Peter Espeut | Marcus Garvey, black history-maker

Much is publicly known about The Rt Hon Marcus Mosiah Garvey ONH (1887-1940) – Jamaica’s first National Hero, so in this article I will focus on what I think are not so well-known details of Garvey’s life.

Garvey always wanted to be buried in Jamaica, but died in London in 1940. Due to war-time restrictions on transatlantic travel, his body was placed in a lead-lined coffin, which was then deposited in the crypt of St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery on the Harrow Road, Kensal Green, in NW London.

The government of newly independent Jamaica decided to inter Garvey’s body on home soil, and so in 1964 his coffin was removed from the crypt, and shipped to Port Royal, Jamaica.

On 11 November 1964 the coffin was taken across Kingston Harbour to Victoria Pier, from where it was borne (accompanied by crowds) in ceremonial procession up King Street to North Street, and then east to Holy Trinity Cathedral, where it lay in state.

Dr the Rt Rev Msgr Gladstone Orlando Stanislaus Wilson preached a eulogy, telling the gathering that before Garvey died, he had been received into the Catholic Church at Holy Trinity Church in Hammersmith, London. The body remained lying in state at Holy Trinity Cathedral until Sunday 15 November 1964 when a High Requiem Mass was celebrated. His body was finally laid to rest at National Heroes Park.

There is no doubt that Marcus Garvey – originally a Methodist – converted to Roman Catholicism as an adult – and therefore by choice; but there is controversy about the actual date or year. Msgr Wilson claims that he joined up in Hammersmith, London. While in London some years ago I went to Holy Trinity Church and searched their sacramental records in vain for Garvey’s name. Then again, he was “received” not baptised (he had been baptised a Methodist; we do not re-baptise), so maybe the reception was not recorded.

At the time of his death, Garvey lived at 53 Talgarth Road in West Kensington; it was pointed out to me that the nearest Catholic Church to his residence was St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Hammersmith, so I went there and searched, but without success.

In Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey (2009), the author – Colin Grant – states that Garvey’s sister, Indiana, after migrating to Kingston, was live-in helper to George Fortunatus Judah, the City Engineer, “who though a prominent member of the 2,000 strong Jewish community, was closely associated to the Catholic Church. Over the next few years, Garvey also would forge strong links with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jamaica, and would convert to Catholicism” (page 18).

Judah’s grandson, Stewart Joseph DaCosta, remembers in The Gleaner, Marcus Garvey being introduced to him in his grandfather’s study. Stewart described his grandfather as “entertaining Garvey in deep discussion”.

Judah’s son – Braham Taylor Judah – converted to Catholicism, and was the architect who designed the iconic O’Hare Building at St. George’s College. Two of his sons – Sydney and Charles – would become Jesuit priests.

The suggestion is that Garvey could have become Catholic as early as 1910 or 1911. I have searched the Jamaican Catholic Baptism registers in vain!

Garvey involved himself with the National Club, Jamaica’s first nationalist organisation, becoming its first assistant secretary in April 1910. With fellow Club member Wilfred Domingo (1889-1968) he published a pamphlet – The Struggling Mass – expressing the group’s ideas.

Garvey also enrolled in elocution lessons with the radical Black journalist and Anglican priest, the Rev Joseph Robert Love (1839-1914), coming to regard him as a mentor. With Garvey’s enhanced skill at public speaking, he entered several elocution competitions.

On May 24, 1916 while staying at 53 W 140th Street in Harlem, New York City, Marcus Garvey wrote a letter to the Editor of The Jamaica Times newspaper in which he states (inter alia):

“I shall always repose confidence in the white and coloured gentry of Jamaica who never failed to encourage and help me to succeed; I shall ever hold myself grateful …”.

Garvey then went on to name Sir William Henry Manning, Governor of Jamaica (1913-1918), and 15 other leaders and gentry-class individuals, including Catholic Bishop John J. Collins SJ, Head of the local Catholic Church (1907-1918), General Leonard Shadwell Blackden, commanding officer in 1916 of the British military in Jamaica; Sir John Pringle, banana planter and one of the largest landholders in Jamaica; James Rowland Williams, planter and cattleman of Kew Park, Westmoreland; Edwin Charley, rum distiller and large rum exporter; Altamont DaCosta, merchant and one-time Mayor of Kingston; Joseph Levy, a merchant from Brown’s Town, St. Ann; and Archibald Munro, a director of The Gleaner Company.

His first marriage to Amy Ashwood was a Catholic ceremony; she received the Last Rites from Fr Joseph Donahue SJ, and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Lyndhurst Road. It has been my honour to have been asked to bless her grave at a gathering of the UNIA and well-wishers.

Some years ago I visited St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Kensal Green, London. There in the burial register – in clear handwriting – is the record of the interment of Marcus Mosiah Garvey in the crypt – and a notation that the coffin was removed for transport to Jamaica. I captured good images of the register.

I even went down into the dark crypt under the chapel to see generally where Garvey’s coffin lay for 24 years. Quite safe!

Also buried in the same cemetery (but in the ground) is another famous Jamaican Catholic – Mrs Mary Jane Seacole (1805-1881). Her grave was easy to find: it was the only one garlanded with fresh flowers. I also captured images of her burial record.

And I have found her baptism record (Mary Jane Grant) in the Register of Holy Trinity Church, Duke Street., Kingston. She also – as an adult – made the choice to convert to Catholicism.

Lots of Black History here!

Peter Espeut is the archivist for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com