Tucked away in the cool hills of Westmoreland is a place unlike any other in Jamaica. Seaford Town—better known to locals as “German Town”—stands as a quiet monument to an unusual chapter in the island’s post-slavery history. With its colonial-era architecture, Roman Catholic heritage, and residents with blue eyes and German surnames, Seaford Town tells a story of hardship, adaptation, and cultural fusion that spans nearly two centuries.
The Arrival of Germans in Jamaica
Following the 1832 Baptist War and the abolition of slavery in 1834, Jamaican plantation owners feared the collapse of their labour system. In response, the colonial government launched the Bountied European Immigration programme, offering incentives to attract European settlers. The first group of Germans arrived in 1834 from Bremen, comprising 25 men, 18 women, and 21 children. Over the next four years, more than 1,500 Germans were brought to Jamaica to supplement the workforce and populate government-established townships across the island’s interior.
Recruited largely from northern Germany, these settlers were expected to bring skills, labour, and cultural influence, forming self-sufficient communities that would model ‘European industriousness.’ More pointedly, their presence was intended to discourage freed Africans from leaving the plantations by limiting their access to land and alternative work in the interior. In practice, however, the reality was far more complex.
Place names like Manhertz Gap, Bremen Valley, Hessen Castle and Charlottenburg echo those early Europeans.
The Founding of Seaford Town
Seaford Town, in the parish of Westmoreland, was one of several settlements established under the programme. It became the most well-known of three county townships planned to house European immigrants. The others included Altamont in Portland (Surrey) and Middlesex near Guys Hill in St Ann (Middlesex).
Tucked away in the hilly interior of Westmoreland, Seaford Town was established in 1835 by Charles Ellis, 1st Baron Seaford—a wealthy, pro-slavery British planter and politician who inherited several Jamaican estates and owned over 1,200 enslaved people across six properties. That year, Ellis either sold or donated—accounts differ—500 acres of rugged land from his Montpelier Estate to the government for the creation of the settlement. The town was named in his honour, and so Seaford Town was born.
Rough Start in Jamaica
.Most of the German immigrants who arrived in Jamaica were disbanded soldiers, small tradesmen, weavers, and artisans—far from the skilled agricultural labour force plantation owners had envisioned. In 1835, over 200 were settled in Seaford Town, but the conditions were harsh. After arriving by ship from Bremen and disembarking near Montego Bay, many had to walk 25 miles through mountainous terrain to reach their new home. What awaited them was an undeveloped wilderness with few completed houses and limited support.
With little knowledge of tropical agriculture, they struggled to grow food. Rations of cornmeal, flour, lard, beef, saltfish, and rum were provided for the first 18 months, but food remained scarce. Outbreaks of yellow fever and cholera proved devastating, and some settlers did not survive.
The early years were marked by hardship, isolation, and disillusionment. Separated by geography, language, and race, some settlers became embittered by what they described as slave-like treatment and eventually emigrated to Canada or the USA. Most were Roman Catholics but had no priest, adding to their sense of isolation.
Father Francis Osborne later captured the settlers’ experience poignantly:
“In a strange land, among a strange people, unable to understand, they learned the negro patois and forgot their native German after a generation or so. Their children grew up completely isolated… and lost all contact with Germany.”
Struggles and Survival
Those who remained gradually adapted, learning to cultivate bananas, cassava, ginger, cocoa, and coffee. They tended to keep to themselves, marrying within the community to preserve their cultural identity. Some eventually saved enough from ginger sales to migrate again, this time to the United States and Canada.
A school was established in the early years that taught lessons in German, but the language has largely faded. Today, only a few elderly residents remember simple phrases like “guten tag” or “auf wiedersehen.” Traditional foods and cooking styles have also disappeared.
Another wave of migration to Canada took place in the 1940s. Today, fewer than 100 descendants remain in Seaford Town, and with each passing generation, their numbers continue to decline.
Echoes of Germany
While little German is spoken today in Seaford Town, the remnants of its origins persists. Roman Catholicism remains the dominant religion. The Sacred Heart Church, its rectory, and the adjoining convent—built in the 19th century—have all been declared national heritage sites.
There was once a small museum housed at the church compound, displaying relics and historical documents including land grants. That museum is now defunct, and the artefacts are in the care of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, awaiting the construction of a new dedicated museum building. According to reports, plans are in motion, with land and bathroom facilities already donated, including support from the German mission in Jamaica.
The community’s German heritage is also reflected in the architecture of old buildings and surnames like Hacker, Eldemire, and Schleifer—some of which have evolved over time.
The Garden Party Tradition
In recent decades, Seaford Town has battled an unfair reputation. Past media reports labelled the community as “lost,” with damaging insinuations of poverty and inbreeding. These portrayals hurt community morale and discouraged tourism.
But one tradition that continues to uplift spirits is the annual Garden Party, held every Boxing Day on December 26. This all-day celebration kicks off with children’s activities and transitions into a lively evening party for adults.
Organiser Christopher Hacker—better known as Fada Chris—describes the event as a feast like no other.
“Every kind of food you can think of” is on offer, he says. Whole pigs are roasted, shrimp soup simmers on open flames, and classic Jamaican dishes flow freely. Visitors come from across the island and abroad to take part. Since taking over in 2016, Hacker has worked to keep the tradition alive—and everyone is welcome. It’s a celebration worth marking on your calendar each year.
A Living Chapter of History
Seaford Town remains one of Jamaica’s most unique communities—formed at the intersection of desperation, colonial ambition, and cultural endurance. Though its German language and customs have mostly faded, the legacy lives on in surnames, architecture, religion, and its people.
Fewer than 100 descendants remain in the area today, and with each generation, the number of ancestral residents declines as younger people intermarry or move away. But pride in the village’s story remains strong.
These days, the main attraction is Fada Chris Endz, a vibrant farm and food destination owned and operated by Mr. Hacker. Located right in Seaford Town, it features a full Jamaican menu, seasonal produce (like plantains, ackee, and coconut), and facilities for whole pig roasting—a crowd favourite. It’s a celebration of rural Jamaican life with roots in German heritage.
To book a food experience or visit the farm, call 876-843-3080. Cost varies depending on your request, but it’s well worth the journey into Jamaica’s only German village.
Don’t leave without picking up a bottle of Real Bee Honey—a rich, raw honey made by bees that forage on fruit and lumber trees like mango, etioti apple, and guinep. The result is a naturally fruity, floral flavour that captures the taste of Seaford Town’s hills. For honey orders, contact Ms. Frances Brown at 876-301-1365.
Cover photo image : Seaford Town welcome sign via insidejourneys.com
