Regiments stationed on Island

The Manx press usually noted the change of troops, which would appear to arrive at Douglas and then march to Castletown - thanks to the card index for pre 1850 Newspapers the troop rotations pre 1838 can be easily found; however no changes appear to be indexed post 1838! Other information is extracted from "In Search of the Forlorn Hope" by John M Kitzmiller II, Manuscript Publishing Fnd 1988 (ISBN 0-96192605-8) (shown as FHn where 'n' is the original footnote reference - thanks to George Callow for bringing this book to my attention) Further information is taken from published accounts etc which mention, en passant, the name of the regiment.

Prior to the Revestment in 1765 no British Regiment was stationed on the Island - a small professional military based mainly at Castle Rushen but also at Peel Castle and barracks at Douglas and Ramsey, was under the charge of the Lord of Man. A local militia under the leadership of the Captains of the Parish could be raised in time of necessity. At the Revestment a small contingent of British troops were brought across, mainly to discourage any popular expression against the political change. The Act of 1777 removed many of the powers of Town and Parish Captains - a local militia, Manx Fencibles, were raised mainly for work on the Island (a Fencible regiment could not be sent outside of Britain thus the Manx Fencibles were used in Ireland after 1798). Sergeant gives a history of these Fencibles which in some details differs from that of Moore (ref indicated as BS) In 1797/8 a large contingent of soldiers was stationed on the Island in anticipation of problems in Ireland but after this no British troops were present until a battalion of the Royal Veterans arrived in 1811. These were stationed both at Castletown and Peel (and possibly at Douglas) - at Peel a small barracks was built, but in 1815, on the recall of the Royal Veterans, this was declared unwanted and disposed of; Hannah Bullock writing in 1816 states that no British troops had replaced them. Troops were sent in 1816 and initially occupied part of Castle Rushen but c.1821 a new Barracks was opened on the site of the Old George Hotel (later it became the Town Commissioners Offices and is now Mannanan House - office buildings for many years by Shell Exploration). Post 1816 all troops were stationed at Castletown until they were withdrawn in 1896.

Sir George Head in his Home Tour of 1837 states that the troops consisted of a 'company detached from the particular regiment doing duty for the time being in the city of Carlisle' - several of the newspaper reports of this time gave Carlisle either as previous or subsequent posting.

Jenkinson writing of 1873 states that some 50 men were here - that seems rather high given the size of the Barracks, the 1881 census noted 21 men and 3 officers (three men were married and their wives/children were also noted as being at the barracks.). Porter's 1889 directory noted the barrack troops as 'H company' of the Royal Sussex which would fit in with a garrison of about 24. Moore writing in early 1890's has "it now consists of about half a company from an English line regiment, stationed in the barracks at Castletown."

Many gaps are still to be filled in - judging from the regular appearance of soldiers in court such records may well be a fruitful source though marriage records in Malew would indicate that many Manx girls loved a soldier!

(F) = Foot Regiment ; no facilities for a cavalry regiment existed on the Island

*Mona's Herald 24 April 1850 detachment of 62nd Regiment of Foot to replace 46th

References:

Bertram Edward Sargeaunt, The Royal Manx Fencibles Aldershot: Gale & Polden 1947