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Enriching Our Heritage

Whitefield United Church, Porus

Site details

Status
Declared
Date
16 September 2021
Category
Churches, Cemeteries and Tombs

About this site

Whitefield United Church, located in Porus, Manchester, in 1839, following emancipation in 1838, on lands previously used as a plantation. It was constructed with the help of the formerly enslaved. The church was named after Rev. George Whitefield, a missionary who was known for spreading the gospel to thousands.

During its operation, several initiatives were created by the Reverends in their respective tenures. During the tenure of Rev T. H. Clarke, he made several repairs to the church and its manse. Following his retirement, a school was erected in 1886. J.H.E. Hemans and his wife opened a school for children in the nearby area. They later left Jamaica to serve with the Central African Mission and the London Missionary Society. He is also credited with influencing Sir Cecile Rhodes to allow Jamaicans to apply for the Rhodes Scholar Program.

The church sits between two commercial properties, with a manse sitting in the rear of the church. Today, the church is being used but needs major repairs to improve the structural integrity of the building.

Whitefield United Church