Annie Palmer, also known as the White Witch of Rose Hall, is a popular figure in Jamaican folklore and history. She is said to have been a wealthy plantation owner who lived in the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay during the 19th century. Legend has it that Annie Palmer was born in Haiti and moved to Jamaica as a young woman. She was known for her beauty and charm, and she used her charms to seduce and manipulate men. It is believed that she murdered her three husbands and numerous lovers, as well as practicing black magic and voodoo. Annie Palmer's most famous victim is said to have been her third husband, John Palmer.
People claim to have witnessed Palmer’s ghost riding her horse around the plantation. She is also sometimes seen on the balcony. Ghost hunter Hans Holzer claims that Palmer’s ghost once took over the body of trance medium Eileen Garrett.
The folklore of Annie Palmer has been told and retold countless times, but in this blog I seek to give a clear picture about this lady who she was, her motivation and how she became known to Jamaicans as the White Witch of Rose Hall. Annie Palmer loved the color red color of blood, color of passion and though she never bore children, she supposedly had this portrait painted to convince people she was indeed the motherly type.
Annie Palmer's most famous victim is said to have been her third husband, John Palmer. Legend has it that she killed him in his sleep and buried him on the property. It is said that his ghost still haunts the Rose Hall Great House to this day.
The White Witch of Rose Hall
Annie Palmer, the White Witch of Rose Hall, is the stuff of songs and legends. Yet she was also a real person who lived in Jamaica in the early 19th century and a morbidly fascinating figure in her own right. The fact that she now supposedly haunts Rose Hall makes her all the more interesting…
I recently took a tour of Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Here’s what I can remember of the sordid tale of Annie Palmer, after more rum-and-ginger-beers than I can count.
Miss Palmer was born in England, to parents of middling wealth, and raised in Haiti, but was orphaned at young age. She was primarily raised by her nanny, and schooled in the ways of Voodoo, which she soon adapted for her own nefarious purposes. Once she was in her late teens, she moved to Jamaica and used her skills to land herself a rich husband, John Palmer, the owner of Rose Hall, a stately home and vast sugar plantation near Montego Bay. Rose became the mistress of Rose Hall, and was soon revealed to be a malevolent, sadistic opportunist, who tortured her slaves for fun, and soon murdered not one but three husbands. Slaves lived in terror of her; men were under her spell. No living portrait of her exists, but some people think the petite woman dressed in red might be said to represent Annie:
Look closely at the children in this portrait
Annie Palmer loved the color red — color of blood, color of passion — and though she never bore children, she supposedly had this portrait painted to convince people she was indeed the motherly type. Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth. Look closely at the children in the painting. Do they seem stiff and unnatural, and overly posed? They possess none of the vibrancy and realism of the scarlet-clad Annie. In all likelihood, they were modeled on dolls, and here they remain wooden props in Annie’s unconvincing effort to seem human. It is impossible to see from this photograph, but if you find yourself walking beneath the painting, you will notice that Annie’s eyes follow you as you move. For she is still keeping watch on everything in the house… as a “duppy.”
Duppy is the Jamaican obeah term for a ghost or a malevolent spirit — they can manifest in human form, or in animal form. According to our guide, duppies often take the form of bats, so if you happen to see a bat flying low at twilight, beware.
Like most people who live lives of utter debauchery and sin, Annie Palmer eventually received her karmic punishment. After dispatching of three husbands and instigating a reign of terror on the plantation, one of her former slaves, Takoo, decided he’d had enough. Takoo had actually been freed by Annie because she chose him to be her lover. He visited her bedroom nightly and was by all accounts loyal to her — until she crossed a line. Never one to limit herself to just one lover, Annie set her eyes on the plantation’s accountant, one Robert Rutherford. But Rutherford only had eyes for a pretty young slave girl named Millicent — who happened to be Takoo’s grand-niece. Annie murdered Millicent out of jealousy, and to avenge her death, Takoo made love to Annie one final time, then strangled her in her bed.
The bed where Annie was murdered
But Annie’s voodoo retained its power from beyond the grave. Soon after she died, she began to make ghostly appearances around Rose Hall, driving servants, guests, and residents mad with terror. Before long, the house was abandoned and fell into ruin — for no one but Annie could ever be mistress of Rose Hall.
Rose Hall before the restoration
There was one family who did try to live at Rose Hall, in the early 1900s, but they were swiftly driven from the place when their maid was thrown from a second story balcony by an invisible set of hands.
The lethal balcony
Not only is the balcony the site of the poor maid’s death, but it was the very spot where Annie herself would stand to enjoy the spectacle of her slaves being tortured, which occurred in the yard below. After someone had been tortured to Annie’s satisfaction, they would be led down a set of steps to the dungeon below, where without food, medicine, or water, they would die in a matter of days.
The dungeon steps
After the death of the maid on the balcony, the new family fled Rose Hall and it lay in silent ruin until the 1960s, when it was then cleaned up, restored, and revived for public use as a historic house and plantation. Now, lush green golf courses, high end hotels, and a busy staff cater to the island’s wealthiest tourists. Surprisingly, Rose Hall is a popular place for weddings — just a stone’s throw from where Annie rests quietly, but not soundly, in her grave.
Annie Palmer’s Grave
All photographs are copyright of Boroughs of the Dead (in case you’re compelled to steal my smartphone snaps).
In addition to her alleged crimes, Annie Palmer is also credited with being a cruel slave owner. It is said that she would torture and kill her slaves, using voodoo to control them. Some believe that her cruel treatment of the slaves eventually led to her downfall. Despite her dark reputation, Annie Palmer is still remembered and talked about today. The Rose Hall Great House is now a popular tourist attraction, and many visitors come to learn about Annie Palmer and the legends surrounding her. Some even claim to have had paranormal experiences while visiting the house. Whether the stories about Annie Palmer are true or not, there is no denying her place in Jamaican folklore. Her tale of murder, witchcraft, and voodoo continues to captivate the imagination and intrigue visitors to the Rose Hall Great House. She is a figure that will likely continue to be talked about and remembered for years to come..
Reviews for "The Supernatural Powers of Annie Palmer, the White Witch of Rose Hall"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Annie Palmer the White Witch." The story had such potential but it fell flat for me. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with them. The writing style also felt amateurish, with awkward dialogue and cliché plot twists. Overall, it was a forgettable reading experience.
2. John - 1/5 stars - I regret picking up "Annie Palmer the White Witch." The book was poorly written and lacked any originality. The story seemed to drag on and I found myself skipping pages just to get to the end. The characters were uninteresting and the world-building was half-hearted. It could have been a decent fantasy novel, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - "Annie Palmer the White Witch" was a disappointment for me. The pacing was all over the place, with boring stretches of exposition followed by rushed action scenes. The protagonist, Annie, lacked any sort of development and came across as a predictable and cliché character. The plot also suffered from predictability, leaving me unengaged and ultimately unimpressed.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Annie Palmer the White Witch," but it failed to meet my expectations. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. The plot was predictable and lacked originality, making it hard to stay engaged. The world-building was also lacking, leaving me with more questions than answers. Overall, it was a disappointing read.