The
Devon House Mansion was put up for sale, and purchased in
1923 by Reginald Melhado, a successful entrepreneur. The final
sale agreement, however, did not include the 51 acres, which
the Stiebels purchased from the Anglican Church, but instead,
11 acres of the land. The remaining 40 acres was subdivided
to form such roadways as Waterloo and Devon Roads. The Melhados
added their touch to the elegant 19th century mansion by moving
in their collection of antique furnishings. The lavish parties,
which many had come to love at Devon House, had significantly
reduced when the Melhados occupied the home. It was said that
Irene Melhado never liked Devon House because it was too big.
It was no surprise then, when the Melhados sold the home only
after five years of residing at Devon House.
The
new homeowners the Lindos brought back vitality and pageantry
to Devon House, and fancy dinner parties at Devon House were
widely discussed in Kingston and St. Andrew. Agnes Lindo became
known as a hostess with exquisite taste, and nothing was spared
when it came to financing entertainment at the Mansion. Funding
these lavish events never appeared to be a worrying factor
for Cecil Lindo who had become a very successful businessman
in Jamaica. He was known as a smart and savvy businessperson,
and made some wise investments early in life including investments
in the banana industry in Costa Rica, and the purchase of
J. Wray and Nephew and Monymusk Estate. He was also a railway
magnate and the owner of Appleton Estate and the wine and
spirit business Daniel Finzi and Co. Limited. Cecil Lindo
died of a heart attack in 1960 at the age of 89. He left Devon
House to his wife, but she did not remain at the home. Agnes
opted to live in New York following her husband’s death,
and it was then that developers approached her regarding the
sale of The Devon House Mansion, to accommodate the construction
of condominiums. |
