Inner Circle, Ironshore & Immigrants

Tuesday, April 10, 2012


Source
Inner Circle is a Jamaican band that was formed in 1968 by the Lewis brothers. Jacob Miller was the lead singer when the band was in its hey days in the 70’s.  Miller died in a car crash in 1980.  There have been several lead vocalists since that time. The band produced the song Bad Boys, which is used as Fox Network’s theme song for COPS.  Over the years, the band members changed, but the original group included two members who would form part of Third World. Another of their hits include ‘Sweat’, which hit the UK Singles Chart. Today, members of the group run Circle House Studios in Miami.



Ironshore Golf Club

Ironshore is an upscale suburb approximately five miles from Montego Bay. If you like the comforts of home, then the villa life at Ironshore is for you. Interspersed with the villas, are the homes of middle-class and well-to-do Jamaicans. The Ironshore Golf Course (1,000 acres) is in close proximity.  I found a fascinating document, which I thought would tell me ore about the origins of the estate, but it’s mostly to do with the goings-on of James Irving and his descendants. Irving owned land in Ironshore.


Source: National Library of Jamaica
The Immigrants who came after slavery helped make up Jamaica’s working population. Post Emancipation, some slaves refused to work on the plantations. The estate owners decided to import Chinese & East Indians as replacement workers. Between 1854 and 1884, three groups of immigrants arrived via Panama, Trinidad, British Guiana and China. 

Restrictions were imposed in 1905, however, by 1930, approximately 4,000 Chinese were resident in the island.  The numbers continued to grow and many remained in Jamaica after their contracts expired as they were reluctant to return to communist China.  Some went into the retail business and today, many wholesales are haberdasheries are owned by Chinese businesspeople. The Chinese have made a significant contribution to Jamaica’s economy and the diverse cultural makeup of the island.


If you'd like to learn a tad more about the Jamaican lifestyle, read my award-winning collection of short stories - Don’t Get Mad...Get Even. It's now FREE on Amazon. Download a copy here.

18 comments:

  1. It's interesting to see the historical information of how some of the cultural diversity started and grew on the island.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by. Jamaica, like a lot of other places, is made up by different races.

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  2. Very interesting about the origens of the Chinese in Jamaica. And as far as that reggae band, I'll ask my boys of they've heard of them. They love reggae. BTW, you have the distinction of being my 300th follower over at Catherine Stine's Idea City!!! Cheering and clapping to you.

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    1. Hey, Catherine, I'm sure they've probably heard the Bad Boys track if they watch COPS. Do teenagers watch that anyway? Congrats on 300!

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  3. It was wonderful to hear the whole Bad Boys song again. I did not know that 2 of their members had gone on to Third World.

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    1. Bish, I'm amazed at the number of changes the band has seen. Think they've had 1/2 dozen members who are no longer in the group.

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  4. I didn't know there were so many Chinese people.

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    1. Yep, there are a fair number of Chinese in Jamaica. Some have been integrated racially, others not so much or not at all.

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  5. How interesting, I also had no idea about the Chinese influence in Jamaica. I'm liking your little snippets of info!

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    1. Thanks, Nick, with communism what it was back then, I'm not surprise at the numbers that decided to remain here.

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  6. Interesting I post. I've met a few Jamaicans who are part Chinese.

    I love Bad Boys.

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  7. You're educating us about your country bit by bit during this challenge. Thank you. :)

    ---Damyanti, Co-host A to Z Challenge April 2012
    Amlokiblogs

    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge

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  8. Villa life at Ironshore sounds like the life for me ;)

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  9. Like Lynda says, I'll take Ironshore. Unusual name...

    Denise

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  10. Oh yes, a villa at Ironshore would suit me perfectly!! LOL

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  11. I was not aware of Jamaica's Chinese immigrant history. Interesting!

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  12. Oh...I had always wondered where Montego Bay was but never bothered to look it up. Now I know it lies in Jamaica! Nice post as always.

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  13. Hi! I'm stopping by from the A to Z Challenge. I'm looking forward to reading your posts.
    Giggle, Laugh, Cry

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