[Appendix D(3) 1792 Report of Commissioners of Inquiry]

N° 3.

PETITION for the INHABITANTS of the NORTHERN DIVISION of the ISLE of MAN, 1791.

[In the Duke of Atholl’s Letter of the 10th of October 1791.]

Unto the King’s Most Excellent Majesty

The humble Memorial and Petition of your Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful Subjects, the Inhabitants of the Parishes of Kirk Patrick, Kirk German, Kirk Michael, Ballaugh, Jurby, Kirk Andrews, Kirk Bryde, and Kirk Christ Lezayre in your Majesty’s Island of Man,

Humbly Sheweth,

THAT from time immemorial, two Judges or Deemsters have explained and decided agreeable to the laws of the isle of Man, in all cases of dispute or litigation which occasionally arose among the inhabitants. One of these Deemsters, or Judges, expounded the law in the southern division of the isle of Man, which contains nine parishes ; the other decided all disputes in the northern division, composed of the parishes inhabited by your Majesty’s present humble petitioners.

That this division of justice in the island seems to have been wisely adapted to its natural situation, the Isle of Man being six-and-thirty miles in length, while in breadth it scarce any where exceeds ten.

That in the year 1777, an Act of Tynwald was passed, erecting a new tribunal and jurisdiction in each of the four several markets towns of this Isle, Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey, and Peel, for the hearing and determining of actions under forty shillings extent, the judges of which court assumed the title of High Bailiffs of these respective towns.

Your Majesty’s humble petitioners are sensible that advantages may arise to the Isle of Man where such High Bailiffs shall do their duty, by rendering the distribution of justice in actions under forty shillings more commodious and easy to the inhabitants of the island

But at the same time, while your humble petitioners admit that the determination of such small actions are by this means rendered more easy, your Majesty’s loyal and dutiful subjects inhabiting the northern division of the island have experienced very great hardships from the abolition of the Northern Judge or Deemster, which appears to have been incautiously recommended when the new jurisdiction of High Bailiffs took place, whose powers only extending to actions under forty shillings in value, your Majeity’s humble petitioners have ever since that period been reduced to the necessity of resorting in all actions exceeding that sum to the Southern Judge or Deemster, whole proper and accustomed residence in that division of the island, renders the loss of time in attendance at his courts a very serious calamity to your Majesty’s loyal subjects, the present petitioners, who were formerly accustomed to the administration of Justice in the northern division of the island, and near their own homes

Your Majesty’s most humble supplicants therefore pray, That in your wonted goodness and attention to the meanest of your Majesty’s subjects, you will be graciously pleased to restore to them that part of their ancient constitution which from time immemorial, until within a very few years, they have uniformly enjoyed, by appointing a person skilled in the laws of the land to be your Majesty’s Northern Deemster or Judge in this your Island of Man

And with unfeigned gratitude your Majesty’s most loyal and dutiful subjects inhabiting the northern division of the Isle of Man shall for your Majesty’s happiness and welfare ever pray

Claud: Sodor and Mann
Ev. Christian, Vicar General
James Thomas
William Crebbin, Vicar of Jurby
Daniel Gelling, Rector of Ballaugh
Henry Corlett, Vicar of Kirk German
John Crellin, Ep Regr
Daniel Mylrea, Curate of Kirk Andreas
William Clucas, Rector of Bride
Thomas Corlett Vicar of Lezayre
Angus Munn
Thomas Cowin
Peter Sorensen
Matthew Cowin
James Cowin
John Mylchreest
Henry Gell
Nicholas Corkill
John White
Hugh Walker
John Walker
Robert Corlett
Thomas Frazer
John Gawn
Thomas Cottier
Richard Higgens
Thomas Cummins
Thomas Clucas
Thomas Siddleton
Richard Ellison
Matthias Oates
Thomas Garrett
John Cain
John Morrison
John Shimin
Henry Colvin
John Quay
Robert Cornn
William Clark
John Sewell
William Dawson
William M’Culloch
William Quirk
Edward Gawn
James Thompson
Robert Gracey
Dollin Gawn
John Crellin
Thomas Readshaw
John Kaighin
John Shimmin
William Boyd
Thomas Cannell
John Corlett
Simon Reid
Thomas Cottier
William Cannon
Silvester Crellin
John Cannell
John Caine
William Quayle
William Cannell
William Corlett
William Christian
Thomas Cannell
Philip Corlett
John Cannon
Pat. Clark
William Clark
Daniel Caine
Philip Cannell
John Kaighin
Adam M’Booy
Daniel Croughan
Robert Kelly
John Caine
Patrick Cannell
John Caine
Daniel Stephen
Thomas Corlett
Anthony Kewley
William Corlett
John Reig
Thomas Cowley
Daniel Crain
John Caine
Matthew Cowle
John Tear
John Killip
John Callisler
Andrew Joughin
Thomas Vondy
John Cleater
John Corlett
William Kelley
Ewan Kneen
Thomas Brew
William Kelley
Thomas Kelley
Thomas Christory
John Killip
Thomas Kelly
John Christian
Patrick Moughtyn
John Cleater
William Crye
Thomas Corlett
Thomas Kewin
Thomas Kelley
William Freeir
John Christian
Henry Quayle
John Corkell
Patrick Caine
Philip Brew
John Caine
Philip Clark
Adam M’Ylvoirey
William Keal
Thomas Connan
William Clark
Thomas Clark
John Cleator
William Tear
Thomas Corlet
John Hughes
William Corlett
Michael Caine
Thomas Corlet
Philip Killip
John Canell
William Killip
Thomas Craine
John Corlet
Thomas Craine
Thomas Crellia
Robert Corlet
Thomas Tear
Thomas Radcliffe
John Tear
John Cleater
William Kneale
Philip Fargher
John Radcliffe
William Christian
Mark Gawn
John Tear
James Radcliffe
William Sayle
William Cleater
John Garrett
Patrick Garrett
John Sayle
Andrew Kneale
Daniel Skinner
James Tear
Daniel Lace
William Radcliffe
William Cleater
Daniel Lace
Daniel Nelson
William Moore
Charles Rewn
William Christian
William Christian
Thomas Lace
John Cowle
John Chrislian
Robert Cowle
William Howland
William Sayle
John Christian
Thomas Howland
David Sayle
John Kneale
Thomas Cowin
William Lace
Philip Wade
William Cowle
John Corlet
William Joughin
William Kneale
Thomas Radcliffe
William Christian
Ewan Goldsrnith
William Joughin
John Corlett
John Christian
Thomas Kneen
John Crowe
John Corlett
James Clarke
William Vandy
John Curghy
Ewan Crow
John Kneen
Edmund Crow
Ewan Garrett
John Kneale
John Kneen
John Kneale
James Clark
John Kneale
Charles Renney
James Clark
John Kneale
Patrick Corkill
John Gill
John Collier
John Kissage
William Quayle
Patrick Cain
John Sayle
John Wattleworth
James Hendry
Robert Cottier
Daniel Lace
William Christian
Philip Teare
James Craine
John Gawn
David Corleen
Philip Cottiman
Edward Gawn
Nicholas Curphey
James Hendry
Alexander M’Knight, junior
Daniel Teare.