The White Witch of Rose Hall
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Annie Palmer was a beautiful seventeen year old woman of Anglo-Irish descent who came to Jamaica in the early 19th century. There, she was granted access to high society and eventually met and married John Palmer, a scion of the architect of the Great House at Rose Hall (near Montego Bay).
Annie’s marriage soon got too tiresome for her and she took on a young slave lover. John Palmer found out and proceeded to beat her up severely. Annie didn’t take too lightly to this and soon killed her husband by poisoning him. She then went on to marry and murder two more husbands and several slave lovers. She was very sadistic and used to mete out severe punishments even for minor offenses. Because of her cruelty, she didn’t last long and was murdered in her bed in 1831. Her ghost is still supposed to haunt the Great House. A fascinating story. . . except that none of it is true.
Jamaicans love to tell stories and the story of Annie Palmer is no exception. There was indeed a mistress of the Great House by that name but she only had one husband. A few generations before her, there was a Rosie Palmer who had four husbands but she was supposed to be a person of kind disposition. The legend got distorted over the years and the current version is the one just stated. The Great House at Rose Hall is a big tourist attraction now where the visitors are subjected to this tale after paying a US $15 admission fee. We went to the place but decided not to do the tour. The late Johnny Cash owned a big house nearby too.
Last night, at the new year’s eve party, we were treated to some Jamaican folks songs and one of the songs had a good story to tell as well. I don’t exactly remember the exact lyrics because of the amount of rum I had consumed by that time. The gist of the story is that a young man wants to gets married and his father prevents him from doing so to every woman he brings home because these are his daughters (”don’t tell your mama but you can’t marry ‘er ‘cuz she is your sister. . .”). Finally, the son gets tired and does tell his mama. Then the mama goes: “That’s okay. Don’t tell your daddy but your daddy ain’t your daddy.”
Happy new year to all Rantlusters and the gentle (and the not-so-gentle) visitors.
Now if they would only rename it to ‘The Great Ripoff at Rose Hall’, they would be right on the money. This one seems even worse that the famous ‘Winchester Mystery House’ where the only mystery is why people pay $20 to see it.
I remember that song you mention because I heard it on the radio growing up and it was called “Shame and Scandal in the Family”. The last lyric line was the ultimate joke in the song … ” Your daddy ain’t your daddy but your daddy don’t know”
That’s right. Now it all comes back. The chorus, which all of us were forced to sing, goes like this: “Woe… is me; there’s a shame ‘n’ scandal in the fahhmily.” I am planning to go hunting for a CD of Jamaican folk songs today and see if I can find one with this. It’ll make a good drinking song.
Don’t forget the Mystery Spot (registration reqd. use bugmenot.com) near Santa Cruz.
Actually I am finding touristy spots in Jamaica are comparable or even more expensive than the US. They are milking the tourist cow to the hilt. Can’t blame them when most of the people coming here are either the spring break crowd or wealthy retirees.
yah mon! i have been to the great house and you are right, its not worth the admission price but the grounds are beautiful.
we went to this house this year and wow it was a total disapointment the only 2 things in the house that even caught my attention was the grandfather clock that was owned by johnny cash and the pictures of the “ghosts” lol
she is out of her tree, one crazyy white mama
aha` crazyyyyy
Kurazyyyy i would never sleep there ever ever i`m straight homie. ya`ll are dumbB
the white witch is very real she was raised by a haitian voodoo priestess and practiced it till she died. she is in the house and on the grounds. a voodoo ritual was done to rid her of the grounds but it was only done in vain and angred anne even more. the only was i see to rid her of the grounds is to have a haitian voodoo elder/priestess to perform the ritual
There’s certainly something going on!
I’ve just returned from Montego Bay and visited Rose Hall. We actually photographed (very clearly) a spirit orb that contained the face of child. Don’t be too hasty to think this place is not haunted. If it was possible to attach photos I’d let you judge for yourself.
I just returned from MoBay yesterday, and I visited Rose Hall. I was intrigued by the story, but I”m skeptical. Anupcs says that the Annie Palmer story is bunk… It’s fascinating how the stories get mixed up. Can anyone provide me with some sources or references about the real history, not just the tourist / ghost history? Thanks!
My sources for the story were “The Rough Guide to Jamaica” (a travel series I really like for their extensive history sections) and our taxi driver in MoBay. You can also check out a book about Annie Palmer called “Rose Hall’s White Witch.”
I was in Jamaica recently and spent some time in Mobay. I took your advice and skipped Rose hall but loved Mobay. I did meet a taxi driver who believes (or at least pretended to believe) in the story of Annie Palmer.
I would like to know how do you know that none of the Annie Palmer story is true. You dare to insult our culture and heritage however false it may seem to you and say it is untrue… Obviously you have no idea what spirits are capable of. So untill you have experience this for yourself then dont go around sayin this is untrue…
Read comment #12 for my sources.
I don’t believe in spirits though that’s not exactly what I am saying here as untrue. The legend of Annie Palmer itself has been twisted over the ages according to both the guide book I used and my Jamaican taxi driver who took us to Rose Hall. The details of her life are what I am saying as untrue. I don’t really care if her spirit roams the premises of Rose Hall or not and have no problem with people believing in that.
i think she is too crazy and she deserved to be murder.
she is too cruel
I thought that particular Rosie had five friends…?
I’ve heard a variation of the folk song in which the protagonist is a young lady of redneck origin, whose suitors are deemed unsuitable by her father, due to them being his illegitimate sons. In despair, she laments to her mother, who reassures her,
“Marry who makes you happy,
You ain’t no kin to Pappy.”
Hello All
I recently completed the first full investigation into Rose Hall and its “White Witch.” I examined all the evidence, including folklore, ghost photos, etc. and I have proven for a fact that Annie Palmer does not and cannot haunt Rose Hall. How can I be so sure? Because the Annie Palmer described in all the stories did not exist, she is a fiction.
The article will be published in the upcoming August 2008 issue of the UK magazine Fortean Times:
http://www.forteantimes.com/front_website/themag/