Joseph & Christopher Briscoe

 According to Cubbon the Briscoe brothers came with their parents from Cumberland. Joseph is the first recorded as having printed a collection of Acts of Tynwald in 1783. Christopher is first recorded in 1787 at the 'Printing Office in Douglas' (location unknown though C Briscoe apprently lived at Back Strand Street) from where he published a poetic Broadside (almost certainly by John Stowell) attacking the Keys. In the Customs Accounts for 1790 and 1791 C. Brisco(e) is reported as being paid for all stationaries (see Commissioners Rpt Apx B1,B3). In 1797 Christopher Briscoe was recorded as a private in the Stranger Volunteers.

The Manx Mercury was apparently struggling by 1801 and the appearance of George Jefferson's Manks Advertiser either killed it off or immediately followed its demise. (Train's statement that the Manx Mercury ran for 15 years is I think a misreading of the termination date of 1801 as 1807 - however Bullock in her 1816 History states there 'is now only one printing press' which could be read as indicating that at some period post 1801 two such were in operation).

Publications

1792 : Thomas Stowell 'Statutes and Ordinances'

1792 first of sequence of Manks Almanacks

1792 (27 Nov) Manx Mercury newspaper which would appear to have run till 1801

References

W. Cubbon Bibliography of works relating to the Isle of Man Vol II section L4 Douglas:1939

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor © F.Coakley, 2006