History of the Salvation Army Hanbury Home 1956-2005:
The Salvation Army Hanbury Home, formerly Hanbury Home Ltd., was started in 1956 by Pat Taylor and Millie Mylam. These American citizens were missionaries with the West Indies Mission, teaching at the Jamaica Bible College. Seeing the necessity for a place of refuge for needy children, they approached the Jamaican government to cooperate in the establishment of an orphanage in Kendal, near Mandeville, in Manchester parish.
The first board of directors was organized by Mr. Ernest Clark, who served along with Mr. and Mrs. W.F.Coke. Mr. Clarke negotiated with Alcan to obtain several acres of land on the Hanbury property on a ninety nine-year lease for $0.10 per year. This property had originally been the home of the Coke family. However, when bauxite was discovered in Jamaica in the 1940’s, land with this ore (used in the manufacture of aluminum) was purchased by Alcan. The Coke residence was relocated and, with Alcan Jamaica Company’s plant cited only a mile away, this property was among the first to be mined and restored to a state suitable for farming. Among the first set of children to be taken in the children’s home subsequently established on the Hanbury site was an infant rescued from the tragic Kendal train crash, which claimed the lives of some two hundred people in September 1957.
In 1959, Miss Taylor and Miss Mylam returned to the United States. At this time, the Salvation Army was approached by the Government of Jamaica to take over the running of the home and in January, 1960 Captain Artjie Elly Bruijnis, took command of a single building with eight children in residence. This Dutch female officer was responsible for developing and consolidating Hanbury Home as an important local institution. By the Home’s 10th anniversary in 1970, several additions had been made to accommodate the 37 children now in residence. In 1975, Alcan Jamaica Company formally handed over to the Salvation Army the ownership documents for the 23 acres of land on which Hanbury Home stood, making its formal establishment complete. Thus, by the time the now “Major” Bruijnis retired in 1980, the Home had been considerably expanded: the original small building had been enlarged to accommodate 25 girls; there was also a dormitory for the boys capable of housing 24, as well as “Babyland” for up to 32 small children. In addition, a chapel, a main laundry and a kitchen had been built, and funds were in place to build a new managers’ quarters. (In recognition of her service in Jamaica, Major Bruijnis was awarded the Jamaican “Order of Distinction” (OD) in 1993.)
This phenomenal growth in the Home was a reflection not only of changing social mores in Jamaica, which saw children and families in increasing need of support, but also of Major Bruijnis’ success in mobilizing the local community to respond to the challenge of providing for neglected children and orphans.
Following Maj. Elly Bruijnis’ departure, the Home passed to the management of Major Doris Moore from 1980-85; then Major and Mrs. Randolph Roach, from 1985-88 and Major and Mrs. Mortimor Jones from 1988-90. These managers were ably assisted by several other officers from the Salvation Army, including Lieuts. Marleine Joseph; Glenda deRandamie; Merlin Chambers; Jennifer Morris; Jacklyn Booth; Beverley Campbell; Hyacinth Lyons and Donna Billings. In 1990, these officers were in turn succeeded by Majors Rudolf and Jean Richards, who managed the Home until 2009, followed by Majors Simeon, from 2009-2011.The Richards family, in particular, oversaw many important changes and improvements on the property, during their long tenure. But each set of managers made their unique contributions, carrying on the Home’s mission of acting as a “surrogate family” for children taken into care as orphaned or needing protection for various reasons.
The Home is now under the management of Majors Selburn and Paulette Laing, who continue this fine tradition.

Hanbury Today:

For a number of years now, the home has had a capacity for sixty to eighty children, with a staff complement of up to 20. Children come to the home through the Government Ministry of Health Division/CDA, as either abandoned, neglected or orphaned. Children have been admitted as young as two (2) days old and are supposed to leave the home by age 18.
The running of the Home is financed by subsidies from the Salvation Army and the Jamaican government, as well as a child-sponsorship programme and various private donations. Contributions in cash and kind from charitable organizations and individuals are an important part of the Home’s revenue.
Maintenance and improvements in the facility are regularly bolstered by the visits of “work crews” from the local community and diverse areas of world, particularly the U.S. and Canada. Many also offer bible school and/or “treats” to the children. These groups also certainly provide a much-needed contribution to the emotional needs of the children, who benefit from interaction with such a wide variety of “family” contacts.