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Injuries and deaths

1. Earthquake 1907

6. The eye-witnesses

(11. Insurance)

2. Kingston Burning

7. Media reports

12. Rebuilding

3. Injuries and deaths

8. Balloon view

(13. Scientific views)

4. Shattered lives

5. Shattered buildings

9. Governor Swettenham

10. The Memorial

 
   

notes

I am still working on this site and I will
probably add material to most pages as I
find more information. The brackets indicate
pages on which I have not yet done any work.

Joy Lumsden

 

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W Ralph Hall Caine, Cruise of the Port Kingston p 218

Hall Caine had arrived on the 'Port Kingston' for a stay in Jamaica; he was an eye witness to the events of January 14 and succeeding days. Although he was somewhat given to 'purple passages', his accounts of the earthquake are generally factual, it seems.

'Out of the confused mass of impressions, one recalls the pictures of a hospital thronged to over-flowing, of the decks of the Port Kingston (the only British ship in harbour at the time) crowded with the dead and dying and suffering multitude, of the mangled remains of the unknown and unrecognisable cast into great barges, to be later thrown into the sea a few miles away as food for the sharks; of the half incinerated bodies that were to be met with at every turn, of the dead ranged in rows along side streets; of the procession of carts to the cemetery at May Pen, a little way outside the town; but, most gruesome of all, the great funeral pyres in Kingston itself a veritable inferno, into which the dead were cast in such vast numbers. In this way one gathers fragmentary notions of the stupendous character of the disaster.'

[In the notes to its first pictures of Kingston burning, published on February 16, the Gleaner pointed out that "The black heap in the centre is a two hundred ton coal pile, upon which some bodies of the dead were cremated."]

 

 

Some of the more fortunate among the injured were taken to the Port Kingston for treatment, and were then transfered to other hospitals. Later, when American ships arrived, their surgeons set up hospital at Winchester Park.

 

Dr Arthur John Evans, a Welshman, was long remembered for his valiant efforts to help the injured and dying.

Daily Gleaner, February 25, 1933
HERO OF JAMAICA.
Dr. Evans died on the anniversary of the Jamaica earthquake In 1907, and in which he played a prominent part. He was medical officer on the steamship Port Kingston which carried Sir Alfred Jones and party of prominent men. The vessel was converted into a hospital ship and Dr. Evans operated upon the victims of the earthquake during three days and three nights almost without a break. For his heroism he was awarded the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and also personally thanked by King Edward VII.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nurse Sarah Cross, also of the Port Kingston, was commended by the Governors of the Middlesex Hospital, London, where she had trained, for her heroic conduct on the occasion of the earthquake when for nearly forty hours consecutively she assisted Dr. Evans in rendering surgical aid to 200 injured in the catastrophe.

more . . .

 
Some of the injured were accommodated in tents

At the Kingston Public Hospital medical staff struggled to cope, with their limited space and facilities. As the Gleaner reported, doctors and nurses from all over the island arrived to help.

Among those who helped was Dr George B Longstaff, who was in the island studying butterflies, but was also a qualified medical doctor. He contributed his skills in operations at the hospital.

 

Extract from a letter from O'Connor deCordova, a Kingston lawyer, to his brother, Rudolph, an actor in London. Their brother, Edgar, died in the earthquake. In the aftermath of the 'quake, O'Connor emigrated to New York, with his family.

Dead bodies in a barge in the harbour.

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Link to alphabetical list of dead and injured, 'Daily Gleaner' March 2, 1907.


     
 

Daily Gleaner, January 18, 1907

At the hospital, which was overtaxed from the start, the scene has been very busy. On Tuesday and Wednesday Lady Swettenham and Miss Copeland served as cooks at the institution, whilst Mrs. Bourne and Mrs. Ker and other ladies served as nurses.
The hospital staff was largely augmented for the occasion and considerable pressure still obtains there. Dr. Ker, S.M.O., went to work with the staff doctors, and several district medical officers were brought in, including Dr. Turton, from Stony Hill; Dr. Thomson from Chapelton, Dr. Neish from Spanish Town; and Dr. Campbell, from St. David's. Dr. Edwards, of Gordon Town, who was a patient in the hospital, forgot his own ailments and at once proceeded to join the hospital staff. All hands have been working night and day and yet there are cases still to be attended to.
On Monday night 27 legs were amputated. The same evening several clergymen and priests went over the city ministering to the injured and the dying. The Governor gave the clergy money to provide conveyances to the hospital for the injured.

All the staff of the Island Medical office are still at work at the hospital, Dr. Ker being extremely energetic.

About 60 legs have been amputated at the hospital since Monday night.

Although both legs of Mr. Charles deCordova have been broken, there is some hope that the necessity will not arise to amputate them.

The 'Port Kingston' was converted into an hospital on Monday night. About 47 of the persons who were there have been to the hospital at Spanish Town.

Mrs. Constantine had a serious fracture to one of her legs. It was set by Dr. Neville Williams, an Englishman, who rendered great service at the Public Hospital. [Dr Williams was a passenger on the 'Port Kingston'.]

Mrs. Wedderburn has also sustained a broken leg but is progressing very well.

The medical officers who have been assisting at the hospital are Dr. Myers, Dr. George Thomson of Montego Bay, Dr. Vine of Falmouth; Miss Douglas is acting matron at the hospital, the matron being sick.

On Thursday there were 432 persons in the public hospital, and 52 deaths had taken place since Monday night.

 
     

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