Silver Sands Jamaica - A History by Eileen Clarke

The Huggins from Trinidad then owned the whole Silver Sands property, which included the land up to the main road near Duncans and far enough West for them to have a herd of about 50 head of Brahmin cattle and some acres of “bush” where they hosted many pigeon shoots during the season.

They had found the ruins of a rum warehouse next to the pier (which was also in bad repair) and employed an architect to design a house in and around the rum warehouse.  The latter then consisted of a long rectangle with many small round windows and only one door on the land side.  This was converted (using the thick-walled rectangle) into a living room, 3 bedrooms and bathrooms, a small kitchen and a full-length narrow veranda facing the sea.

The Huggins lived in this for about 25 years, but left Jamaica when Robert Huggins developed heart trouble.  By the time they left they had added the “club house” and bar, with kitchen, dining room, toilet facilities and a large patio.  They had also built about six small cottages around the circular club house driveway, which they rented, mainly to tourists and which had been added to give their son Percy a job to do.

By the time the Huggins left, the Silver Sands Beach Club was a going local concern, the cattle business dispensed with and various buyers had bought various buildings and lots of land.  The tourist appeal has continued to grow unto this day, despite Silver Sands having been sold and resold several times.

On one occasion the Huggins’ converted rum-warehouse home came up for sale and Worthy Park (a sugar estate), prompted by Owen Clarke, the then Manager, bought it as a holiday home for Worthy Park staff.  Some years later, Worthy Park gave it to Owen Clarke as a retirement present when various improvements were made by him and he renamed it “Rum Jetty”.

Rum Jetty Cottage on the beach, beside the Jetty.

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