From Liber Vast. 1804.

Document No. 142.

1804. THE BAPTISM OF CASTLE MONA.

The Baptism of Castle Mona was celebrated on the 4th day of August, 1804. Present :
The persons undernamed, who, to the number of 52, sat down to a sumptuous dinner, and spent the evening in a most convivial manner, worthy of the hospitality and politeness of his Grace :---
My Lord Duke, Lord Henry Murray, Lord James Murray, Lord Bishop, Hon. Captain Andrew Forbes, Royal Manx Fencibles ; Hon. Thomas Bowes, Sir John Reid, Bart.; William Scott, Receiver - General; Robert Heywood, Water Bailiff; Thos. Stowell, Clerk of the Rolls; John F. Crellin, Deemster ; Daniel Mylrea, Archdeacon ; Ewan Christian, Vicar-General; Captain Matthew Summers, R.M.F. ; Captain Mungo Murray, R.M.F. ; John Coulthurst, Barry Collis, Meredith, Josias Fuller Farrer, Josias Fuller Farrer, jun.; Samuel Bristow, Thomas Harrison, junior; William Leece Drinkwater, Edward Forbes, sen.; James Holmes, Rev. Wm. Mitford, Rev. Henry Crook; Lieut. James Wilks, R.M.F. ; Lieut. Daniel Wilson, R.M.F. ; Lieut. Edward Oliver, R.M.F.; Adjutant H. Savage, R.M.F. ; Joseph Johnston, Thomas Livingston Reid, Edward Moore, jun.; Robert Murray, Major Robert Stewart, R.M.F. ; J. Cosnahan, High-Bailiff, &c. ; John Nelson Scott, M.D. ; Thomas Gawne, advocate; William Brew, advocate; Lieut. Joseph Clark, R.N. ; John Joseph Bacon, Senhouse Wilson, Paul Bridson, Colonel Thomas Dawson, Lieut.-Colonel Charles Small, Captain John Christian, R.M.F. ; Captain Cæsar Tobin, R.M.F. ; Ensign Charles West, R.M.F. ; Ensign Robert Gelling, R.M.F. ; Lieut. John Dunn, R.M.F.

George Stewart, the venerable architect, of whose skill and taste Castle Mona will be a lasting monument, too infirm to partake in the pleasures of the table, made his apperance in the course of the evening, to the great joy of his Grace and the rest of the company.

Inserted by order of his Grace - John Cosnahan

The Mona's Herald of 5 October, 1864, published the above account from the Liber Vast.

Meredith. - This was Edward Meredith, the artist, who made in 1805 the superb sketches for the pair of aquatints of Douglas Bay and Douglas Town, now very rare.

Josias Fuller Farrer and his son. - The father resided in 1815 in Bemahague, now our Government House, and his son, also called Josias Fuller Farrer, at the same date resided at Mount Murray. He was a private in the 'Strangers' Company of Volunteers formed in Douglas in 1797. (See the 'Journal' of December, 1934, and March, 1935). The present representative of the family is Lord Farrer, of Abinger Hall, Dorking, Surrey.

Edward Forbes, senior. - He was a banker and merchant, and father of the great scientist, Edward Forbes, whose marble bust by Bonnard is in the Manx Museum.

James Holmes. - member of a Liverpool family and reputed the most opulent and respectable merchant in the Island. Had an intimate knowledge of the currents of Island politics, and his views were often communicated to the Home Office.

Lieut. James Wilks. - He lived in Arbory Street, Castletown. Son of the Rev. James Wilks, and brother of Col. Mark Wilks, Speaker of the Keys, who built Kirby.

Edward Moore, junior. [grand]Father of William Fine Moore and [great]grandfather of Arthur W. Moore, S.H.K.

John Cosnahan. - The first High-Bailiff of Douglas, who was appointed in 1777. Was the first to occupy the post of Deemster (1818-1819) without a knowledge of Manx, and had to employ an interpreter in his Court.

Thomas Gawne. - Brother of Edward Gawne, Banker, of Mount Gawne. He became Deemster.

John Joseph Bacon. - He was a merchant who had a fleet of vessels carrying cured red and white herrings to Naples, Civita Vecchia, Leghorn and other Mediterranian ports, and to Memel and other towns in the Baltic. He owned among other vessels, the Brig Caesar, which frequently sailed to Naples, Leghorn, &c. (See pp. 63-64.)

Thos. Stowell, C.R. - Gov. Smelt said of him that ' he was a man of the greatest integrity and laborious 'industry. His knowledge of Manx was an indispensable qualification for a Clerk of the Rolls.' Died 1821.

Rev. WM. Mitford. - He unfortunately became a debtor in C. Rushen in 1820.

	Index Unpublished Docs
Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received MNB Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2010