Reddifusion was not a radio station. For those in Kingston who could not afford a radio RJR would run a direct line to your house or business place and attach a speaker box witb a volume control. That is why they were called Radio Jamaica and Redifusion. Rental was about ten shillings monthly.
The Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge was among a family of cars which resembled each other but had different features. They were all made by British Leyland. Among them were the Riley, MG Magnette, Austin Westminster and the Austin Princess (not the Princess which resembles the Rolls Royce).
What about the Ford pilot cars that was before Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge also there was a small Austin car that looks like the model T Ford you also had the maple leaf coming out of 🍁 the Jamaican History is very rich lots of untold History
I attended the St Francis Primary School on Old Hope Rd in Kingston in the 60's. The classrooms from Grade 2- about 12(?)were all equipped with a Radio Jamaica Redifusion unit(RJR)courtesy of the Ministry of Education, and all students had to listen to the BBC World News every morning at 8am on the dot! I suspect most if not all of the Primary Schools in the Corporate Area were equipped with Redifusion. Not sure if the Prep Schools used that method. It helped us mainly to learn the British pronunciation and elocution in general. Queen Elizabeth's messages would also be broadcast at times. At home we had the tabletop Radio and the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" played @ 12n daily on RJR except weekends. Portia Faces Life, Dr Paul & Dulcimina stories were all very popular on the Radio. In 1959 the Jamaican Govt formed JBC, the only TV Station on the island at the time, and introduced us to the lovely Leonie Forbes, Dennis Hall, Neville Willoughby & Lindy Delapenha among others. Great job Kareem, you should try to Interview Ms Fae Ellington who may be one of the few original Radio personalities left.
I attended St Francis in the early 80s and left for high school in 1983. I remember being picked up from school in a morris Oxford. This is very refreshing!
Portia Faces Life was at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Paul at 12 o’clock, just after the news, weather and death notices and Life in Hopeful Village (with Nanna and Gatta) was at 7:00 p.m. Mon - Fri. When Hopeful Village ended, Dulcimina took over. I remember Neville Willoughby being on RJR. In secretarial college we practiced taking shorthand dictation by transcribing the BBC World News! 😂😂😂
I attended St Francis Infant to Primary from 1970-1978. JOS buses had a great schedule with bus tickets and always on time. I remember that yellow and black taxi. All fell apart when JOS was divested and the robot was introduced.
When I first visited Jamaica in 1986 we left the airport in a Lada taxi. We then took a bus known as the "quarter million". The driver gave it a name but I forgot.
We used to have a big Philips radio which has all transistors. I listened to BBC radio, Bonair, Cuba, Bhai etc. The Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge looked similar and was either grey or black. Some people had Hilman Hunters, Morris Mina and Buick. Volkes Wagon buses were also popular.
Creamy Corner Ice Cream, I believe, was in Savannah plaza ... follow me to my corner ... was part of the ad. Incidentally, I learnt to drive in an Austin Cambridge car (off road, of course). Great memories, i was about 12. Also, RJR was Radio Jamaica Radio Fusion and my grandfather listened many night cricket games and my grandmother listened stories like Dulcimina, Hopeful Village, (Dr. Paul?) and others and we little children, were forced to listen. Lots of cricket (insects) sounds in the transmission. We've come a long way.
Hi: The following are some cars that I remember starting in the late 50s. The Morris Minor, Rambler (this car was owned by a senior government employee), Prefect (owned by a nurse), Vanguard ( owned by a man who returned from England), Wolseley, Valiant ( A man who owned this car drove it to his farm in the early 80s, the front end must have been very strong). The Hillman Hunter and Humber Sceptre were popular in the late 70s and I owned a Fiat 132 that was a 1974 model.
I wish I could hear the Dulcimena theme music again. Even one more time. Characters like Pressa Foot, Cyclops, Mr. Big, etc. There was a main character who spoke with a stammer.
Long before Don Topping and Marie Garth there were James Verity, Tony Verity, David Ebanks, Dwight Whylie, Dotty Dean, Radcliffe Butler, Desmond Chambers, Charlie (The Cool Fool) Babcock, Neville Willoughby, Phillip Jackson (not in any particular order), to name a few.
Who remember the Wousley, which was the top of the line with polish wooden trim on the dash board, leather seats, ect.Mostly pastors and school principals would own them back in the 60's and 70's
Yes, I knew about Morris Oxford, Astin Cambridge, and Wolseley taxis. Could even call out my taximan's name; one of his famous sons you would readily recognize today. 😁😁
There used to be programs on the radio stations like life in hopeful village, doctor Paul, Portia faces life ,treasure Isle time which was Duke Reid music program to showcase his new recordings. On Sunday mornings there was the Billy Graham gospel show.I remember the yellow cabs and chequer cab also before I was born there were tram cars and horse and buggy lol. The radio stations used to play a lot of foreign songs before Jamaica started recording their own songs. Radio announcers were persons like Charlie babcock, brim brimble and I think vere johns, neville Willoughby etc in the 60's
@@jackpayton5065 I guess that the people who made those programs are long gone and those programs were for that era but it's great memories of the good old days of growing up in Jamaica. Yes it would be great if they could replay those programs but they were for that time
The first radio station was RJR at Beechwood Ave and Lyndhurst road. It broadcast in AM only. JBC came much later. Radiofusion was a service that was wired to each home instead of broadcast over the air. The receiver was only a speaker in the place where the service was delivered. The only control that it had was a on off switch and combined volume control. If your neighbor played their radiofusion too loud or too late to disable the service as mischievous kids we would push a common pin in the wire to short the wires and disable the service.
