Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
The Editor
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© F.Coakley , 2026
[from A.M Harrision's Descriptive List of Insular Societies]
There was no entry in the Directory for the Douglas Mechanics Institution or Institute - it is not immediately obvious that these were actually seperate organisations but merely slightly different ways of referring to the same establishment. The following description is taken from the main body of the thesis.
Following on from a section looking at the mainstream educational events which were the concern of agencies of church and state and, in the case of private and public schools, mainly the working of market forces Harrison comes to the
There was another great contemporary area of educational effort and endeavour in the mission to educate working men with little or no schooling which was based on the real groundswell of a popular desire for self-education. The Isle of Man was influenced by the efforts of Henry Brougham, Lord Chancellor, to provide useful, practical knowledge by informative publications, and his plans for "the provision of mechanics' institutes where small libraries could be collected, and working men meet for lectures and discussions" were taken up on the Island.
Hinton Bird records that Brougham had also attempted to include the Isle of Man in the findings of his 1816 Select Committee of enquiry into the education of the lower orders of the Metropolis, extended in 1818 under his charge to include Scotland. The Atholl Papers record that Bishop Murray in a letter to his uncle, the Duke of Atholl, reported that he had instructed the Clergy not to reply to Brougham's enquiries and enclosed the form detailing the information requested, including 'provision for the poorer classes in each parish and whether they were 'desirous of having such means'.
There were two recorded attempts to run institutes for mechanics on the Island: both in Douglas, the first running from 1825 to 1839, the second, also in Douglas, starting up in 1831 under the name of the Mechanics Library. The rules of the first, drawn up at 'A meeting of a few individuals belonging to the operative class of society' were published in the Manx Sun of 18 June 1825. The 'purpose and intention of the institute' was the general diffusion of knowledge by the formation of a library, to consist of such works as might be of general utility. Entrance was by proposal of a subscriber and the membership fee of 3d. per week to Institute funds. The committee of management, consisting of eight officers, was elected by the subscribers. Two officers managed the issue of books at the weekly Monday evening meetings and a full committee meeting was held once a month. Funds were principally to be applied to the purchase of scientific books but the committee had power to buy such books in general literature as seemed 'well calculated to convey useful knowledge and instruction'. Works 'of an immoral tendency', however, were neither to be purchased nor received in donation. The tone is more austere than business-like throughout; certainly not member-friendly and hardly conducive to learning under the difficulties of lack of education
The Mechanics Library whose setting-up was reported in the Manx Sun for 22 February 1831, was a less closely focused society. Moving away from the basically utilitarian aims of the Mechanics Institutes it proposed to help the poor man of Douglas to become a better workman by a much broader scheme of education. The new library to be "founded and conducted on the principle of securing to the working classes in this town a cheap and rational source of amusement during their leisure hours, and of bringing within every poor man's reach such information on the Arts and Sciences as shall be thought best calculated to make him a better workman, and a more useful member of society."
The mechanics' 'Reading Society' was sanctimoniously welcomed in the editorial column of the same paper. 'We hope that every one blest with the power will contribute their mite towards an establishment that may beneficially correct and convert the industrious poor from their present dissolute habits, and thereby check the frightful spread of vice which now so generally obtains. Lectures will, we understand, also be occasionally given - commencing with English grammar, composition, &c.
The demise of the first institute, most closely focused to the scientific vocational training of the mechanic, came in 1839 after fourteen years of chronic financial difficulties.
The second with a more humane agenda is recorded for no more than nine years, its last newspaper reference, also in 1839, in the Sun of 23 July when it announces its move to another venue and a change of name to Mechanics Institute. I am indebted to Robert Fyson for the third record of mechanics' education on the Island, a letter from George Holyoake, the well-known Radical politician on an extended visit to the Island, published in the Mona's Herald of 25 September 1838 eloquently putting the case for the opening of a Mechanics Institute to which 'the energies of the enlightened and comprehensive minds of a Birkbeck and a Brougham have been devoted' in Douglas, the possession of which 'is found to distinguish every town of any importance in Great Britain'. His failure to notice the Institute of 1825 and the Library of 1831, both still struggling on, is likely to have been the result of the press battle between the radical Mona's Herald and the 'reactionary' Manx Sun, which routinely took the advertisements of the first Institute, each party ignoring the product of the other's press. Robert Fargher, the radical newspaper editor, reformer and member of the Amusement and Recreation Committee of Douglas, addressing a meeting reported in the Mona's Herald of 18 May 1859 regarding entertainment for the townspeople of Douglas as well as their summer visitors, was still at that date supporting the provision of a mechanics room "where free lectures should be given during the winter months and the means of intellectual culture provided for the working classes". The consensus of the meeting was that past attempts had failed because "the broad cloth and fustian had sorted so ill together". The two social classes of instructors and instructed had had no mutual understanding nor powers of integration.
