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West indian critic, 1929
Far back in the year 1882, when the fathers of many of our present day artists were unborn, a tuneful note, even the sound of a piano, was heard only in the homes of the wealthy. The coming of an Opera or a Dramatic company was like an angel’s visit when T. Ellis Jackson, a man of vision, advertised for 500 boys and girls, members of Sunday Schools, to attend at the Collegiate Hall to receive free vocal tuition. From the most promising he formed the Kingston Choral Union, that was destined to play such an important role in Jamaica History as the famous Jamaica Choir.
Kingston would have been a dull place in those years, and for years after, but for Jackson’s Choral Union. The Choir won island-wide fame. The best people of Kingston and St. Andrew attended their entertainments - Lady Norman, Hon. S. Constantine Burke (Assistant Attorney General), Hon. Dr. Johnson, M. L. C., St. Ann, Mr. William Morrison. M.A., Rev, William Gillies, M.A., The Catholic Fathers, Rev. Downer, Rev. G. Baron Hay, Mr. J. M. Nethersole and others in polite society were constant patrons.
T. Ellis Jackson built a Hall in Smith Lane - ”Covent Garden” - and there he devoted his evenings to training men and women, gratis, to fit them for a higher station in life.
I remember well one winter’s night in 1910, when a pupil of his sang in one of the famous halls in London and was encored. The blood coursed with pride through my veins. After the concert I accompanied him to his lodgings - ”I am proud of you, Packer Ramsay”, I said. He hesitated for a moment and replied :- “Whatever I may achieve in London, I owe to T. Ellis Jackson out in Jamaica.’’ Another of his pupils, Louis Drysdale, keeps a studio in Piccadilly.
Of Sir Alfred Jones and T. Ellis Jackson, it is debatable who rendered the other the greater service. I have no hesitation in saying Jackson.
Before Sir Alfred Jones, the Head of the “Elder Dempster Shipping Company”, who established our banana trade in England, visited Jamaica for the first time, Jackson’s Choral Union, now named the Jamaica Choir, was invited to Liverpool by him in 1906, through the efforts of that noble Scotsman, Dr. Johnson, of St Ann, to sing at the opening of the Liverpool Exhibition. The success of the “Jamaica Choir” was so phenomenal that Sir Alfred Jones, a great business man, saw further possibilities in them for his own benefit, Ellis Jackson and his Company were therefore engaged to tour Great Britain and Ireland under the auspices of Sir Alfred Jones, “The Banana King.”
The Jamaica Choir visited Great Britain twice. It may not be generally known here that the name Sir Alfred Jones was hardly known outside Liverpool prior to the visit of the Jamaica Choir. Jackson made that name, the Shipping Company and the Jamaica Banana famous throughout the length and breadth of the British Isles.
Wherever the Jamaica Choir went, crowds flocked to hear them. Whether at the Crystal Palace, at metropolitan or provincial theatres, City Halls or Sea-side pavilions, on the platform, or on the stage, Jackson never neglected to extol the natural beauty of Jamaica, her products, and her great possibilities. He paid back Sir Alfred Jones fourfold, and incidentally became the greatest advertising medium this country had ever had in Great Britain up to that time.
Her Royal Highness the Princess BeatrIce of Battenburg, to mention but one of the many distinguished persons who patronised the Jamaica Choir, after she had heard them at Southampton, caused a flattering letter to be sent to Mr. Jackson. Her Royal Highness realised the services T. Ellis Jackson was rendering his people and country. Sir Alfred Jones knew it. Mr. F. A. H. Haggart, the local representative of the Elder Dempster Company, mentioned it over and over again. Yet some of his own people pretend not to know that Jackson did anything worthy of public attention.
T. Ellis Jackson has served his time and people, and served them well. He can afford to look with calmness to-day on the passing scenes and changes in Jamaica, on the galaxy of young artists, in all stages of development in the musical life of the country - for, “He has lived.”
“To have done what had to be done,
To have turned the face of your soul to the Sun,
To have made life better for one
That is ‘To have lived’.’’
Kingston would have been a dull place in those years, and for years after, but for Jackson’s Choral Union. The Choir won island-wide fame. The best people of Kingston and St. Andrew attended their entertainments - Lady Norman, Hon. S. Constantine Burke (Assistant Attorney General), Hon. Dr. Johnson, M. L. C., St. Ann, Mr. William Morrison. M.A., Rev, William Gillies, M.A., The Catholic Fathers, Rev. Downer, Rev. G. Baron Hay, Mr. J. M. Nethersole and others in polite society were constant patrons.
T. Ellis Jackson built a Hall in Smith Lane - ”Covent Garden” - and there he devoted his evenings to training men and women, gratis, to fit them for a higher station in life.
I remember well one winter’s night in 1910, when a pupil of his sang in one of the famous halls in London and was encored. The blood coursed with pride through my veins. After the concert I accompanied him to his lodgings - ”I am proud of you, Packer Ramsay”, I said. He hesitated for a moment and replied :- “Whatever I may achieve in London, I owe to T. Ellis Jackson out in Jamaica.’’ Another of his pupils, Louis Drysdale, keeps a studio in Piccadilly.
Of Sir Alfred Jones and T. Ellis Jackson, it is debatable who rendered the other the greater service. I have no hesitation in saying Jackson.
Before Sir Alfred Jones, the Head of the “Elder Dempster Shipping Company”, who established our banana trade in England, visited Jamaica for the first time, Jackson’s Choral Union, now named the Jamaica Choir, was invited to Liverpool by him in 1906, through the efforts of that noble Scotsman, Dr. Johnson, of St Ann, to sing at the opening of the Liverpool Exhibition. The success of the “Jamaica Choir” was so phenomenal that Sir Alfred Jones, a great business man, saw further possibilities in them for his own benefit, Ellis Jackson and his Company were therefore engaged to tour Great Britain and Ireland under the auspices of Sir Alfred Jones, “The Banana King.”
The Jamaica Choir visited Great Britain twice. It may not be generally known here that the name Sir Alfred Jones was hardly known outside Liverpool prior to the visit of the Jamaica Choir. Jackson made that name, the Shipping Company and the Jamaica Banana famous throughout the length and breadth of the British Isles.
Wherever the Jamaica Choir went, crowds flocked to hear them. Whether at the Crystal Palace, at metropolitan or provincial theatres, City Halls or Sea-side pavilions, on the platform, or on the stage, Jackson never neglected to extol the natural beauty of Jamaica, her products, and her great possibilities. He paid back Sir Alfred Jones fourfold, and incidentally became the greatest advertising medium this country had ever had in Great Britain up to that time.
Her Royal Highness the Princess BeatrIce of Battenburg, to mention but one of the many distinguished persons who patronised the Jamaica Choir, after she had heard them at Southampton, caused a flattering letter to be sent to Mr. Jackson. Her Royal Highness realised the services T. Ellis Jackson was rendering his people and country. Sir Alfred Jones knew it. Mr. F. A. H. Haggart, the local representative of the Elder Dempster Company, mentioned it over and over again. Yet some of his own people pretend not to know that Jackson did anything worthy of public attention.
T. Ellis Jackson has served his time and people, and served them well. He can afford to look with calmness to-day on the passing scenes and changes in Jamaica, on the galaxy of young artists, in all stages of development in the musical life of the country - for, “He has lived.”
“To have done what had to be done,
To have turned the face of your soul to the Sun,
To have made life better for one
That is ‘To have lived’.’’
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