Hi: I had the pleasure of travelling in Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge taxis. The route I travelled was Spanish Town to Linstead but I usually embark at Bog Walk. That route had its bit of excitement as it went through the Flat Bridge gorge. A gorge is described as ' a narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it. That is exactly what it is through the Flat Bridge gorge. Those taxi drivers were skilled. They knew how to hold their corners and knew the places where they could pass or overtake. Driving through the gorge made you appreciate the skills of Jamaican drivers. After passing through the gorge the trip takes you along Bog Walk with its factories that processes popular foods, then through Church Road, Michleton Meadows and into Linstead, another famous Jamaican Town. After the period with the Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge there were the Peugeot 504 and Peugeot 404. I also travelled in these taxis along the same route in the mid 70s. In the late 80s I know that the Ladas were in the market, being used as taxis.
Radiofusion was rented for 6 Pence per month . They would run the wire from the light pole to your house . It would play music mostly foreign music but also the Lou and Ranny show during the night other foreign shows were Dr. Paul and Portia faces life .
Hi: I vaguely remember cars using trafficators as turn signals in the late 50s. Trafficators are semaphore signals which, when operated, protrude from the bodywork of a motor vehicle to indicate its intention to turn in the direction indicated by the pointing signal. Trafficators are often located at the door pillar.
Bombo clawwt !!!, memories like dirt !! Austin Cambridge ,Morris Oxford Wolseley , M.G,Riley Hillman Hunter, & ford Cortina . Str8 taxi cars dem yah . Then Lada came on the scene 1980 .
@markspringer716 The original Lada is a Russian copy of a popular Fiat and was introduced to the island as part of a bauxite for cars arrangement between the two governments...
I drove my mom's Morris Oxford to the examination depot to take my test and got my drivers licence. And then became a taxi driver in Ocho Rios. Great days, oh my 😂
Taxis then had meters and no route like the robot bus did. The robot bus because legal and now called "route taxi". Passengers rode in the back seat. Yellow Cab and Checker Cab were the only taxis I can remember.
The first car I remember my family having was a Ford Prefect in the late 60s. In the early 70s we upsized to the much roomier Austin 1800. I don’t think we got it new. In the late 70s when getting new cars and car parts was an issue my father acquired a Wolseley 1885 which if it wasn’t exactly the same car was similar enough for parts to be switched between them. I remember seeing Yellow Cabs and Checker Cabs running along the Boulevard and Half Way Tree Road but I don’t remember riding in them. My grandmother used to listen to Dulcimina on RJR every week night. In the 70s (80s?) I remember old episodes of The Lou and Ranny Show, a sketch comedy programme featuring national treasures Louise Bennet and Ranny Williams, being rebroadcast on JBC.
My grandfather back in the day had a Buick skylark.. plus he had a Ford 7 seater bus.. that was waaaay back in the dayyyys.. memories! I remember sitting in my grandfather and uncles lap steering that was my onto as kids to drive.. I must have been about 5 or 6 years old
@@markspringer716 yes, you are right. Those were the days. Just last week Sunday night, I moderated a Culture Night event at my church. I gave prizes to those who could answer questions regarding Jamaica.
@@markspringer716 The obvious questions they thought I would have asked, I did not ask those. I asked questions like Where is Jamaica is the Plantain Garden River that flows from East to West? What year did Jamaican get electricity, thirteen years after Thimas Edison invent the Light bulb? Jamaica was the first country in the Caribbean to construct and operate a railway system, in what year? It was very interesting. I informed them about some famous people. For example, tv, and radio personalities, from RJR and JBC from way back then. Famous lawyers like Wilton Hill and Frank Phipps, Sir Clifford Campbell. Who build Jamaica three School? Which year did President Julius Nyerere came to Jamaica barefeet? Jamaican life back then was interesting. It one point, toilet paper as we know it was none existent. Kuss kuss was the perfume or essen. For most people La India vaseline with a wet rag was moisterizer for the skin. We went to school with our 10 commandments on the ground. Do you remember Bata shoes store with the black and white, and blue and white crep? There was also a plastic shoes for school called "Tarzan." We used to have local stories on the radio like " Dulcimina, Life in Hopeful Village, and Time to Remember." There were about three from America that I can remember. Namely, "Dr.Paul, Portia, Faces Life, and Girl on a tight Rope." I showed them the money we used back then- pound shillings and pence. I have all those moneys in my possession. I have my iron, me big gill messurement, me coconut brush, me Nola book, me Caribbean hymnal, me long red stripe beer bottle, me exercise book, me enamel, plate and mug. I talked about flour bag sheet, shemese for babies Children eating out of calabash to aid them in talking. It was fun for me remembering how boys made kites, played marble, made gigs, and girls made dolly clothes. I reminded them about 4H clubs that taught young girls to sew and bake. Back then only old women wore wigs. We bought air letters to write letters to England. Our junk foods were jumbilin, almond, mango, naseberry, orange, assortment of plums, we washed and bathe in the river. We used bottle torches, and tininig lamps. We used lamps with the shade. We cooked on wook fire, until, then the coal stoves and rims, the oil stove was invented, they gas. We sent telegrams for emmergency news. Creamo and Dairy Farmers were our main milk and ice cream supplies. Lawd ah nuff things but those things cannot leave my mind. In those days, we learned about 6-10 scripture passages for the school year. In my sixth grade class, I had learned 6 poems and 12 memory gens. You can't beat that. Those teachers were teachers. They were not there for the money. They loved teaching. Do you remember guava bush go look guava?. We were punished at grandma's bed side. Do you remember duppy stories?
