Verma Panton

Verma Wevlyn Panton (17 April 1936 – 18 January 2015) was a Jamaican architect, the first female architect of the Anglo-Caribbean. and Vernon George Panton. Verma has two sisters: Faith (Baba) Panton and Sheila C Panton and one brother Cedrick Landale Leroy Panton. Faith died of cancer on October 31, 1991 in a nursing home in Santa Monica, CA USA. Faith and Sheila were never married and had no children. Verma has two nephews: Cedric Vernon Panton and Corrado L Panton, and one niece Brenda Panton. She attended elementary school at Claremont Primary School and then went to both Carvalho’s High School and Ardenne High School in Jamaica. graduating as the first female architect in Jamaica as well as in the West Indies.

Returning to Jamaica in 1964, Panton became a Project Architect for the Ministry of Education until 1968, when she joined as an Associate Partner with the firm of McMorris, Sibley, Robinson (MSR).

Panton received numerous awards for her work, including Honourable Mention in two Low Income Housing Design Competitions: the 1967 event sponsored by Wood Preservation Co. Ltd. and the 1973 event sponsored by Redimix Concrete Ltd. In 1985, she was honoured with a Certificate of Recognition for Pioneer Woman in Architecture and Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Architecture. The Jamaican Institute of Architects recognized her 20 years of service in 1987.

Panton died on 18 January 2015 in Jamaica.

Works Gordon Town Community Center Workers Bank Building, Constant Spring, Jamaica Botany Building at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica Desmond Mair Insurance Building on Knutsford Blvd., Kingston, Jamaica Restoration of the Old Half Way Tree Courthouse