[From 1899 Examiner Annual]

PRINCIPAL EVENTS OF 1898.

Jan. 7—Isle of Man Band of Hope Union formed.

Jan. 15—Temperance revival : Mrs Ormiston Chant and Mr Tennyson Smith lecture. The Lieut. -Governor, replying to Mr Robert Cowley in the Tynwald Court, gives interesting information regarding liquor license and convictions for drunkenness in the Isle of Man.

Jan. 25— Rev. J. S. Wilkinson, Vicar of Kirk Maughold, dies.

Feb. 7—Deemster Sir James Gell makes his debut as a judge at Douglas. Death of Mrs R. S. Stephen. wife of the Mayor of Douglas.

Feb. 13—Death of Mr J. C. LaMothe, High Bailiff of Ramsey.

Feb. 14—Mr Alex. Robertson appointed as Town Clerk of Douglas vice Mr T. H. Nesbitt, who resigned on appointment as Clerk to the Vestry of St. George, Hanover Square, London.

Feb. 16—End of great right-of-way case at Port Erin : Important victory for the people.

Feb. 24—Death of Mr Richard Penketh, one of the Members of House of Keys for Middle Sheading.

Mar. 3—Temperance Conference in Douglas : Action of Douglas Licensing Court in granting 76 liquor licenses to boarding house keepers, in teeth of popular opinion, condemned.

Mar. 15—Douglas Licensing Court again flout the expressed will of the Manx people, and grant 80 boarding house licenses.

Baume’s trustees grant £1,000 to Noble’s Hospital, £300 to School of Art, and transfer Strathallan Hall property to Manager of Industrial Home.

Mar. 24 — Mr F. G. Callow, of Ballacurry, Onchan,defeats Mr H. J Clague in contest for seat in House of Keys, rendered vacant by death of Mr Penketh.

Mar. 26—Articles on Liverpool-Manx Worthies commence in Isle Man Examiner.

Nett decrease of £646 in revenue of Island reported. Decrease in wine, beer, and spirit duties, £1,000.

April 5—Mr James Moore appointed Chairman of School Committee of Douglas, vice Mr G. A. Ring resigned.

April 12—Deemster Sir James Gell and the Attorney-General (M G. A. Ring) sit in Legislature for first time on their new appointments.

April 13—Mr A. Ernest Prescott appointed Borough Surveyor a Douglas, vice Mr T. G. Taylor, appointed to Ramsgate.

April 21—Mr B. D. Gelling, advocate, appointed secretary of the House of Keys.

May 6—Appointment of Rev. Robert D. Kermode as Vicar at Maughold.

May 12—Death of Mr George C. Heron, Douglas.

May 17 Re-election of Mr John Boyd as Chairman of Ihe Douglas Poor Relief Committee.

May 19—Death of Mr Gladstone, England’s greatest statesman. Death of Mr Hugh S. Gell, of Castletown.

June 16—Decision to close Thomas Street Wesleyan Day Schools Schools afterwards continued by Douglas School Committee

June 23 — Foundation stone of Murray’s Road Board Schools laid by the Attorney-General.

June 28—Governor Lord Henniker refuses the use of Peel Castle Grounds for the purpose of a temperance demonstration Public indignation.

July 5—Tynwald Day : Some one blunders, and no laws can be promulgated.

Presentation of an address by the Tynwald Court to Sir William Drinkwater on his retirement from the Legislature.

July 8—John Dixon, farmer and ex-policeman, sentenced to five years’ penal servitude for the alleged theft of a sheep value twenty shillings. Public indignation and agitation for Dixon’s release. The Examiner takes the lead.

July 14—Opening of Physical Laboratory and Pupil Teacher’s Centre in Douglas.

July 21—All Saints’ Church, Alexander Drive, Douglas, opened.

July 24—Castletown Licensing Court decline to grant license in respect of newly erected hotel at Port St. Mary Railway station.

Aug. 2—Opening of Laxey-Ramsey Electric Tramway.

Terrible boating disaster off Clay Head : Five visitors drowned.

Aug. 8—Pardon of John Dixon : Reproof for a Manx jury and the Manx judges.

Aug. 20—Boating disaster off Derbyhaven : Three well-known residents drowned.

Sept. 26 —Death of Capt. Philip Gell, a director of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

Oct—Mr Alexander Fraser appointed Postmaster of the Isle of Man, vice Mr J. H. Viney, promoted to Warrington.

Oct. 3—Commenced in Isle of Man Examiner a series of articles on the revival of the Manx language.

Publication of passenger tax returns : Decrease in arrivals during season 1898 of 4,310 at Douglas.

Oct. 17—Mr Alexander Bruce appointed a director of the Isle of Man Steampacket Company.

Oct. 27—Opening of North Douglas Rechabite Tent.

Nov. 1—Douglas Municipal Elections. Contests in Wards Nos. 1 and 6.

Nov. 9—Formal and unanimous election of Mr Alderman Webb as Mayor of Douglas.

Nov. 9—Death of Sir John Goldie-Taubman, Speaker of the House of Keys for 31 years.