I remember my dad bought a Morris or Austin pickup at John Cook. He also had an Austin Cambridge, Austin mini and a Morris mini. Yes I drove in many Austin, Morris and Ford Cortina taxes.
I took taxi to high school since 1979 .Morris Oxford ,Austin Cambridge ,Hillman Minx ,Ford Cortina .I don't remember anyone owning a new car until Lada came along about three years later .
Radio Fusion ) was like Cable. You rent a box with one knob. On and off. Wires came from the Radio Station. To your house. Or room. Cost about 10, Shillings. It normally shuts off at midnight. Yes there was several regular programs I can think off.
My dad had a morris oxford stationwagon in the '70s and a hillman hunter in the '80s.In the '70s at Granville school in St James Miss Medley had a morris minor,gd old days
Farina body BMC. Lovely cars. I had a Riley 4/72. TWIN CARBS!!! It was a rust bucket, but they were a pretty car. Good old Oxford and Cambridge. Riley, Morris, Austin, MG Magnette and Wolseley 16/62. Not exactly powerhouses, and I recall diesel versions when I lived in Woking. Very slow.
You are wrong, There was a earlier Morris Oxford that shaped just like the Morris Minor only bigger that was the car they used , Popular cab was McCauleys , Yellow , Checkers and Coop cabs
when i was a little girl back in the ninteen sixties my uncle use to carry me to school in his Austin Cambridge Car to seaward Primary school all family is in the car sometimes he would pick up friends on the way i gobto dchool in the area he work at the police station in the area i awlays enjoy the car ride in those days
Mr Dunbar (Spring Garden, St Thomas) had a Morris Oxford that he used to run Taxi and had select passengers and was the most expensive. He also couldn't allow child passengers in his car. It was the cleanest on the road.
Can anyone remember the 1968 Ford cortina savage mk2 with a standard v6 engine? The same shape of the regular 1968 cortina or Ford Lotus. Just a few were in Jamaica. Also, do you remember the Ford zephyr?
Mr James in Bailey Vale St Mary a neighbor of ours had one. He had two daughters who were boarded out in Kingston going to high school, but he and his wife were nice people. They would pick up anybody going or coming. They were lovely people.
I remember the Anglia. That was a little boasty car. Some young men had Volks wagon, but when they got old, they smoked. Our days were glorious. We didn't even knew we were poor and humble. Dem times deh nice.
I born come see Checker Cab, Yellow Cab and Blue Ribbon taxis (1974). My pops owned a Morris Oxford and several VW buses on the Waterhouse route (it was the 8 route them times). He used to use his scooter to drop me to Dupont Basic school if he was not out working.
Hi: Thinking of cars that stood out in general during the late 60s to the mid 80s, the Ford Cortina Lotus comes to mind. It was a high performance car which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1970 by Ford in collaboration with Lotus cars. I went to high school in Spanish Town and a man used to take some kids to school in a Ford Cortina Lotus. It must have been the Mark 2 model. The driveway at the school entrance was circular with a lawn in the middle and after the kids embark he would let the engine roar and the tires squeal with the rear of the car sliding to one side. The Fiats also comes to mind. There were the Fiat 124, Fiat 125 and I had the pleasure of owning the Fiat 132. Fiat cars were a bit technical and sometimes I had to consult a Fiat specialist mechanic to do repairs. The Volvos were status cars and they were popular.
Remember Simca ? BMC ? Ford Cortina , Angla , Capri Escort , ? Rover , Pigeot , Mini Cooper , MG , Triumph car and bike , and Datsun ...lol 😂 those days honda didn't make anything with 4 wheels that we knew ...only bikes
@@markspringer716 Love da discussion yah mi dawg The Cortina 2000 GXL & 3000 Capri , Vauxhall Victor & it's smaller sibling ,the Viva & the legendary Ford Escort with the Cosworth engine ?. This & the Cortina with the Lotus Engine . These cars were the sickest British Cars on the road back in the 60s & 70s .
Come to Mandeville and ypu will still see one driving. Is operated as a taxi after hours and belive me when i tell you many people would opt to take hus car than the others. The owner is Lenard aka Night hurse.
Co-op Cab was also popular. Most of the Yellow, Checker and Co-op Cabs employed drivers mainly but there were many privately owned cabs operating in the island at that time.
I remember my mom and myself taking the checker cab by Dr. Jones office at Waltham Park Road & Hagley Park Road to Brooks Shoppers Fair at Half Way tree . The Driver was known as bro. Coo .
Mr Jones also owned Mail & Victor buses . Some of the buses parked at the Esso Gas station on Slipe Pen Rd & some at the cab parking lot close to heroes circle .
