The Garland Hall story began with Elizabeth Garland Hall (affectionately called Mama Hall) one of the founding members of the Jamaica Baptist Women’s Federation. She became its first Organizing Secretary in 1922. Mama Hall used the opportunity to encourage the support of fulfilling her dream of providing a home for homeless children. According to Russell 1997 (Strange Victory “Mama Hall”), it was her strong belief that provision should be made to rescue the children in Jamaica. The “Rescue Home” would be named Pansy Garden Home and the children called Pansies. The JBWF Motto, Seek Save Serve was inspired by and is related to the dream Mama Hall had.
By 1925, Mama Hall started what was to her the first “Rescue Home” in her own home in Sturge Town, St Ann with three little girls. The following year five other children were taken in; and by 1927 the number climbed to twelve. Mama Hall devoted her time to caring for the children at great personal sacrifice. Local contributions to the Home came from children from Sunday schools and students of Calabar High school whom she called her Pansy Garden Cultivators. Mama Hall also invited her friends in America, England and Canada to give to the cause. The JBWF through the branches had also taken more responsibility for the work. Each year artificial pansies were made and sold for the support of the Home. The Pansy Garden Home was now fully established.
Mama Hall’s failing health forced her to discontinue her work. Most of the children were placed with Christian families who could accommodate them; three of the boys went to Purscell Children’s Home. However, Mama Hall’s dream did not die. Immediately, the JBWF established a fund for the purpose of building a permanent home for the children. The resolve was that the “Rescue Work” would continue in a home to be named after Mama Hall. In 1939, the JBWF procured land in at Anchovy St. James to build the “Garland Hall Memorial Home” for unwanted and neglected children. In 1941, a partially completed building was opened. In 1957, the Home was “officially re-opened” after an additional wing was added and electricity installed. Further additions and renovations to the building were done in 1962, 1969, 1984, 2014 and 2015. The entire kitchen was tiled and retrofitted with cupboards, counters and an island; July 2014 by the Wannabees. The Home now boasts a library with computers, boys’ dormitory, matron’s quarters and a multipurpose area which was upgraded to a state- of-the- art sporting facility with tennis and netball courts, swings, slides and a football field donated by the Yohan Blake Foundation (October 2014). In 2015, the Home received a fifteen seater HIACE bus from Kemtec Development Company.
The JBWF supports and supervises the operation of the Home. In addition, sisters from across the island maintain close contact with the Home through regular visits along with their contributions in – kind and cash. Garland Hall is managed by a local Home committee with Rev. Dr George v. Simpson, Pastor of the Mount Carey Baptist Church as Chairman. The Rev. Dr. Simpson has served for over thirty years in that capacity. Other members of the committee include the JBWF President and other representatives from schools and the community. Mr. Leonard Tugwell, the treasurer of the Home, gives general oversight to the physical plant. The matron and her assistant are responsible for the daily operation of the Home along with other support staff which include caregivers. The first matron, Edna Harty (now deceased) gave over forty years of unstinting service. Gwendolyn Woodit succeeded her. Sydia Boothe is the current matron.
Presently, there are twenty five children at the Home. These children are all wards of the state sent to us by the Child Development Agency (CDA). The CDA gives oversight and monitors the Home’s operation to ensure that its terms and conditions are upheld. The children attend school and church regularly. Most of them are members of the Mt. Carey Baptist Church. The Home gives special focus to the children’s spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual and physical development.
Garland Hall Memorial Home benefits from the generous donations and sponsorship of many individuals, groups and organizations; many of whom have become Friends of the Home. Among our benefactors are Food for the Poor, Mission Jamaica, Bryan’s Communication, Lion’s Club of Montego Bay, the Kiwanis club of Anchovy and Cambridge, The Yohan Blake Foundation, Wannabees (a US based charitable group) and other local and international volunteers.