Tourist Cars

Photographs by A Hadley, Ramsey

The following cards illustrate pre and post WW1 tourist cars. All seem to be at the same location in Tholt-y-Will (Sulby Glen) which seems to be Hadley's standard spot for photographs as I have seen many others at this location - Sulby Glen became a popular tourist attraction following the opening of the Snaefell Mountain railway as the Bungalow stop was the terminus for the tour - the drive down the valley was quite gentle - tourists could continue down to the Sulby Glen Hotel and return to Douglas by railway

Arthur Hadley first appears in Brown's 1894 directory at 4 South Promenade Ramsey. He appeared to specialise in taking photographs of tourist cars.

If his negative numbering scheme reflected the year then they date from 1903 to 1908; the Daimler is marked as 1926.

However I have seen a card of a horse drawn tourist car numbered 21-- which was dated by owner to 1911 (and Rushen Abbey which is somewhat out of Hadley's usual patch)

card back

 

An un-numbered card on face (pencil #108 on back) - the car driver(with arm band) is standing near front wheel.

Another un-numbered card on face (pencil #627 on back)

 

An un-numbered image - the car is called Sirdar - the name plate gives Alfred Kaneen - the back is very attractive showing a cherub with plate camera. (The only Alfred Kaneen found in the 1881 census was born 1867 - 2nd son of Robert Kaneen, farmer)

(The notice attached to the tree which appears to be absent in subsequent cards reads Ladies & Gentleman Lavatories attached to Hotel !)

neg391
This image is dated to c.1903 (© Paul Charleton - his website http://mysite.freeserve.com/astronomer/genealogy.html has more details) - also pasted on a card with the Cherub back.

neg 633

Also produced as a court card with the image on photographic paper pasted to a card.
(Neg #633).. Card gives address as Stanley Mount.

 

Numbered 4609 on a divided back postcard with address Promenade, Ramsey; image by courtesy of owner but nothing known of date nor of why it was in a family collection.

809

(neg #809). Divided back postcard format thus post 1902

819

Same location as above
(neg #819)

2619

Daimler MN 1514, dated on rear as 1926 with Mr Leece as driver.
(neg #2619)


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HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2001