The Jones brothers I think were doctors on Hagley Park Road close to Waltham Park Road. Across from a department store named Pomeroys . They were my doctor too Mr.Menzies
That model car Austin and Morris That shown was 4 speed forward and 1622 cc and there was others brands with the same chassis MG ,Riley and Woolsly .John Crooks and Motor and Motor Sales was their Dealer. Very rear you will see anyone them black,
JBC - Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation It was not Radio Fushion. It was RJR - Radio Jamaica Rediffusion. Rediffusion to the best of my knowledge was wires that ran from the Radio station and directly to a box in the homes.
Checker cab had black and yellow like the draughts board, hence the name. Interestingly, they were both headquartered on Connelly ave, off Marescaux rd, close to Wolmers and i think shared their garage with the Mail Bus company until sometime in the early 1990's.
Mail Bus Company was on Slipe Pen Rd beside my Step Father yard & Victors Transport in the 70 s . There was another bus company Called Rule Transport but they only had 2 buses . Many boyhood memories riding my skate with my friends down Slipen Road 😊😊😊
Radio Fusion was in the 1960s. Taxis were Morris Oxford, and Austin Cambridge. Best taxis ever made. Many of those taxis used to run from Wellington St in Spanish Town to Old Harbour.4 to 5 in the back, and three in the front.
Remember those cars and taxi compinies,I also use to repair them. Vernam Field while it was still an air base had a radio station too and I was told it use to play better music than our local stations, I can look up it's name in my records but it went out of service when base was close in 1949, A rust out Willies Jeep is still on Little Goat Island from WW2,
Here is my article on Jamaica's transportation system: kareemsquest.com/memories-of-jamaicas-transportation-system
I use work on all those cars. These are some of the most quiet idling vehicle you could be beside it without knowing that engine running
Reddifusion was not a radio station. For those in Kingston who could not afford a radio RJR would run a direct line to your house or business place and attach a speaker box witb a volume control.
That is why they were called Radio Jamaica and Redifusion. Rental was about ten shillings monthly.
The Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge was among a family of cars which resembled each other but had different features. They were all made by British Leyland. Among them were the Riley, MG Magnette, Austin Westminster and the Austin Princess (not the Princess which resembles the Rolls Royce).
The j o s busses used to be called chi chi white they replaced the magnet busses that was owned by I think Mr. Liba.
What about the Ford pilot cars that was before Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge also there was a small Austin car that looks like the model T Ford you also had the maple leaf coming out of 🍁 the Jamaican History is very rich lots of untold History
I attended the St Francis Primary School on Old Hope Rd in Kingston in the 60's. The classrooms from Grade 2- about 12(?)were all equipped with a Radio Jamaica Redifusion unit(RJR)courtesy of the Ministry of Education, and all students had to listen to the BBC World News every morning at 8am on the dot! I suspect most if not all of the Primary Schools in the Corporate Area were equipped with Redifusion. Not sure if the Prep Schools used that method. It helped us mainly to learn the British pronunciation and elocution in general. Queen Elizabeth's messages would also be broadcast at times. At home we had the tabletop Radio and the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer" played @ 12n daily on RJR except weekends. Portia Faces Life, Dr Paul & Dulcimina stories were all very popular on the Radio. In 1959 the Jamaican Govt formed JBC, the only TV Station on the island at the time, and introduced us to the lovely Leonie Forbes, Dennis Hall, Neville Willoughby & Lindy Delapenha among others. Great job Kareem, you should try to Interview Ms Fae Ellington who may be one of the few original Radio personalities left.
I attended St Francis in the early 80s and left for high school in 1983. I remember being picked up from school in a morris Oxford. This is very refreshing!
Portia Faces Life was at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Paul at 12 o’clock, just after the news, weather and death notices and Life in Hopeful Village (with Nanna and Gatta) was at 7:00 p.m. Mon - Fri. When Hopeful Village ended, Dulcimina took over. I remember Neville Willoughby being on RJR. In secretarial college we practiced taking shorthand dictation by transcribing the BBC World News! 😂😂😂
I attended St Francis Infant to Primary from 1970-1978. JOS buses had a great schedule with bus tickets and always on time. I remember that yellow and black taxi. All fell apart when JOS was divested and the robot was introduced.
El Sadia !
😊9⁹😊😊pp😊
When I first visited Jamaica in 1986 we left the airport in a Lada taxi. We then took a bus known as the "quarter million". The driver gave it a name but I forgot.
We used to have a big Philips radio which has all transistors. I listened to BBC radio, Bonair, Cuba, Bhai etc. The Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge looked similar and was either grey or black. Some people had Hilman Hunters, Morris Mina and Buick. Volkes Wagon buses were also popular.
Creamy Corner Ice Cream, I believe, was in Savannah plaza ... follow me to my corner ... was part of the ad. Incidentally, I learnt to drive in an Austin Cambridge car (off road, of course). Great memories, i was about 12.
Also, RJR was Radio Jamaica Radio Fusion and my grandfather listened many night cricket games and my grandmother listened stories like Dulcimina, Hopeful Village, (Dr. Paul?) and others and we little children, were forced to listen. Lots of cricket (insects) sounds in the transmission. We've come a long way.
