Oliver Cox and the Port Royal Heritage Centre
May 31, 2010
On the back of the Jamaican $500 bill is a captivating image of historic Port Royal as illustrated by architect Oliver Cox. This image formed part of Cox's plan for the restoration of Port Royal and up until recently, he was consulting with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) on how to transform this vision to reality. A talented architect, town planner and gifted artist, Mr. Cox died on April 24, 2010 at age 90, leaving behind a wealth of information.
Mr. Cox along with his wife and partner Jean had been associated with the development of renewal plans for the historic town since the 1980s. Executive Director of the JNHT Mrs. Laleta Davis-Mattis, in expressing her regrets on behalf of the organization, explained that the Board of Trustees had confidence in Cox's development plan for the historic town. She noted that the Board recently recommended the plan to the Government of Jamaica because of its sustainable approach to the development of Port Royal.
The overall plan envisaged three distinct lines of action: first the protection of selected areas on land and sea for untroubled excavation, investigation and, where possible, exhibition of such historic relics as may be located there; secondly, the modernization and where appropriate, the architectural 'camouflage' of existing buildings, exemplified by the upgrading of the two-storey apartment blocks currently there and thirdly, the reconstruction of a small segment of the town in such a way as to give visitors an impression of what Port Royal might have looked like today if buildings from various stages of its history had survived over the centuries.
Cox's proposal has plans too for a 10ft wide boardwalk with quays; a reconstructed pirate sloop at Chocolata Hole; a Museum of Piracy; an archaeological centre; an educational centre; reconstruction of Lime Street among other details.
An Englishman, Cox's association with Jamaica started in the early 1960s with the planning firm Shankland Cox. During this long association Oliver and Jean Cox worked on housing projects and studies on proposals for the development of St. Ann's Bay in conjunction with the JNHT's Seville property. They also worked on proposals for the development of Oracabessa in tandem with the development of the Goldeneye resort and waterfront development .
Mr. Cox was a meticulous researcher and was committed to passing on his knowledge. At the time of his death he was preparing for a lecture on the Spanish Town Iron Bridge for presentation to the School of Architecture. He co-authored two monographs for the Caribbean School of Architecture, one with his wife on 'Naval Hospitals of Port Royal', and the second with Suzanne Francis Brown, on the Spanish Town Iron Bridge. The Coxs presented copies of their research and proposals on Port Royal to the National Library.
Mr. Cox was passionate about Port Royal in particular, and it seems entirely fitting that his illustration of Port Royal was used on the back of the $J500. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. The JNHT salutes him and his body of work.
For further details contact
Andrea Braham
Public Relations Officer
JNHT
885-8105/4166490
