m - Isle of Man Today

Iam delighted to be welcoming you
to the issue of Manx Millennium
that brings us to the halfway point
in the series. And, as it is my first
introduction to this Midocean
sponsored supplement, I would like to
take this opportunity to introduce
myself to you.
I am one of a team of three people
who created Midocean nine years ago
and has witnessed its expansion into
one of the the leading ship
management companies in the Isle of
Man. My task now as Managing
Director is to steer Midocean towards
even greater success from our Fort
Anne headquarters on South Quay in
Douglas - headquarters which have a
most important link with the Island’s
rich maritime history.
Fort Anne was the home of the founder
of the Royal National Lifeboat
Institution, Sir William Hillary, and
later this year we intend to unveil a
statue of Sir William in the grounds.
In this way, we believe we can
maintain that vital link to the past
while striving to meet the new
challenges the next century will
present.
I hope that, like me you will continue
to enjoy in the Manx Millennium the
photographs and profiles of places and
people from our Island’s recent past. I
look forward to the next six issues that
will bring us right up to the dawning of
the new millennium.
Christos Ashiotis
Managing Director
Thank you to all those readers who
contacted me regarding the
photographs in edition number
five.
This is what you had to tell me: on page
four the locomotive Douglas during the
second world war had as its driver
Tommy Cannan
and his son was
the fireman. His
brother Alfie was
the station master
at Ballaugh. The
train used to
come out of
Ramsey each
morning bringing
the alien internees
to the country stations to work on the
farms.
The local lads nicknamed the loco ‘the
doodlebug’. At one time the staff kept a
pet eel in the
water tank which
they would feed
regularly. The fish
presumably got
into the tank
when water was
being taken on.
The straw structure
on page five was a
‘goosenest’ which
was made out of twigs tied together at the top
and then thatched. On page six the traction
engine was made by McLaren of Leeds (works
number 178 – new in April, 1883) initially
she belonged to
John Corlett of
Ramsey and then
Daniel Kelly and
Sons of Kirk
Michael (later
known as Kelly
Brothers). Two
suggestions have
been given for the
location on is
Moaney Moar at
Cronk-y-Voddy and
the other is the Village Green at Kirk Michael.
This site is now greatly covered by the Isle of
Man Bank, the police station and Kerrocruim.
The out building being behind number one,
m
2 anxmillennium
manx illennium
23
Peter Kelly writes
With its fascinating glimpses of the
Island's past, this series of Manx
Millennium supplements is clearly
capturing the public's imagination as
librarian archivist at Manx National Heritage
Roger Sims is discovering.
Roger says: 'This series - now in its sixth issue
- has prompted a most encouraging response
from readers, both in the Island and further
afield. Without doubt the public, indeed
appreciate this opportunity to discover more
about our Island's past through the excellent
selection, chosen by architectural historian
Peter Kelly, of photographs from the Library's
archives.'
Peter Kelly is similarly heartened by the
reception of the Manx Millennium
supplements. He says: 'I am delighted with the
continuing response and encouraging
comments which these photographs have
prompted from readers.'
Roger Sims goes on: 'Naturally, we are grateful
for the archive material which has come to
light so far, but Manx National Heritage is still
keen to acquire yet more photographs and
Station Road which was run as a small farm.
One suggestion for the mill on page seven
and that was Milntown but I am not sure
about that one. On page eight, two
readers identified the cottage as
being at the bottom of the hill
Glen Maye with W E Quirk’s
house on the hillside. The out
b u i l d i n g s
apparently are no
longer there. For
the agricultural
show on page nine
comes the
suggestion that it is
at Westhill,
Castletown where the
southern shows were held.
The photograph of the Point
of Ayre lighthouse
was pre-1898 for that is when the
new copper dome was put on.
During recent renovation work a
linseed oil bottle was found which
contained the names of all those
who worked on the 1898
alterations.
I was right with the
j a c k d a w
photograph on
page 13. It was
Bradda East and the house in
the distance was Marrowee
which was built as a summer
residence for Mr Pilkington
the glass
manufacturer in
1902. The birds on page 16 were
Manx bantams belonging to
Nelson Mandell’s father (who was
Nelson Mandell?) and won a
poultry show at
Crystal Palace.
The view inside
Ramsey Mart was
most probably the
Christmas Fatstock
show which was attended by
farmers and butchers. There is
a similar photograph in
circulation which I believe
bears the date 1909. The man
with beard and moustache
standing at the rear end of the bull is possibly
Dr Sugden. Now the boats on page 21,
against the Battery Pier I have had both
Snaefell (2) and King Orry (2) suggested; the
cinefilm, manuscripts and documents. We
welcome the opportunity to make a
qualitative assessment of any material, all of
which will, of course, be treated with the
utmost care, and that which is deemed of
historical importance can be either deposited
with Manx National Heritage or copied then
returned to the owner. The material will be
added to our national image archive.'
Already, a surprising number of historically
important photographs and cinefilm has come
to the attention of the library, proffered by
readers of these supplements. Manx National
Heritage has also been encouraged by the
response to the appeal it made recently for old
photographs and cinefilm of Rushen Abbey,
which has unearthed some interesting footage.
Similarly it would be pleased to hear from
anyone with photographs - either of the
exterior or interior - of the old House of Keys
in Castletown.