Hi: The following are some cars that I remember starting in the late 50s. The Morris Minor, Rambler (this car was owned by a senior government employee), Prefect (owned by a nurse), Vanguard ( owned by a man who returned from England), Wolseley, Valiant ( A man who owned this car drove it to his farm in the early 80s, the front end must have been very strong). The Hillman Hunter and Humber Sceptre were popular in the late 70s and I owned a Fiat 132 that was a 1974 model.
Thanks for this information Steven
The other drive inn was at New Kingston beside the shopping center.
The shell of one of these car can be seen at one of these Cafe going into New Castle.
Eits
Radio fusion (redi fusion) classical music on sundays 1965-67 Vineyard Town.
My dad bought 2 austin Cambridges in the 70s i still have the one he kept garaged and only drove it in the summer
Are you selling it
@@patrickpaul8993 No sorry not selling i grew up with this car its part of the family..
@leoncharsley993 I knew a man why lives beside my sister has an Austin Cambridge that he drove o ccasionally now .
I would buy it today .
Really where is this car
I wish I could hear the Dulcimena theme music again. Even one more time. Characters like Pressa Foot, Cyclops, Mr. Big, etc. There was a main character who spoke with a stammer.
Happy that RUclips send me your blog. It's very interested
those car used to run as taxi 🚕 they call them checkers cab.on connelly ave .the place name Jones checkers cab.off Arnold rd.
Don topping and Marie Garth were the 2 big announcers at radio fusion , otherwise known as RJR.
And Henry Stennett with the Evening People Show followed Neville Willoughby with Pipeline at 9 p.m
Long before Don Topping and Marie Garth there were James Verity, Tony Verity, David Ebanks, Dwight Whylie, Dotty Dean, Radcliffe Butler, Desmond Chambers, Charlie (The Cool Fool) Babcock, Neville Willoughby, Phillip Jackson (not in any particular order), to name a few.
You're correct Don Topping/El numero went to Cornwall College
And we can't forget the Barnes' family
Oh yes, Jeff Barnes, thanks for the reminder.
I was a driver of on---- the Austin , Valhalla, Morris miner--
living in Kingston in those days was like living in paradise .
Who remember the Wousley, which was the top of the line with polish wooden trim on the dash board, leather seats, ect.Mostly pastors and school principals would own them back in the 60's and 70's
My grand uncle brought one from England top of the line.
I came from a place in St Catherine where I saw 12 passengers existed a Morris Oxford that was in the early 80s.
My school principal at Johnstown primary drove a Rover 90 in the 1960s.
Yes, I knew about Morris Oxford, Astin Cambridge, and Wolseley taxis. Could even call out my taximan's name; one of his famous sons you would readily recognize today. 😁😁
There used to be programs on the radio stations like life in hopeful village, doctor Paul, Portia faces life ,treasure Isle time which was Duke Reid music program to showcase his new recordings. On Sunday mornings there was the Billy Graham gospel show.I remember the yellow cabs and chequer cab also before I was born there were tram cars and horse and buggy lol. The radio stations used to play a lot of foreign songs before Jamaica started recording their own songs. Radio announcers were persons like Charlie babcock, brim brimble and I think vere johns, neville Willoughby etc in the 60's
They need to replay those nice programs
@@jackpayton5065 I guess that the people who made those programs are long gone and those programs were for that era but it's great memories of the good old days of growing up in Jamaica. Yes it would be great if they could replay those programs but they were for that time
I remember those days
I was driving Morris Oxfords 1969, what those two man were saying they were 100% right, they brought back a lot of memories .
In Trinidad and Tobago Morris and Austins were still being used as taxis in late 70's to early 80's
Thanks for this info
The first radio station was RJR at Beechwood Ave and Lyndhurst road. It broadcast in AM only. JBC came much later. Radiofusion was a service that was wired to each home instead of broadcast over the air. The receiver was only a speaker in the place where the service was delivered. The only control that it had was a on off switch and combined volume control. If your neighbor played their radiofusion too loud or too late to disable the service as mischievous kids we would push a common pin in the wire to short the wires and disable the service.
Hi: I had the pleasure of travelling in Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge taxis. The route I travelled was Spanish Town to Linstead but I usually embark at Bog Walk. That route had its bit of excitement as it went through the Flat Bridge gorge. A gorge is described as ' a narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep rocky walls and a stream running through it. That is exactly what it is through the Flat Bridge gorge. Those taxi drivers were skilled. They knew how to hold their corners and knew the places where they could pass or overtake. Driving through the gorge made you appreciate the skills of Jamaican drivers. After passing through the gorge the trip takes you along Bog Walk with its factories that processes popular foods, then through Church Road, Michleton Meadows and into Linstead, another famous Jamaican Town. After the period with the Morris Oxford and Austin Cambridge there were the Peugeot 504 and Peugeot 404. I also travelled in these taxis along the same route in the mid 70s. In the late 80s I know that the Ladas were in the market, being used as taxis.
On radiofusion we listened to Dulcimena and her life in town,
They should replay that series
Good day you guys forgot to mention the Reilly that was the prestige of the morris Oxford
Radiofusion was rented for 6 Pence per month . They would run the wire from the light pole to your house . It would play music mostly foreign music but also the Lou and Ranny show during the night other foreign shows were Dr. Paul and Portia faces life .
