As the story goes, all three of George's ships were lost at sea. A result of a bad storm. George, who was on one of the schooners that sank off the coast of Venezuela, swam to the shores of Venzuela after securing a money belt filled with the valuables he could gather, to his waist. Not much is known about the event that led to the loss of George's ships, but it was the reason why he ended up in Venezuela, a fate that ultimately set him on the course to wealth.
With a young family in Jamaica to support, Stiebel stayed in Venezuela, determined to recoup his lost fortune. He became a peddlar, buying and selling goods. George eventually met Antonio Liccioni, a Corsican trader and mule train operator from Ciudad Bolivar.
Rumors of the existence of gold aound the Yuruari river had circulated around the town of Ciudad Bolivar since , when a Brazilian named Pedro Joaquim Ayares appeared in the town with gold samples. Pedro claimed that the gold came from the Yurari river. The story gained more credibility in , when a Frenchman, Luis Plassard, again brought stories of finding gold in the area.
George's friend, Antonio Liccioni who frequently travelled the area as part of his trade, had intimate knowledge of the area. Antonio was convinced there was potential for gold in one of the old Spanish mines.
He eventually registered some claims, and on January 18, , he along with George Stiebel and ten others, formed a partnership called Compania El Callao El Callao Company also known as El Callao Mining Company to reopen an old Spanish mine located close to the Yuruari river about km from the border with Guyana.
They found gold but the vein was irregular. It was a promising start but they needed more equipment and a mill.
They borrowed money to get supplies and eventually were able to sell some shares in Paris which gave a much needed infusion of capital, albeit a dilution to their equity. Once the mill was established, mining began in earnest with greater quantities of gold being extracted. The gold extracted steadily increased from kilograms in By , the amount declined to 1 ton and was totally depleted by Dividends from the mine were paid out consistently for eleven years, sometimes every month. By , the dividend was double the original investment.
In , it was 5 times and in , it amounted to 34 times the original capital. George returned to Jamaica in a very wealthy man with an investment in a mine that continued to grow from strength to strength. But, the joy of returning and reuniting with his family was soured by the loss of his son who had died while he was gone. History is not clear on whether he knew of his son's passing prior to returning home. It is also unclear how long George remained in Venezuela but there are clues to make an estimate.
We know he still had his ships and was actively trading in when he was briefly imprisoned in Santo Domingo, so it is a reasonable assumption that his time in Venezuela would have been no more than years.
Now 52 and financially secure, he moved his family to London, bought a house on Wimpole Street and sent his daughter, Theresa, to finishing school in France. The house at Minard Penn became the family's favorite vacation spot. In , he closed the transaction to purchase Devon Pen consisting of 53 acres from the Church of England. In , George commissioned Charles P. Lazarus to build his dream house, a palatial residence he called Devon House, on the foundation that was the church rectory.
It is worthwhile noting that this was the period when the El Callao mine was seeing exponential growth in production and its dividends, with George growing wealthier each year. For 10 years, George and Magdalen, their daughter Theresa, and her husband Richard Hill Jackson, who had become the mayor of Kingston, lived like Jamaican royalty in the newly built residence. During this time Richard and Theresa had six children that all lived at Devon House.
With its elegant single staircase in the grand lobby, European antiques and handcrafted mahogany furniture, Devon House was a sight to behold. It still is. The bedrooms, with their Southern-style verandahs, grand ballroom, library, gaming room, grand Wedgwood ceilings and exquisitely carved fanlights above the doorways, earned Devon House the honor of being a National Heritage Site , bestowed by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. Magdalen, his wife, died October 12, George's daughter Theresa returned to England the following year, with her children except one, Douglas, who remained in Jamaica with his father and Grandfather at Devon House.
A year later in , the child contracted Typhoid and died. And, a week later, his father Richard Hill Jackson also died after a swim in the family pool. The cause of death was officially attributed to Influenza but is also believed to have been a heart attack. Theresa who was in England must have been devasted by the news of losing her son and her husband in the space of a week.
Her grief amplified with each mile that separated her from Jamaica and her inability to attend either funeral. As a mother and wife, this must have been quite difficult.
Heartbroken and in his 70s, George Siebel died in leaving behind his daughter, his remaining grand children and his beloved Devon House. Curiously, this was also the time when El Callao, the gold mine, was on the cusp to depletion.
George Stiebel served as Custos of St. Andrew, where he was instrumental in providing the funding for the Great Exhibition of , an event aimed at opening new markets for exports and promoting tourism. The palatial elegance of the house, spilled out beyond its walls to the surrounding 53 acres of property, on which there was a carriage house, stables, a blacksmith shop, staff quarters, a kitchen, a pool and a tennis court on the east lawns.
Additionally, George Stiebel who was a lover of horses and frequently attended horse races, built a racecouse to the back of the property and hired a trainer to train the horses. In , the mansion was reopened to the public. Visitors to Devon House can tour the mansion and experience a walk back in time, enjoy the peace and quiet of the lush lawns and gardens or shop or dine in any of the several establishments on site.
A Board of Directors is appointed by the Minister of Tourism and Entertainment and overseas the overall management of the property. Devon House presents a unique and extraordinary opportunity for multiple experiences in a center of excellence in the city, combining heritage, park facilities, restaurants and shopping for the best of what is authentically Jamaican. Here, the arts, education and entertainment co-exist to give Jamaicans and tourists alike a space that appeals to the senses.
Our mission is to preserve an environment which combines an historic setting of a heritage site with the natural beauty of its surroundings to offer our visitors an authentic Jamaican experience. Geoffrey Messado — Chair Ms. Dorothy Carter-Bradford Mrs. Thalia Lyn Mrs. Diana Stewart Mrs. Jean Barnes Hon. Marigold Harding Ms. Devon House Hope Rd. Share this place. Devon House When in Kingston, make time for a stop at Devon House, a grand Georgian mansion that was built for George Stiebel, Jamaica 's first non-white millionaire.
The lovely upright house and its 11 surrounding acres are now protected as a National Heritage Site, but that doesn't mean that there's not fun to be had. The sprawling grounds include shops, restaurants, a bakery, and a popular ice-cream shop, I-Scream.
The mansion and its manicured lawns are also used for weddings and lavish events. More Recommendations Marcia Mayne.
Devon House Most Jamaicans visit Devon House to sample its popular "I-Scream," which comes in several tropical flavors, shop for unique gifts, dine or relax in its expansive surroundings. Many more visit for the tour of the Georgian-style mansion, which was built in for George Stiebel, Jamaica 's first black millionaire. The mansion was built entirely of brick and wood and features classical Georgian lines - simple form, detailing and symmetry - with high ceilings, carved transoms over elegant doors, and ample louvered windows that circulate air efficiently throughout the house.
The furniture is a mix of Jamaican, English and French antiques, and reproductions. The foot ballroom is, without doubt, the mansion's showpiece with its Broadwood piano, Wedgwood ceiling and English chandelier that Stiebel bought. Devon House has been restored several times and is now owned by the Jamaican government. Many of the old buildings from Stiebel's time are still in use.
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