Toll Gate, Clarendon, Jamaica - General Information & History

In the heart of the south coast, along the main road between May Pen and
Mandeville, is the rural community of Toll Gate. This district is a major stop for
commuters driving across the island, and home to a large community of producers
(i.e. Sugarcane, livestock and inland aquaculture).

The Name, Toll Gate
Shortly after the abolition of slavery, toll roads were introduced in the 1850’s. Riots
began when toll gates were erected along many major thoroughfares, preventing
new peasants (the ex-slaves) from proceeding to their destinations until they paid a
fee. It was always believed that the old toll roads were introduced to force the
peasants back on the sugar estates, by making life unbearable for them.

It is significant that along with the toll roads of the mid-nineteenth century also came
the tax on mules, donkeys and on cartwheels. In addition, one historian, writing in
The Gleaner in the 1960s, points to tolls as having helped to spearhead the practice of
people carrying heavy loads on their heads. Eventually, Governor Eyre abolished the
toll gate system, but the district along what is now the A2 retained the name from the
toll gate that stood there.

It is to the credit of the determined people emancipated from slavery that the toll
roads were not effective as a means of forcing them back onto the estates. This in turn
led to certain changes in Jamaica. When the toll roads did not force a sufficiently
large amount of ex-slaves back on the sugar estates, indentured servants were
introduced.

Toll Gate is the strongest reminder of this period in Jamaican history.

Credits:
The Jamaica Observer
The Jamaica Gleaner
visitjamaica.com

To contact us:

Bridge Palm Hotel
Toll Gate, Clarendon
Jamaica, West Indies

Phone: 876-987-1035
Fax: 876-987-1871
Canada: 905-963-3251
USA: 347-329-1356
Email: info@bridgepalm.com

The reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission of any material from
www.bridgepalm.com is strictly prohibited without the written permission of Bridge
Palm Hotel.