Trench Town, which began life as a much-prized housing project erected by the British in the 1930s, is widely credited as the birthplace of ska, rocksteady and reggae music. The neighborhood has been immortalized in the gritty narratives of numerous reggae songs, not the least of which is Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry , the poignant Trench Town anthem penned by Vincent ‘Tata’ Ford in a tiny bedroom at what is now the Trench Town Museum . In the days before superstardom, Bob and Rita Marley were frequent visitors and for a time even kept a small bedroom here. The museum is stocked with Wailers memorabilia, including Marley’s first guitar, some poignant photographs from his time here and nyahbinghi drums. There’s a rusted-out carcass of a VW bus that belonged to Bob Marley and the Wailers in the 1960s. Also on site is the Trench Town Development Association , opened in February 1999 in the presence of England’s Prince Charles. The TTDA, which exists to unify and serve the people of Trench Town by promoting social justice, self-reliance and human dignity through community-based development, is singularly responsible for transforming Bob Marley’s former home into a community-based heritage site. Marley's former home is in a depressing slum 'yard', nearby, but only visit with a guide from the TTDA.