This was fascinating to me when a senior explained it.
The Wolseley is also in that family of cars
We have a 1965 16/60 Wolseley. It’s sounds so sweet on the road.
Please remember Leyland truck Bedford truck. Good old day
Also the Comma and the Thames Trader
The Valiant,Vauxhall,triump and Honda 50 bikes
You can keep the Anglia
Atkinson trucks were beasts ...don't forget Fargo trucks too
Hi: I vaguely remember cars using trafficators as turn signals in the late 50s. Trafficators are semaphore signals which, when operated, protrude from the bodywork of a motor vehicle to indicate its intention to turn in the direction indicated by the pointing signal. Trafficators are often located at the door pillar.
Morris Minor had that
Bombo clawwt !!!, memories like dirt !! Austin Cambridge ,Morris Oxford Wolseley , M.G,Riley Hillman Hunter, & ford Cortina . Str8 taxi cars dem yah . Then Lada came on the scene 1980 .
Lada came in the 70's
@@waynemcfarlane1233no way ...that was a Fiat ...
Can't remember names but there was about 3 other cars that look just like the Hillman Hunter
@markspringer716 The original Lada is a Russian copy of a popular Fiat and was introduced to the island as part of a bauxite for cars arrangement between the two governments...
@@waynemcfarlane1233 No , it was fiat 124 ,125,& 127.
Love the video and the history 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲💪🏾👍🏽🔥
I drove my mom's Morris Oxford to the examination depot to take my test and got my drivers licence. And then became a taxi driver in Ocho Rios. Great days, oh my 😂
Taxis then had meters and no route like the robot bus did. The robot bus because legal and now called "route taxi". Passengers rode in the back seat. Yellow Cab and Checker Cab were the only taxis I can remember.
Graceful looking cars.
Yup
I remember yellow czb n coop cab
One of this car my mom told me bring her to the hospital 1982 when she I was about to born
Taxi from Half Way Tree to Hope Gardens on Special Holidays
The first car I remember my family having was a Ford Prefect in the late 60s. In the early 70s we upsized to the much roomier Austin 1800. I don’t think we got it new. In the late 70s when getting new cars and car parts was an issue my father acquired a Wolseley 1885 which if it wasn’t exactly the same car was similar enough for parts to be switched between them. I remember seeing Yellow Cabs and Checker Cabs running along the Boulevard and Half Way Tree Road but I don’t remember riding in them. My grandmother used to listen to Dulcimina on RJR every week night. In the 70s (80s?) I remember old episodes of The Lou and Ranny Show, a sketch comedy programme featuring national treasures Louise Bennet and Ranny Williams, being rebroadcast on JBC.
Checker Cab (Beige and Black),Taxi Stand in Cross Road right by the post office, and I think downtown
My grandfather back in the day had a Buick skylark.. plus he had a Ford 7 seater bus.. that was waaaay back in the dayyyys.. memories! I remember sitting in my grandfather and uncles lap steering that was my onto as kids to drive.. I must have been about 5 or 6 years old
I also love the Westminster, the Wolseley 6/110 and the Vanden Plas.
Record Changer that played records.
45...33...78 ???
@@markspringer716 yes, you are right. Those were the days. Just last week Sunday night, I moderated a Culture Night event at my church. I gave prizes to those who could answer questions regarding Jamaica.
@@markspringer716 The obvious questions they thought I would have asked, I did not ask those. I asked questions like Where is Jamaica is the Plantain Garden River that flows from East to West? What year did Jamaican get electricity, thirteen years after Thimas Edison invent the Light bulb? Jamaica was the first country in the Caribbean to construct and operate a railway system, in what year? It was very interesting. I informed them about some famous people. For example, tv, and radio personalities, from RJR and JBC from way back then. Famous lawyers like Wilton Hill and Frank Phipps, Sir Clifford Campbell. Who build Jamaica three School? Which year did President Julius Nyerere came to Jamaica barefeet? Jamaican life back then was interesting. It one point, toilet paper as we know it was none existent. Kuss kuss was the perfume or essen. For most people La India vaseline with a wet rag was moisterizer for the skin. We went to school with our 10 commandments on the ground. Do you remember Bata shoes store with the black and white, and blue and white crep? There was also a plastic shoes for school called "Tarzan."
We used to have local stories on the radio like
" Dulcimina, Life in Hopeful Village, and Time to Remember." There were about three from America that I can remember. Namely, "Dr.Paul, Portia, Faces Life, and Girl on a tight Rope." I showed them the money we used back then- pound shillings and pence. I have all those moneys in my possession. I have my iron, me big gill messurement, me coconut brush, me Nola book, me Caribbean hymnal, me long red stripe beer bottle, me exercise book, me enamel, plate and mug.
