The Bustamante Museum - Tucked into a quiet corner of history

Bust of Sir Alexander Bustamante housed in the Bustamante Museum.

This is a chapter of the island’s history that is tucked into a quiet neighbourhood in Kingston. Surrounded by lush greenery ­ every brick and every ounce of mortar at 24 Tucker Avenue stands as a living testimony to the life and times of Jamaica’s first Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante.

“The idea to convert the property into a museum started in 2006, which was realised in 2009, when the museum opened,” said Nora Strudwick, executive director of the Bustamante Museum.

The premises, home to Sir Bustamante and his wife Gladys Longbridge, houses a diverse collection of memorabilia, which include the former prime minister’s letters, objects from his early adult years spent abroad in Spain, Cuba, and the United States.

From humble beginnings to a world citizen ... replica of the house where Sir Alexander Bustamante was born.

Encapsulated in the space is the aura of Sir Bustamante, as tall as his towering frame. The history of Jamaica is etched on the walls, and the personal effects stamps his presence.

The physical effects include stories and timelines where time stands still in the air looming in that vital part of Jamaica’s history. It is here that critical decisions were made and the blueprint of a free nation’s path laid out.

“It is a heritage property, and we want it to be more than a place that houses items from Sir Bustamante’s life,” Strudwick said.

“We want to convert it into a centre for education, a place where students, and people in general, can come and experience what life was like in that time.”

Lady Bustamante's Remington typewriter

Like any home, 24 Tucker Avenue also has the prominent presence of Lady Bustamante. A Pitman’s Shorthand certificate, a skill she had with a proficiency of 120 words per minute; and a Remington Ten Forty typewriter sits on a desk in a corner of a room, testament to her life and workspace ­ the clickety-clack of the keys, the ‘bing!’ at the end of a line, and the gears whirring, echoes somewhere in the silence.

There are monochrome photos of Arlington House, downtown Kingston, where she was a cashier and also where Sir Alexander met her and commenced a life-long journey of companionship.

“It is a learning process for me,” says Samira Bowden, administrative assistant, who doubles as a tour guide to the museum. “Every time I give a tour, there is something new to take away from here.”

Bowden, who works part time, says that there is much that can be done to infuse interest in the place.

Charting life of Jamaica's first prime minister ... more photos housed in the Bustamante Museum.

The museum houses a number of photos, medals and honours which were donated by Lady Bustamante.

A key mandate, Strudwick says, is to preserve history and expand the scope to convert the grounds into community and research centre and a hub for social engagements.

But these ambitious plans need funds to be realised.

“We would like to see it run properly, but there are financial constraints and the museum is run by part-time staff and some volunteer effort,” she said.

A chapter of free Jamaican history -- Bustamante Museum

The executive director said that they are assiduously trying to garner resources to turn their visions into reality. The going is tough, she says, but the small group is holding on to a vision and hoping that their vision will fructify one day soon.

Bustamante Museum, much like Sir Alexander, is potent like the Bustamante backbone ­ a hard, grated coconut and sugar candy named after him and said to be like his character ­ tough but replete with sweetness, waiting to be experienced and explored.