I am sorry Brian is not impressed by the IOMFHS but it isn't a monolith but merely the sum of its parts - i.e. the ever willing volunteers. Editors have come and gone and approached their work in different ways. Sometimes articles come in that would take a lot of editing and perhaps in the past were found too daunting by editors before the days of universal word processors, e-mail etc.

As regards stay-at-homes, gone-aways, stay-aways, come-backs and come-overs, if there is a sinister plot being fermented at the heart of the Manx establishment I am in the dark as to what it is!

Having dipped my toe in the water of publishing in print, on the internet, helping to get Societies off the ground, organising exhibitions and so forth - I think that one is essentially on ones own to start with. If you put mega-work in - I mean years of work, then the most professional presentation you can muster, excellent publicity pulling every string in the book, then some success may follow, and eventually a few people may be brought round to help you with your aims, and eventually a critical mass may be achieved.

One day I hope a few people may take an interest in preserving what is left of pre-Victorian architecture in the Island. But at the moment I have not done enough work to start any ball rolling, and I do not look to others to do for me what I can do myself (pretentious or what - sorry.)