I talked about flour bag sheet, shemese for babies Children eating out of calabash to aid them in talking. It was fun for me remembering how boys made kites, played marble, made gigs, and girls made dolly clothes. I reminded them about 4H clubs that taught young girls to sew and bake. Back then only old women wore wigs. We bought air letters to write letters to England. Our junk foods were jumbilin, almond, mango, naseberry, orange, assortment of plums, we washed and bathe in the river. We used bottle torches, and tininig lamps. We used lamps with the shade. We cooked on wook fire, until, then the coal stoves and rims, the oil stove was invented, they gas. We sent telegrams for emmergency news. Creamo and Dairy Farmers were our main milk and ice cream supplies. Lawd ah nuff things but those things cannot leave my mind. In those days, we learned about 6-10 scripture passages for the school year. In my sixth grade class, I had learned 6 poems and 12 memory gens. You can't beat that. Those teachers were teachers. They were not there for the money. They loved teaching. Do you remember guava bush go look guava?. We were punished at grandma's bed side. Do you remember duppy stories?
You should try our Jamaica Bus Trivia: kareemsquest.com/bus-trivia/
I remember my dad bought a Morris or Austin pickup at John Cook. He also had an Austin Cambridge, Austin mini and a Morris mini. Yes I drove in many Austin, Morris and Ford Cortina taxes.
I took taxi to high school since 1979 .Morris Oxford ,Austin Cambridge ,Hillman Minx ,Ford Cortina .I don't remember anyone owning a new car until Lada came along about three years later .
In the 70ies I use to listen to the show name, Dulsiemena
Captain Morgan pick a box show, comedy bim and bam. Then you have second spring which was a satire program ❤❤❤❤❤
I have driven in a Morris Oxford Taxi. I knew someone who owned one. Anòther family friend òwned an Austin Cambridge.
The Principal of Linstead Primary Mr Lester Smart had one in 1967
You are doing a very good service getting persons to recollect the history of old Jamaica. Keep up the good work ❤
Thank you, I will
Warm Leatherette.
Thanks, Grace.
Driver exams were conducted at examination depot on Spanish town rd near to Waltham park rd also Greenwich town school was mearby
The Zephyr cars
Radio Fusion ) was like Cable. You rent a box with one knob. On and off. Wires came from the Radio Station. To your house. Or room. Cost about 10, Shillings. It normally shuts off at midnight. Yes there was several regular programs I can think off.
My dad had a morris oxford stationwagon in the '70s and a hillman hunter in the '80s.In the '70s at Granville school in St James Miss Medley had a morris minor,gd old days
Farina body BMC.
Lovely cars.
I had a Riley 4/72. TWIN CARBS!!!
It was a rust bucket, but they were a pretty car.
Good old Oxford and Cambridge.
Riley, Morris, Austin, MG Magnette and Wolseley 16/62.
Not exactly powerhouses, and I recall diesel versions when I lived in Woking.
Very slow.
Before those cars the Morris minor was in use as taxi for the yellow cab followed by the checker cab.
You are wrong, There was a earlier Morris Oxford that shaped just like the Morris Minor only bigger that was the car they used , Popular cab was McCauleys , Yellow , Checkers and Coop cabs
You popped up, made you speech, but by the time you were 2 sentences in, I had to sub and start over, I look forward to this content, Bless Up
Much respect 👍
Took Morris Oxford taxi to high school,Montego Bay to Glendevon route 1984, driver called Crab with the name 'Crab' on the windscreen.
Dulcimina. !! ??
Connie francis. Todays easy listening.
when i was a little girl back in the ninteen sixties my uncle use to carry me to school in his Austin Cambridge Car to seaward Primary school all family is in the car sometimes he would pick up friends on the way i gobto dchool in the area he work at the police station in the area i awlays enjoy the car ride in those days
Mr Dunbar (Spring Garden, St Thomas) had a Morris Oxford that he used to run Taxi and had select passengers and was the most expensive. He also couldn't allow child passengers in his car. It was the cleanest on the road.
Can anyone remember the 1968 Ford cortina savage mk2 with a standard v6 engine? The same shape of the regular 1968 cortina or Ford Lotus. Just a few were in Jamaica.
Also, do you remember the Ford zephyr?
u guys forgot the westminister I had a Austin Cambridge u had the Austin Morris also
Sorry it's Morris Austin
They're still running taxi in Cuba
Great reminder.....accurate as it comes...
Thanks for listening
Supposedly, the big-ends were meant to be replaced every 20000 miles.
!622cc, with a 4-speed column change box.
Keep the oil clean...
And you have Coop cab also.
Mr James in Bailey Vale St Mary a neighbor of ours had one. He had two daughters who were boarded out in Kingston going to high school, but he and his wife were nice people. They would pick up anybody going or coming. They were lovely people.
i dont remember James but Smith
My first car was a 1968 Ford Anglia.
I remember the Anglia. That was a little boasty car. Some young men had Volks wagon, but when they got old, they smoked. Our days were glorious. We didn't even knew we were poor and humble. Dem times deh nice.
There were always ambitious people in Jamaica. People saved to buy the things they deem necessary.
@@oraltraditions6127 looking back, we were not poor,
I born come see Checker Cab, Yellow Cab and Blue Ribbon taxis (1974). My pops owned a Morris Oxford and several VW buses on the Waterhouse route (it was the 8 route them times). He used to use his scooter to drop me to Dupont Basic school if he was not out working.
