Photos of Negril before digital

[johng]

It is really great seeing all the great Negril photos on this Forum. Today's digital world allows many opportunities to take and send photos and videos that was unable to do back in the days before the technology was available.

The advantages of today's digital cameras are most are reasonably priced, most are compact, most take great pictures and these images are easy to share and post. Back in the days of 35 mm cameras you didn't know what you had until the film was processed and both the film and developing could end up being quite expensive. Today one points and shoots and can immediately see if they have a great shot not to mention some cameras (mostly Canon point and shoot) have a vivid color mode that highlights saturated colors almost unbelievably.

For those of you who visited Negril and shot photos using 35mm (or other formats) I would enjoy seeing your photos from back then. I attach a link to share with you all who have an interest in seeing what Negril looked like back in the day.

https://pixjamaica.wordpress.com/

Here are some of my photos in the middle to late 70's (Nikon FM, Kodak Ektachrome & Kodachrome film) Enjoy!!

[captaind]

Always good to see the A frame at Miss Gloria's

Cap

[Markospoon]

Excellent,
Loved the old Black and Whites on your Word press site.
Thanks

[Mike_D]

I Love looking at your old pics Johng. Great stuff!

I remember somebody posting a picture of Paul McCartney and family on the Negril beach in '70s. On the inside cover of the "McCartney" album there are also some pictures of Paul on the beach in a tropical location. I wonder if those were taken in Negril, as well. Those would've been taken in 1969 or '70 so that may have been before Negril was on anybody's radar. (This is all before I was even born, so what do I know!)

[johng]

Yes Cap, the A-Frame was always a cool hangout!!

Marcospoon, Thanks but the Black and Whites are not mine but they show Negril way back when!

Mike_D, Thanks man!! I have seen the photos of Paul M and family on Negril Beach, not sure about inside cover photos. Negril was on the radar going way back, JFK when he was a Senator visited NB with Jacky. Bob Dylan visited Negril also not to mention many others.

[ukran1ans]

Being a history buff, I think these pics are great! Thanx for sharing...

[Marko]

yeah the photos so how deserted the beach was back then......in the 80's that all changed....
mi noticed a big difference just from 84 to say 88......so much building and more tourist on da beach......
even Ricks Cafe was a pretty small place back in 84......after Gilbert in 88 everything on da beach and cliffs changed a lot
oh da memories......

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Rob]

That incredible photo blog needs to be credited to Robin Farquharson showing photos from the early 70's. Much has changed. Elephant bell bottoms for one. But much hasn't. We have featured Robin's photo work before on our Negril Today pages and even had some "before/after" pics showing how little something's changed.

As for Rick's Café, it was a relatively small place in '84 and was still the same in mid 90's. Beads were the "currency" and ice was still a consistent problem. Gilbert didn't change Rick's as much as the incredible wave action on the West End during the years of Ivan, Rita and Wilma (mid 2000's). That is when Rick's had its major remodeling job and became the Rick's Café we know today.

Here is Rick's as it looked when we featured it in the 1996, still small and the filled in pool was the bar...

http://www.realnegril.com/beingees/nn170296.htm

http://www.realnegril.com/beingees/nn080396.htm

http://www.realnegril.com/beingees/nn150696.htm

http://www.realnegril.com/beingees/nn160696.htm

Although much changed after Gilbert, such as most of the wooden structures being rebuilt using concrete blocks, somethings never change... (grin)

[johng]

ukran1ans, Glad you enjoy my pics. Are you headed to Negril tomorrow as your ticker indicates? Have a safe and fun trip!!

Marko, Yes everything changes with time. When did you first visit Negril? I used to stay with Barry's Grandmother, Miss Gloria (Gloria's Sunset Cottages) back in the mid 70's. was right next to Bar-B-Barn that came later. But yes you are right the mid to late 80's lots of growth.

Does anybody remember the guy who ran Rick's back in the 70's. He was a white guy from New Jersey sort of a big guy, had a big motorcycle parked right by the entrance. Rick's at the time was a hit but way smaller than the subsequent building over the years. Whatever the owner / operator's name was I remember him as a nice guy. I used to always talk MC's with him. Anybody remember him??

[Jim Nasium]

For those of you who visited Negril and shot photos using 35mm (or other formats) I would enjoy seeing your photos from back then. I attach a link to share with you all who have an interest in seeing what Negril looked like back in the day.