Roger Sims says: 'Every photograph makes
some contribution to learning more about our
past, and even those which are not of prime
archive importance can still provide valuable
background information which helps us
outter boat has general agreement as being
Mona (3). The ship in the foreground has been
identified as the ‘Sarah Blanche’ built in
1891. One caller says she was owned by
Joseph Sharpe,
the Douglas
Coal Merchant
whilst another
says her owners
were Andrew
Knowles and
Sons Limited
c o l l i e r y
proprietors of
Pendlebury.
She sank at the
mouth of the Manchester ship canal in
February 1905 but was raised and repaired.
(perhaps this is when Joseph Sharpe brought
her). In 1923
she was sold to
the Ramsey
Steamship
Company and
renamed ‘Ben
Blanche.’ In
December
1933 she was
wrecked on the
South Wales
coast at
Oxwich Point.
All seven of the crew were rescued by the
Mumbles lifeboat.
The harvest festival in Atholl Street Chapel,
Peel has the
same format of
decoration as
was carried out
for many years,
fishing nets on
the balcony
front, ivy on the
columns and
autumn leaves
on the pulpit.
From edition number four, the suggestion has
come forward that the two girls on the bridge
on page three is at the end of the postman’s
path at Glen Maye. The cottages on page 22
are indeed opposite sandpit lane but on the
Peel to Poortown Road not the Douglas to
Peel Road. One cottage was occupied by Mrs
Crebbin and the other by Liza Boyde. Thank
you all once again for your help.
So far, so fascinating
acquire a greater historical perspective of life
and times in the Isle of Man over the last 140
years. And in this edition of the Manx
Millennium supplement, has been included a
selection of photographs which have been
handed in to Manx National Heritage in
recent months.
'These supplements, as well as providing a
wonderful insight into times past in the Isle of
Man, have also, by extension, alerted a wider
audience to the "treasure house" that is the
Manx Museum's library. More people than
ever are using the Reading Room to see more
of their village or chosen area. People who,
prior to this project might never have ventured
across our threshold.'
If anyone has material they would care
either to donate or lend to the Manx
National Heritage Library, they are
invited to contact librarian archivist
Roger Sims or Wendy Thirkettle at the
Manx National Heritage Library, the
Manx Museum, Douglas. Telephone
648000.
K C M Y
m
This view should be recognised by all readers. It is of
course at Silverdale with the mill dam being used as a
boating lake. Through the open doors of the mill tables
with white table cloths can be seen. An early case of building
recycling or alternative use and what's more its still there and
in use to this day. The cafe which is now used was a purposebuilt
extension of around 1910. The fascinating feature at
Silverdale has always been the roundabout, driven by the
waterwheel it was as much fun to operate the controlling lever as
to ride the fine carved hobby horses. Don’t forget, too, the swing
boats where pulling on opposite ropes took the wooden vessel
higher and higher. Countless thousands of children have enjoyed
themselves here over the years but of recent times we have become
too safety conscious and the swing boats have gone, the occasional
tree root has been covered by rubber matting and a cage has been
placed over the water wheel. Couldn’t wire netting have been placed
under the wooden surround for it would have served the same
purpose and looked a lot better? This view has been printed from a
glass negative recently given to the Museum Library.
(MNH/gift/679)
This scene is a lot quieter than it was
earlier this month for this view shows
the approach to Ballaugh Bridge on
the TT course. It’s hard to imagine the life
of the people in these country districts
before the advent of the Northern Railway
which opened on 23rd September 1879. Prior
to that farmers with their carts and those
with ponies and traps could travel to
Ramsey and Peel but what about the poor
labourer? He could only walk to these places
but with Sunday his only day off when could
he do it? Up to a few years ago there were
still locals who had never been off the Island
but 150 years ago there must have been
country folk who had never been to Douglas.
How times have changed with people living in
the hills and ayres and yet travelling into
Douglas to work every day. (MNH/pic/3625)
This is probably the most important view in
this edition because it records a one-off
event that took place in 1895 and this is the
only photograph that I know of it. The title on the
lantern slide ‘Skating at Pulrose’ although I
rather feel it is more likely to be the grounds of
Kirby. It was as a result of the Great Snow and
18 degrees of frost that followed that skating was
possible at Kirby for about half a mile as far as
Kirk Braddan. The ice was between four and five
inches thick. Mr George Drinkwater arranged to
have the surface flooded every night so as to
provide a clear surface of ice each morning. A
roadway was cut through the snow at
Quarterbridge to help people gain access instead of
having to wade through deep snow. Some of the
estate workers were engaged in sweeping the ice and
putting out seats and benches. Refreshments in the
form of hot drinks were served by Mrs George
Drinkwater who had sent out invitations to a large
company of ladies and gentleman who came to skate
each day. There were several good skaters including
Mr Drinkwater, Father Miller and Father Walsh
curate and parish priest of St Mary’s Douglas
respectively. What I find remarkable is the fact that
as this was a one-off event where did all the skates
come from? Did people have them just in case or did
somebody do a roaring trade. Can you imagine years
later a wife saying to her husband: “I don’t know why
you hang on to these skates, you haven’t used them
since 1895!” (MNH/pic/807)