Sunset Lodge

Sunset Lodge.

By 1923, Sunset Lodge was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Emery, Jr. (Mr. Emery was a American oil man and industrialist from Pennsylvania. In 1922 he is building a Strand Theatre in Montego Bay and putting up street lights.)
On November 19, 1924 Mr. Emery died. His wife, Eleta (Leia) Card Emery remained until her death.
The cottage was loaned to the Duke and Duchess of Kent for their historic honeymoon in 1934.
After Mrs. Emery's death, in August 1939 the cottage (willed to Nora Alica Card) was sold to Americans Col. and Mrs. Peter Vischer.
On February 1, 1940 the Sunset Lodge Club opened. It was intended to be a social center of international importance. The place was extensively rebuilt and refurnished. Sports will be a feature. The club has its own private beach and bar, two new tennis courts, croquet on a flood-lighted court, lawn bowls, badminton, new beach games and horse shoe pitching. Available indoors is bridge, Chinese checkers, backgammon and ping pong. Col. Wilfred Dumble is director. There were some lodgings, and the club was open only in season. Many high society social events were held there, with endless mentions in the newspaper social column.
In 1946 construction of a hotel on the property just north of the cottage was discussed. The property was owned by the deLisser family. [They bought it when? From whom?]
In February 1947 the cottage was sold for a sum well in excess of £20,000 to Mr. Henry George deLisser. To operate the new hotel, Mr. deLisser is forming a company with other members of his family, his five sons and daughter: Messrs. Harold, Donald, Walter, Leopold and Carl deLisser, and Mrs. Carmen Pringle. Mrs. Pringle will be particularly active in the management of the hotel. She has been a member of the Sunset Lodge Club since its inception. Son Harold became manager.
The cottage was torn down, and the 30-room hotel opened on January 7, 1948. It was a star studded opening, with the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland. Full bookings were anticipated for at least ten weeks from the opening date, and they have already made plans for an extension in the number of rooms and accommodation available for the 1949 season.
In March 1949, after a February 25th article [see clipping] in the Daily Mirror of London (a working class tabloid), written by John B. Walters that highlighted the wealth differences between the Sunset Lodge and a neighborhood not far away, the Gleaner and H.G. deLisser responded. See clippings.
At the end of December 1951 the hotel reported that it was almost sold out for the winter season.
On December 29, 1951, the entire staff went on strike in protest against the new Dutch manager, Mr. Vossen, who they claimed did not treat them "properly." Hotel owner Mr. H.G. deLisser, with Mr. Harold deLisser and Mrs. Carmen Pringle discussed the situation with the staff and a settlement was made after three hours.
In 1953 Senator John F. Kennedy visited the hotel and was photographed in front of their awning by Slim Aarons.
In 1962 Carmen Pringle, a hotel director and one of the pioneer women in the tourist industry, dies in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
In 1963 the hotel was open all year for the first time.
On October 11, 1964, Kenneth Jones, Minister of Communications and Works, while attending a Cabinet Retreat, falls from a balcony and dies. Investigations indicate he fell while sleep-walking. He was very popular and well respected. There was a strong suspicion that someone did him in.
Now the hotel is the two-story section in northern part of Royal Decameron Montego Beach.