HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2009
[From Manx Annals,1901/2]
LEAVES FROM A MANXMAN'S SCRAPBOOK.
Contracts are wanted for making a new road from Athol-street to Douglas Bridge. Send to John Moore, at the Hills, or to John McHutchin, H.B."
Marsh 1st.—" Mr Reynolds teaches dancing with the different graceful attitudes; also ladies' hornpipes. His method gives that ease, grace, and dignity which characterise the well bred. He has taught Col. Nagent, Col. Haye, the Bishop of Down, etc."
April 24th.—"To be sold hy auction, at Douglas, on the 28th, — iron ordnance, 10 poanders, six; round shot for 13 pounders, 150 ; ammunition wagons, two; handpiece, 16. N.B.—Four of the above ordnance, and 108 round shot are at Berasey and Port Lewague. The remainder are at Peel Castle."
" At Castletown on the 29th,—round shot for 18 pounders, 176; 65 cwt. of musket and pistol balls ; two scaling ladders ; three sentry boxes, &c.—Robert Murray, ordnance storekeeper, Douglas."
June 25th—"The proprietor of tha Graange, In Lezayre, writes saying that on that estate there was once a nunnery :—The site waa ia a small valley from the eastern side ef Primrose Hill , between it and Glen Dowin. In 1801 or 1802 the present proprietor of the Grange dug up and cleared away the foundations and ruins of this old nunnery, when was found also an earthen urn or crock containing a black mould, as if it ware the ashes of an inhumed body, besides a small piece of very ancient coin or medal of silver, bored through, that the finder could not decipher, and has since been lost. There is a tradition that the sequestered avenue in which the nuns were permitted to walk is that space now overflown with water to the south of the site of the nunnery, and present orchard of the Grange, The walk alluded to is still called the Lag ne Cailley. The northern Abbey Coarts were anciently held on a castle built on the eastern summit of Primrose Hill, adjoining to which, on the western height of the hill, stood a wooden frame or gallows. The castle is fallen, but there are evident traces of its foundation, and it is not long since that the stump or remains of this gallows was removed from the hill."
" New potatoes aad gooseberries are selling in Douglas Market for the same 'price—4d per quart"
July 31st,—" Mrs Cowle, wife of James Cowle, of Ballaquane, Peel, died to-day."
August 15th.—" Mr John Costain, surgeon, died at Peel to-day of consumption. A young man ef great professional abilities, much esteemed and respected."
September 3rd.— "Died, Mr William Scott, of the Customs, Receiver-General nearly twenty years. Married in 1808, Charlotte, daughter of the late Lord Henry Murrray, and niece of his Grace the Duke of Athol. Left a widow and three sons and two daughters. Was buried at Braddan." December 10th.
—" Married on the 3rd, at St. George's, London, Henry Curwen Christian, of the Strand, London, to Miss Christian Wattleworth, of the Isle of Man."
December 15th.—" Married to-day, at Ballaugh, Chas. Shimmin, of Airey Moar, German, to Isabella Quayle, heiress of the Glendhoo in Ballaugh."
1819. February 10th.—"Sir John Roger Palmer, Bart., died on Sunday
last in Douglas. Had lived nine years on the Island. Was of Castle Lackin, Co.
Mayo. The body was taken to the New Triton, packet, at night in the following
order :— "
Two guides with torches.
The undertaker.
Two physicians with scarfs and hatbands.
The clerk. ___ The clergyman.
Six men holding | | Six men holding
torches. | | torches.
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Major Ormsby.
Two gentletnen.
The servants of the household.
On a Saturday night in December, 1816. Mary M'Leay, aged 23, servant to Sir John Palmer, was sent on a message. Her body was found next morning in the river. She is supposed to have missed her way over the Bridge." [The bridge was, I believe, just newly built, and was in an unprotected state].
March 25th.—"Peter Holiwood, at Douglas, undertakes to cure smoky chimniea oa the principle of no cure no pay. He also guaranties his slabdashing to be more durable than paper."
" New potatoes at Douglas, 2s 6d a quart."
" Died at Calcutta, on 5th September, 1818, Lieutenant Henry William Frissel, R N., son of the late Capt. Frissel), of Ramsey."
July 5th.—"Thomas Carran is made coroner of Glanfaba."
July 29th.—" Died on Sunday, at Peel, Thos. Farrant, merchant."
September 30th.—" Died, at Bath, widow of Sir Wadsworth Busk, late Attorney-General of Isle of Man, in eighty first year," [she was his second wife]
"Fishing completely failed this week, except a few boats, whieh, acting upon the principle nothing venture nothing win, have been amply rewarded for their toils, whilst we regret to say, numerous hordes of fishermen have been spending their days and nights on shore in idleness and inglorious ease. Two St. Ives boats at Douglas have sent home, during the past six weeks, £800 between them."
November 12th."Just arrived and now to be seen at the British Hotel coachyard, Parade, two living wonders never before seen in the Island—a full-grown royal lion, the largest ever brought to Europe; also that singular curiosity the great baboon or wild man of the woods, A shilling to see them."
