18th Century Mansion → The Marble Hall Hotel → Apartments → replaced with new building
The Marble Hall Hotel, 14 Martin St, Spanish Town
- Marble Hall was a famous 18th Century mansion in Spanish Town, which belonged to the wealthy and prominent Foster March family for over 125 years.
- It was acquired about 1900 by Jacob Hume Stewart, a leading merchant in Spanish Town. He converted it into a Hotel. His wife was the manageress in 1902. The hotel was quite popular with English and American tourists.
- The first small ads appeared in the Gleaner in September 1913. Then larger ads were every few days to May 1914.
- Ads resumed in January 1916 and continued through that April.
- In May 1919, a guest at the hotel had his clothes stolen. They were jurors. A few other mentions of jurors being put up in the hotel during trials.
- In October 1919, the Stewarts were offering for rent a house in Parade Square with 10 apartments.
- Periodically functions at the hotel received publicity in the Gleaner.
- In August 1922, a double buggy was listed for sale. Undoubtedly by this time the hotel had a motor car.
- In February 1923, the hotel was recently renovated.
- From February to March 1923, the hotel resumed Gleaner ads, running almost daily.
- In January and February 1926, there was another run of Gleaner ads.
- In December 1931, there were a few Gleaner ads, and again in February-March 1932.
- In November 1932, the hotel was partially destroyed by Cuba Hurricane [aka Fourteen]. The hurricane mostly damaged Jamaica's banana crops.
- During the summer of 1935 the hotel was completely renovated for the season.
- Jacob Hume Stewart died in September 1935, after a brief illness. Hundreds came to his funeral, from all over the island. Obituary below.
- Starting in February 1936, through May, the hotel was listed for rent or lease. The hotel had 18 apartments.
- In May 1937, the hotel was again listed for rent or lease.
- In July 1937, an article on a dance states that the hotel will again open its doors to guests. The last found mention.
- The hotel was then converted into private apartments for rent. The building was still standing till at least the late 1950s. But no pictures of the building have been found.