Hi: Thinking of cars that stood out in general during the late 60s to the mid 80s, the Ford Cortina Lotus comes to mind. It was a high performance car which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1970 by Ford in collaboration with Lotus cars. I went to high school in Spanish Town and a man used to take some kids to school in a Ford Cortina Lotus. It must have been the Mark 2 model. The driveway at the school entrance was circular with a lawn in the middle and after the kids embark he would let the engine roar and the tires squeal with the rear of the car sliding to one side. The Fiats also comes to mind. There were the Fiat 124, Fiat 125 and I had the pleasure of owning the Fiat 132. Fiat cars were a bit technical and sometimes I had to consult a Fiat specialist mechanic to do repairs. The Volvos were status cars and they were popular.
Jamaica history I remember those good old day
What about the car rover that was made by the British?
Did you have to pull out the "Choke"?
You also had the Austin 1100 . This was a sturdy little car .
Remember Simca ? BMC ? Ford Cortina , Angla , Capri Escort , ? Rover , Pigeot , Mini Cooper , MG , Triumph car and bike , and Datsun ...lol 😂 those days honda didn't make anything with 4 wheels that we knew ...only bikes
@@markspringer716 Love da discussion yah mi dawg The Cortina 2000 GXL & 3000 Capri , Vauxhall Victor & it's smaller sibling ,the Viva & the legendary Ford Escort with the Cosworth engine ?. This & the Cortina with the Lotus Engine . These cars were the sickest British Cars on the road back in the 60s & 70s .
There was coop cab also
Come to Mandeville and ypu will still see one driving. Is operated as a taxi after hours and belive me when i tell you many people would opt to take hus car than the others. The owner is Lenard aka Night hurse.
Co-op Cab was also popular. Most of the Yellow, Checker and Co-op Cabs employed drivers mainly but there were many privately owned cabs operating in the island at that time.
Thanks for the input
Yes I have taken a Morris Oxford taxi. I am 56 years old..
What happen to vax hall?
Vauxhall is an Australian auto manufacturer...they're still making cars
I remember my mom and myself taking the checker cab by Dr. Jones office at Waltham Park Road & Hagley Park Road to Brooks Shoppers Fair at Half Way tree . The Driver was known as bro. Coo .
Mr Jones also owned Mail & Victor buses . Some of the buses parked at the Esso Gas station on Slipe Pen Rd & some at the cab parking lot close to heroes circle .
The Jones brothers I think were doctors on Hagley Park Road close to Waltham Park Road. Across from a department store named Pomeroys . They were my doctor too Mr.Menzies
On the redifusion the regular programme was Portia faces life.
The first car i ever get to drive was a Austin Cambridge i was 18 years old.
mr quest What sbout the Anglia cars like ford and other Anglia brand
I will have to do a special one for those
My parents talked about ZQI radio station.
At Infant school on a Friday morning we heard stories on the redifusion(if is soh it spell)
Remember Triumph motor cycle ?
Yup
That model car Austin and Morris That shown was 4 speed forward and 1622 cc and there was others brands with the same chassis MG ,Riley and Woolsly .John Crooks and Motor and Motor Sales was their Dealer. Very rear you will see anyone them black,
NIG car dealer in Montego Bay owned by the Hart's family
JBC - Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
It was not Radio Fushion.
It was RJR - Radio Jamaica Rediffusion.
Rediffusion to the best of my knowledge was wires that ran from the Radio station and directly to a box in the homes.
Radio Jamaica and Rediffusion = RJR, that was their original name.
Thanks for the correction
Checker cab had black and yellow like the draughts board, hence the name. Interestingly, they were both headquartered on Connelly ave, off Marescaux rd, close to Wolmers and i think shared their garage with the Mail Bus company until sometime in the early 1990's.
Mail Bus Company was on Slipe Pen Rd beside my Step Father yard & Victors Transport in the 70 s . There was another bus company Called Rule Transport but they only had 2 buses . Many boyhood memories riding my skate with my friends down Slipen Road 😊😊😊
I drive in a lot of taxis company like coop cab yellow cab blue ribbon cab checker cab. BMC CABS
Blue Ribbon Taxi Cab reg.1982 owned by Thomas (family)
Radio Fusion was in the 1960s. Taxis were Morris Oxford, and Austin Cambridge. Best taxis ever made. Many of those taxis used to run from Wellington St in Spanish Town to Old Harbour.4 to 5 in the back, and three in the front.
Cumberland Road near Robotham was the Walks Road/ Crescent stand and market gate stand was Saint John’s Road/ Red Pond
Remember those cars and taxi compinies,I also use to repair them. Vernam Field while it was still an air base had a radio station too and I was told it use to play better music than our local stations, I can look up it's name in my records but it went out of service when base was close in 1949, A rust out Willies Jeep is still on Little Goat Island from WW2,
You can send me the name of the radio company at kareemsquest@gmail.com
There was also blue cab
We need the follow up story on the boys that was doing deep dive
Is there any of these Austin cars still around
Yes
What about the blue Ribbon taxi
THERE WAS AUSTIN CAMBRIDGE, MORRIS OXFORD, WOOLSLEY,, MORRIS MINOR.
I feel privileged to drive in these cars in the 80s
Life in hope full village
yes another radio Soap Opera, Life In Hopeful Village
It was also coop cab
Hey bro what your father's name that interesting. What year he served
A Browns hall & Kitson Town the most sreious b.m.c. cars . Dem cars a go up Browns hall with all 14 passengers in a dat !!
Also Point Hill