In 1770, the wealthy planters in St James and St Ann succeeded in having sections of those parishes become the parish of Trelawny as they were too far from administrative centres. Trelawny was named after Sir William Trelawny, 6th Baronet, the then Governor of Jamaica, whose prominent family had originated at the manor of Trelawny in the parish of Pelynt in Cornwall, England. The first capital was Martha Brae, located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) inland from Rock Bay.
In 2007, the opening ceremony for the ICC Cricket World Cup was held in Trelawny Parish.
Geography
Trelawny is located at latitude 18°15'N, longitude 77°46'W. It has an area of 874 km2, making it the fifth largest parish on the island. It has a population of 75,558 as of 2012.[1] Most of the parish is flat, with wide plains such as Queen of Spain's Valley, 230 metres (750 ft) above sea level, and Windsor, 180 metres (580 ft) above sea level. Most of southern Trelawny is around 230 metres (750 ft) above sea level. The highest point in the parish is Mount Ayr which is 910 metres (3,000 ft) above sea level.
Most of the parish has the typical limestone features of sinkholes, caves, and underground passages. There are about 48 caves, most with phosphate gatherings. These include the Windsor Cave and Carambi Cave (known for its beauty and phosphate deposits). There are several other caves which have Tainocarvings on the walls. There are also several underground conduits, with the longest running for 24 kilometres (15 mi). The main rivers are the Martha Brae, Rio Bueno, Cane and Quashie Rivers.
Commerce
Trelawny's sources of employment are based on agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. Rum and sugar are Trelawny's principal products. Other crops include bananas, yams, strawberries, vegetables, pimento, coffee, ginger, papaya and coconut. Though the fishing industry is declining, Trelawny still produces a large amount of fish. There are ten beaches along the coast, with more than 30 boats each, as well as 27 fish ponds.
There are 25 factories in the parish. These produce sugar, rum, and apparel, among other things. Two of the eight remaining sugar factories in Jamaica are in Trelawny —Hampden Sugar Factory, and Trelawny Sugar, formerly Long Pond Sugar Factory.