there are thousands of Jamaicans who bear the name DaCosta, deLeon, Gabay, Henriques, Levy, and Nunes for example, who have ancestors buried in this old but forgotten cemetery even though their families are no loner practicing Jews.” The site is protected as one of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) sites but the Trust has done nothing to restore, secure or maintain it. There are worries about the upkeep of the site and there is evidence of the re-growth of ‘bush’ in the cemetery after some clearing had been done. This excellently illustrated table-top book of over 200 pages with its thirteen chapters provides the reader with very important background information.

The introduction describes the early initiatives at a significant restoration programme beginning in 1937 to uncover and unearth the cemetery. The author’s grandfather was a part of that team. Recent visits of overseas scholars and researchers as well as locals have worked in the process of restoration. The evidence which has been unearthed by the research speaks to the fact that the Jewish colony in Port Royal was significant and prosperous. Hunt’s Bay across the channel from Port Royal was an ideal place for the Jews to bury their dead. The last recorded burial is dated 1819. The gravestones that have been discovered were made of costly materials imported from England. Not all Jews were wealthy so the question that remains is where were the poor Jews buried? There is some evidence of wooden caskets and markers which have long since rotted away. The costly marble from many of the graves has been removed and one theory is that these stolen pieces were turned over and used in items of furniture by cabinet makers.

An important early chapter describes the migration patterns of Jews to the Caribbean and Latin America. The migrations were often of Jews escaping from the Catholic Inquisition in Europe, and Jewish settlements are found in mainland countries such as Brazil, Surinam, French Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama and in many of the Caribbean Islands as well. There are many excellent reproductions of early historical maps of the region and many of the cemeteries and synagogues of the Caribbean region are also pictured.

The chapter on Port Royal traces much of the history of that famous Pirate base and later English fortified stronghold, used for the defense of the Island of Jamaica as well as being the base for the defense of a growing Caribbean empire. Henry Morgan and Horatio Nelson are the heroes of the past. A record of the great earthquake of 1692 and the aftermath add an expanded and important historical touch to the story. Modern Port Royal features the fishing village, Gloria’s Seafood Restaurant and the landing for trips to Lime Cay.

The longest chapter is entitled, Inscriptions, Translations and Photographs. It has a collection of 163 detailed photographs of individual tombstones with the inscriptions and translations into English from the original Hebrew, Portuguese and Spanish epithets. The chapter represents a permanent memorial to those buried in the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery and represents a significant archival collection.

Closely associated with the listing of individual graves are the chapters on Stones, Masons and Cemetery Art and Genealogy in the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery. The former chapter discusses the fact that some Jewish graves are adorned with a skull and crossbones, a typical pirate symbol. One suggestion is that these symbols may well have been part of the symbolism of the times without specific identification with the pirate philosophy. The latter chapter, describes the genealogy of a number of families and illustrates how significant the research has been into the publication.

The Jews of Port Royal practiced their faith in traditional ways and there were a series of rabbis who ministered to the population. A question that remains is what is the future of the cemetery and its environs? The author records excellent and positive relations with the local community. Aerial photographs identify the site in the context of the local neighbourhood community. There is an expressed desire to open appropriate businesses which would cater to the needs of visitors to the site. The sale of artifacts, postcards, refreshments and gift items would be an excellent development. Perhaps Jamaica Trade and Invest or other small business promotional group would be able to promote this development. The Jamaica Tourist Board could also connect this Jamaican/ Jewish Heritage site with overseas visitors. Such a development while having much potential has to contend with the problem of political gang warfare in the area.

The book has an extensive bibliography and a useful index. It clearly belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who is anxious to have in his or her possession another publication on Jamaica’s history. The author quotes somewhat nostalgically a comment about the future of the Jews in Jamaica.

“After a continuous presence of 500 years, the days of the Jews in Jamaica are numbered. Intermarriage, emigration and declining birth rates have reduced the Jewish population to some 200 to 300…..(but) even in Jamaica where its Jewry is perhaps the most integrated community of the entire Diaspora, assimilation is never entirely complete”. Who knows what that future will be?