1820. February 18th.—" George the Third was buried today, and all the shops and places of business in the Isle of Man were closed, and on the same day the Prince Regent was proclaimed King at Castletown. The authorities of the Island gathered at Castle Rushen, where a procession was formed, and, about noon, moved onward from the Castle gate to the Parade, where a platform had been made. The procession was headed by a band playing ' God save the King.' Then followed the Coronerss, two by two, Captains, of the Parishes, Clergy of the Island, High-Bailiffs, Members of the House of Keys , Archdeacon., Vicar-General , Water-Bailiff, Clerk of the Rolls, Deemsters, Attorney-General, the Bishop, Swordbearer, Lieut-Governor, and all the Constables of the Island. The street leading to the Parade was lined with cavalry and infantry, At the platform the official documents were read and the volleys of musketry were fired and a grand feu de joiet. After all this was said and done the authorities returned to the Castle in the same order—the band playing ' See the conquering hero'—where they all signed their allegiance to the new King."
March,—"On the 14th of March, twelve months ago, the remains of a most wonderful antidiluvian animal was found in a field close to Ballaugh Brewery, eighteen feet below the surface. The bones have been put together hy Mr Thos. Kewish, who is now exhibiting it in a shed built for that purpose near Ballaugh Rectory. The skeleton stands thirteen feet high to the top of the horns. It is proposed to send the skeleton to England for exhibition." [The Duke of Athol claimed the skeleton and then presented it to the Edinburgh Museum. In 1813 part of the skeleton of an elk—including the head—was found in Ballaugh about twelve feet below the surface. The remains when on exhibition at Douglas, were inspected by several vertuosos, who uniformly pronounced them a non-descript," I have no doubt these were the same head and horns that were to be seen at the shop of Mr W. Gell, druggist, on Douglas Quay in the thirties. In 1821 the head and horns of an elk found in Ballaugh were exhibited in a yard near the warm baths, Parade-street, Douglas.].
April 20th.—" Married on Thursday at Braddan, St. Andrew St. John, eldest son of Col. St. John, of Douglas, to Miss Margaret, eldest daughter of Philip Moore, of Ballamoar."
May 25th. "On Whit Monday (22nd) the Isle of Man Friendly Society walked at Douglas. It was their 29th anniversary. Two hundred members; funds over £2,000. After church they walked along Athol-street, down the Quay, Parade, and thence to the assembly room. Mrs Hall provided dinner."
July 6th.—:"In the House of Commons on Monday week it was moved and carried that there should be an additional duty of 1s a gallon on rum, 1s 6d on other strong waters, and 1s a pound on tobacco. The Duke of Athol was; not to have an addition bonus for this "
July 30th, -"Mr Whalley, of Fort Anne, having lent a number of books cannot get them back. Twenty-four volumes and eight odd parts are out."
July 24th.—" Mr Rutherford gave a grand display of his pupils' abilities this night at the old Assembly rooms, Fort-street, Douglas. The ball was well attended by the parents of the children, as wall as several genteel individuals. Fancy dances were performed which delighted, the spectators. The 'Bower dance' had an effect at once brilliant and imposing, an effect almost paradisial; the moving illusion represented a number of flowery arcades, from each of which appeared to issue a youthful figure, the whole representing a group of handsome youths and virgins, greeting eaoh other as they moved to the soft notes of harmony in quick succession among the bowers, succeeded still by others bedigned in the hues of the rainbow. It waa succeeded by the 'Graces,' danced to the air of ' La Belle Catherine.' This dance was admirably well calculated to display each graceful motion of the human form. After the display Mr Rutherford danced a hornpipe. The company than fell in aad kept it up for two hours longer."
July_6th.—"Lost to-day, between Kentraugh and Port Iron, silver hunting watch with a gold chain and seal ' S.M.' A reward of one guinea will be paid the finder by Robert Moore, of Peel."
October 19th.—" Douglas Library and newsroom : Pring, librarian; Thomas Harrison, president ; Rev. J. Hutchins, vice; John Head , treasurer; Hugh Cosnahan, secretary."
October 37th.—" Died on Thursday, in 78th year, James Downe. Had been over forty years at the George Hotel, Castletown."
" Hawkers' and Pedlars' Licences taken ont this month—licence £4 4s 0d—Josiah Hellis, Edward Colliss, Daniel Collins, Charles Collins, James Comberford, William Robinson, Hugh Green, Thomas Holmes (of Peel), James Walsh (of Peel)."
In 1816 the liquor licenees were :—wine, 21s ; spirits, 10s 6d; ale, the same as spirits. October was liceasing time, aad in that year the namber were as fellows :—Douglas (with a population of about 6000), 131; Castletown (population 2000), 48 ; Peel (population 1900), 38 ; Ramsey (population 1500), 53 ; parishes outside of towns (population about 27,500), 213; total for Island (with population 89,000), 477—one to every 82 inhabitants. True, many of these were only ale licenses. In 1820 the licenees were raised :— wine, 31s 6d ; spirits 21s ; ale, same as before, 10s 6d. These sums were too great for some of the publicans, as the total for the Island was 433, divided as follows:—Douglas, 175; Ramsey, 38 ; Castletown, 31; Peel, 33; parishes, 155. The increase in Douglas is remarkable compared with the decrease elsewhere.
In the list of carriage and dog licences for year 1820, the only carriages in Patrick paying tax were Mr Wm. Bridson's (Raggat), and Mrs Lewis's (Glenmaye), who had one two-wheeled car each. Mr Bridson had one bulldog ; the rest of the parish had 79 common dogs.
German (including Peel) had two four-wheeled carriages (Captain Hunter's and Mrs Moore's). Mr Mercer, Thomas Holmes, Hugh Casement, William Norris, Dr. Cartwright, and Mathias Kelly had one two-wheeled car each.
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Any comments, errors or omissions
gratefully received The
Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2009 |
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