Avia Ustanny, Outlook Writer 
"This is a place where the entire family and visitors can enjoy. Jamaica's tourism product is not all sun, sea and sand. We have a rich cultural heritage to share." - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
QUEBEC PLANTATION, previously owned by Blanch Lindo and said to be the birthplace of entertainment mogul Christopher Blackwell, is a lush 55 acre-estate in Northern St. Mary, a few miles outside of Port Maria and 15 miles away from Robins Bay. In its wet heat, butterflies and crickets abound, the one very visible, the other only evident by their chirping chorus.
The sound of crickets in the bush incites the visitor to take a walk among the eucalyptus, bay, cashew, mangerine and orange trees.
The diversity of plant and animal life on Quebec Estate was certainly one reason why owners engineer Roy Gayle and businessman Glen Brown decided to turn the former sugar plantation into a premier eco-tourist attraction and heritage site.
The property was purchased by Glen Brown in 1989 from Brenton Charlton. Brown envisioned the new tourism focus, taking on Roy Gayle as major investing partner in order to make it come true.
The pair of entrepreneurs was gratified when, in June 2005, the National Heritage Trust declared Quebec Estate a national heritage site.
The Georgian plantation (great) house of sand-dashed exterior walls with wrought iron posts on its front porch, is an authentic representation of the period's architecture.
Once owned by the wealthy Beckford family, Quebec was a sugar plantation, producing products which were exported to the United Kingston. Later it was rated as a very good coconut farm.
The new owners plan to turn an old copra house constructed of brick into a museum. The foreman house with water wheel attached and underground tunnel will also be refurbished for visitors.
According to Roychelle Gayle-Bailley, daughter of Roy Gayle, Quebec Estate will, in time, provide a unique historical setting depicting old Jamaica in the Plantation era with period- erfect accommodations as well as modern amenities.
Visitors will discover an intriguing past.
The Easter rebellion of 1770 took place on Quebec Estate, which is just next door to Frontier Plantation where foreman Tacky lived. Tacky was previously a chief in Guinea and still commanded the respect and obedience of Africans when he came here.
The history of the plantation is by no means boring. It is said that, in 1790 the Wildman Brothers swindled William Beckford out of the estate, pressuring them to sign over the property to them by threatening to call in outstanding mortgages (with Beckford's power of attorney the brothers were said to have drained Beckford's fortune).
By 1810 when Beckford sued to recover this estate the brothers had already transferred to this property the best slaves and equipment from other estates managed. While the average estate of the time had about 200 slaves, Quebec had 883. The Jamaica almanac of 1810 lists Quebec as owned by Thomas Wildman.
The Wildmans also bought Newton Abbey for 90,000 pounds sterling from poet Lord Byron who had also fallen on bad times like William Beckford.
Both were men of letters who suffered from having decided to be absentee landlords. Beckford was the first Englishman to translate tales of Arabian nights out of the Arabaic language.
In the 20th century, the property came into the possession of the Lindos of Port Maria, whose daughter Blanche Lindo married a Mr. Blackwell, an English captain and gave birth to Chris Blackwell. Chris Blackwell, founder of island records is credited with introducing Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Robbie and Linto Kwesi Johnson to the world.
Because they were absentee owners, the property fell into the hands of the Wildman brothers (one of whom had Wildman Street in downtown Kingston named after him after securing a seat on the island legislature).
Swimming pool, restaurant and 13 cottages will aesthetically reflect 18th century living in Jamaica. There will also be a nature trail leading down to the bay. The won of Port Maria can be viewed from the highest points.
"It's a lovely sight," says Roychelle Gayle-Bailey.
She adds, "I would love to see the property restored to its former beauty. Its part of our history and I would not like to see it destroyed." The Heritage Trust she said has promised to do a bit of restoration. Work buy the owners will begin in early 2006 and should be completed in 2007.
