J. Wray & Nephew Limited pays tribute to enslaved people with a monument at Appleton Estate

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Producer of rum and distributor of spirits J. Wray & Nephew Limited (JWN), member of the Campari Group, paid tribute to the enslaved people who worked on the Appleton Estate plantation during slavery. Last week, the company unveiled a monument at the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience (JSAERE) in St. Elizabeth.

“Lest We Forget”

The monument, Lest We Forget, was designed and built by Jamaican artist Trishana Henry and demonstrates the link between sugar cane and Jamaica’s socio-cultural and economic development. The names of the slaves who worked on the plantation during the tenure of the then slave-owning Dickinson family were included in the monument. Miss Henry is a teacher at Glenmuir High School in Clarendon.

J. Wray & Nephew Limited Managing Director Jean-Philippe Beyer said that after researching and publishing the Appleton History Book, the company realized it needed to go further in recognizing the contributions of enslaved people to the brand’s history. .

“We are including this monument at the center of the tour at the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience (JSAERE). The monument will be placed on a pedestal bearing the name of the identified enslaved people and will allow us to recognize and honor those who laid the foundation for the Appleton Estate brand,” Beyer said.

He added that the monument and exploration of the history of the Appleton Estate will add more depth, more historical facts, and enhance cultural authenticity and sensitivity to JSAERE.

“This is a key moment for the company and the brand. With this addition of a key heritage moment to the rum tour, we are once again demonstrating our commitment to telling Jamaican history as we promote the Appleton Estate brand globally,” Beyer said.

Tribute to the enslaved ancestors of Jamaica

Jamaican Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange said the monument’s purpose is to highlight the role of Jamaica’s enslaved ancestors by telling a story and putting much of the country’s history into perspective.

“The JWN/Campari Group is committed to honoring the men and women who actually laid the foundations for the popularity that the brand now enjoys, many of them through enslavement,” Minister Grange said.

“Some might say it’s a long time, but let’s take it as a demonstration to the world that the company recognizes the contribution of our enslaved ancestors to its success and celebrates the efforts of those enslaved ancestors,” she added.

The project was made possible by research commissioned by JWN by a team from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Center for Indemnity Research led by Professor Veren Shepherd and supported by Ahmed Reid, Gabrielle Hemmings and John Shorter. JWN also received support from Miriam Hinds and Susan Lee Kui of the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts in creating the monument.

Rum tour

The Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience, named after Master Blender Dr. Joy Spence, located in Siloach, St. Elizabeth. The Rum Tour was launched in 1988 to showcase the Appleton Estate brand to the world. In 2022, over 36,000 people visited JSAERE to learn about the history and production processes of Appleton Estate rum. The tour is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. JSAERE also makes an impact in the community through local sourcing of materials, employment, and a craft zone for local artisans.