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“The Knell of Parting Day” by Dr. Marilyn Delevante begins with a history of the Hunts Bay Cemetery and Port Royal. It includes beautiful pictures of Port Royal historic sites as well as maps and drawing of the city before the 1692 earthquake. The book not only gives you the information on the tombstone in English, Hebrew, and Portuguese or Spanish but includes pictures of the tombstone as well. Dr. Marilyn Delevante includes several tombstones not found by previous publication about the Hunt’s Bay Cemetery but “… recorded by Jacob Andrade at some time prior to the publication of his book …” (page 7). She also includes detail information on several Jewish families of Port Royal. The “The Knell of Parting Day” is a great resource for anyone researching the Jews of Port Royal.

Marcia T. Mitchell, Ph.D.

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“I am impressed with the wide research presented in this book, and the way that information from many sources is brought together in a readable text. This will prove a valuable resource for the renewed interest in the ancient Jewish communities of the Western Hemisphere and Jamaica in particular.”

Christine Nunes

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Dear mrs Delevante, I have received your book THE KNELL OF PARTING DAY .Thank you very much. The book is wonderful. Thorough, exact, interesting, beautifuly presented.I am so happy that Port Royal has come to life again,thanks to you.Also Hunts Bay cemetry is documented in our libraries. Congratulations,and continue with your good work.

Mordechai Arbell

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Dear Marilyn Bravo! The Knell of the Parting Day is a national treasure. It's a fascinating read and beautifully produced.

With very best wishes Jackie

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Dear Marilyn,

I am full of admiration for your fascinating and thorough book on the recent excavations amd research on the Hunt's Bay graveyard. and I am amazed that you have managed to publish it so rapidly!!It is a marvellous successor to the earlier book produced by Oron Joffe and expands that much narrower work done by Philip Wright and my late husband. They would have been delighted with your achievement. Richard's original plan was for the tombstone inscriptions to initiate a far wider study of the history of the Jews of Jamaica and their role in the development of the island - on an academic level. He set up a committee to organise this and raise the funds. John Pringle was active - and Mrs Blanche Blackwell was involved. And now the Belisario volume has expanded the history even further.

You may have heard that recently has been published two of the three volumes of the Portuguese Inquisition Records. The third is in preparation. I attach two leaflet about it in case these interest you and your readers. I have suggested to Joy Oakley that she provide a guide and glossary to help researchers use it. This is another project originated by my late husband, Richard Barnett. Edgar Samuel will lecture on the subject in London on March 26. Details attached.

I wonder whether you have been in touch with Oron Joffe. I sent him some of your Email reports on the work in progress. he is most interested. and now I would like to send him a copy of your book. Would you let me know how to order it and the cost - in British currency - with postage to him in Scotland. The job he did with the earlier book was quite remarkable in its own right. He overheard me telling his parents -.close friends of mine in Jerusalem - how my husband had failed to find a way of publishing the inscriptions in his lifetime, and that they were in three languages, and how we, his executors, were trying to find a way to do so. THe upshot was that Oron came to live in my London house for several months to work on this. He had studied ancient languages, amongst them unusual ones, and succeeeded in designing software to put these on the web. And that was in the early days of such development.. So he persevered to do the same with the Jamaican Inscriptions, succeeding to faithfully copy them even with those stonemason's errors and peculiarities!

I am glad to know you found a name for Philip's photgrapher but sorry no one remembers him. Perhaps I should try to locate Philip's son again and see if he is then reminded of him...Previously he had no details. Another person to figure in the story was Paul White, an American who travelled widely but spent months in Ja from time to time. He has passed on. Maybe his wife Arlene is still alive? It was he I think who recommended Philip to contact Richard for help with the Hebrew.

Best wishes from Barbara (Barnett - sister of Geoffrey Pinto).

BARBARA BARNETT is the widow of Dr Richard Barnett, co-author of THE JEWS OF JAMAICA:Tombstone Inscriptions1663-1880

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Dear Marilyn, Your book arrived today. It is marvellous! Thank you so much for sending me a copy. It will clearly take me a while to read it cover to cover (as I shall do), but I have looked through it and am very impressed with the work you have done. I have often thought how I would have produced the Barnett & Wright book if I had the technical means available today, and you have done pretty much everything which was on my list and so much more! Congratulations, and thanks again.

ORON JOFFE Editor of The Jews Of Jamaica: Tombstone inscriptions 1663-1880 by RD Barnett & P Wright Published Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel 1997

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