Falmouth Field Guide

23 Duke Street – Thomas and Eleanor Neale Tavern

This two-storey, masonry and timber frame building was once the tavern of Thomas Neale and his wife Eleanor, extremely wealthy tavern keepers, plantation owners, and free people of color. The building’s masonry ground level and timber framed upper level echoed the form of the merchant house/stores found throughout Falmouth. The ground floor likely included the tavern itself and probably housed tavern supplies and some spaces for lodging, with the Neale’s living quarters and other available rooms upstairs. Its exterior street-front terrace—unique in this form in Falmouth—was likely a popular gathering place, allowing the activities in the tavern room to spill out to the outside.

Neale purchased the lot in Falmouth from Edward Barrett on September 10, 1781 and built the tavern on the site. A 1796 probate inventory of Mr. Neale’s possessions describes a lavish collection of tavern items, including 20 mahogany tables, 14 Windsor chairs, 10 bedsteads, 6 feather beds, 6 mattresses, 19 pillows, 6 lawn mosquito nets, 18 mahogany and walnut chairs, and 1 backgammon table.1 Clearly, Mr. Neale ran a large and presumably successful tavern in the growing town of Falmouth.

The earliest reference to Thomas Neale is a plat, dated February 12, 1780, entitled “Rough Draught of the Cane Piece’s at Jones’ Castle Estate, the property of Mr. Thomas Neale.” The plot of land shown was in Trelawny Parish, and consisted of 49.1 acres divided into nine small sugar cane fields.2 Until his death in early 1796, Thomas Neale continued to acquire land. By 1791, he owned two hundred and seventy-four acres, much of which was his plantation in Trelawny. Neale’s March 15, 1796 probate inventory listed him as the owner of “23 mules…41 steers…6 horses…1 calf…52 new hoes…4 copper axes…4 adzes…13 hand saw files…32 head of sheep,” and as well as implements for processing sugar cane. This inventory also lists the names of ninety-six slaves that Mr. Neale owned, another testament to the incredible wealth of this free man of color.3

After Thomas Neale’s death, his property in Falmouth transferred to his wife Eleanor, who held it until her death, although the lack of information in her probate inventory suggests that another person ran the tavern by 1806.4 In her June 5, 1809 will Eleanor is listed as owning land in Falmouth, no less than 7 slaves, and a sum of money to be divided amongst her children.5

The old tavern which stands on the South West corner of Duke and Queen Streets is a rare artifact from the early development and prosperous period of Falmouth, just after its founding in 1769. More importantly, it tells the story of a successful entrepreneur and free couple of color. Quite obviously, the building is today in ruinous condition and in desperate need of stabilization.

This two-storey, masonry and timber frame building was once the tavern of Thomas Neale and his wife Eleanor, free people of color who were extremely wealthy tavern keepers and owners of a plantation and almost 100 slaves. The building’s masonry ground level and timber framed upper level echoed the form of the merchant house/stores found throughout Falmouth. The ground floor may have housed tavern supplies and spaces for lodging, with the Neale’s living quarters and other available rooms upstairs. Its exterior street-front terrace was likely a popular gathering place, allowing the activities in the tavern room to spill out to the outside.

Neale purchased the lot in Falmouth from Edward Barrett on September 10, 1781 and built the tavern on the site. Operating from the early 1780s until Neale’s death in 1796, the old tavern which stands on the South West corner of Duke and Queen Streets is a rare artifact from the early development and prosperous period of Falmouth, in the decades after its founding in 1769. Planters from Trelawny, ship captains and sailors from England, and Falmouth residents patronized the Neale’s tavern, coming together for good cheer, company, and a place to stay. Its prominent placement on Duke Street suggests the tavern was an upscale establishment, run by a successful entrepreneur and free couple of color.

1 Thomas Neale Inventory, Inventories, Jamaica Archives, volume 83, folio 262

2 Estate Map T378, Special Collections, National Library of Jamaica

3 Thomas Neale Inventory, Inventories, Jamaica Archives, volume 83, folio 262

4 Eleanor Neale Inventory, Inventories, Jamaica Archives, volume 107, folio 592

5 Her inventory listed ten slaves, who ranged in value from 100 to 200 pounds. The extent of her estate, as recorded in her inventory, was 1300 pounds. By contrast, Thomas Neale’s estate was valued at 20131 6 8 ¼ pounds. Eleanor Neale Will, Wills, Island Record Office, volume 76, folio 111