The gradual changing of the culture of dominance and do-goodery was the key to the founding of the new wave of educational societies of quite varied construction and purpose, though almost entirely exclusive of women, moving away from the strictly vocational training of the Mechanics Institute type, in the second half of the century. The change to a more convivial, familial, form for the education of the many who were caught up in the widespread search for knowledge and countless other Progressive aspects of self-improvement was surely the reason that the mutual education societies of the later part of the century were so liberating and empowering in contrast
The liberal ideas and imperial confidence of the eighties and nineties, made it an outstanding period of high-minded endeavour in the task of educating the masses. The doctrine of mens sana in corpore sano was a practical ideal, like Socialism 'as the saying goes, in the air', a dominant influence over the efforts of the Manx activists. From all denominations the reformers were led by S.K. Broadbent, the founding editor of the Liberal and highly political Isle of Man Examiner, key member, amongst many keen interests,including cycling, of the 'Douglas Progressive Debating club' and Secretary and Treasurer of 'the Conference (after 1897, Union) of Manx Debating Societies '. of 1894.
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Manx Rising Sun, Saturday, 14th May, 1825:
THE DOUGLAS MECHANICS' INSTITUTE
We take great pleasure in announcing; the official inauguration of this praiseworthy Society on Monday evening last. Mr. Scott, the stonemason, with that liberality with which every Scotchman is known to advocate the interests of science and literature, accorded the members the use of the Academy near the Bridge. In this appropriate edifice they held their meeting, at the hour of eight in the evening, and after consulting together in. the necessity of acquiring a taste for science, and a knowledge of the principles of the fine arts, they proceeded to business, and passed a series of resolutions, which, terminated in. the institution of the Society, in the appointment of a Committee of management, and in the creation of a President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
With becoming modesty, they directed a letter to be transmitted to the " Liverpool Mechanics' Institute," with the view to obtain their rules and regulations, in order to frame a wise code of laws for their own government. Till these rules are obtained, we are not authorised to advance any claim on the public ; but we may be permitted to say, in no manner can public wealth be so well or so wisely employed as in promoting a knowledge of arts and sciences. Without these wealth is worthless, or would work the downfall of empire :
However puff'st with power and gor'g'd with wealth
A nation be ; let trade enormous rise ;
Let East and South their mingled treasure pour,
Till, swell'd impetuous, the corrupting flood
Burst o'er the city and devour the land ;
Yet these neglected, these recording arts
Wealth rots, a nuisance ; and oblivious sunk ,
That nation must another Carthage lie.* * * We purpose attending the next meeting of the "Douglas Mechanics'Institute," and shall report progress. They have our best wishes, and shall not want our constant advocacy and labour.
Mona's Herald, Tuesday, 23rd April 1839
We beg to direct the special attention of our readers to the advertisement announcing the meeting, this evening, of the members and friends of the Mechanics' Institution, to be held in lhe Lancasterian School-room, Atholl Street, on which occasion Philip Garrett, Esq , will take the chair. We hope to see a noble effort made on this occasion, not only to repair the loss sustained by the late fire, but to place the institution in such a position as to render it worthy of public support, and to reflect credit upon the town in which it was established.
This fire, in the early hours of Saturday 6th April 1839 destroyed the Thomas Street Sunday School room which housed the 300-volume library of the Institution and was their meeting place.
Manks Advertiser, Tuesday, 23rd June 1840
ISLE OF MAN MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.
We are glad to announce that the committee of this excellent institution are exerting themselves in the most praiseworthy manner, to promote its interests, and to benefit every class of the community, by obtaining, as often as they possibly can, public lectures on popular and interestiug subjects. On next Tuesday evening, the 30th of June, Edw. Forbes, jun. Esq.—a native of this town, will give a lecture, in the Daily and Sunday School-room, Athol-street, in behalf of the Mechanics' Institute, "on the study of Natural History as connected with Mechanic' Institutions, illustrated by reference to the Natural History of the Isle of Man." No subject could be more judiciously chosen ; and sincerely do we hope; that not only the working classes, hut also the middle antl higher ranks of society, will avail themselves of at once increasing their store of knowledge, and of patronising an institution which has been too long neglected, but which merits their most strenuous and constant support. Until a more general desire for reading and study be generated among our artisans, we shall look in vain for any material improvement in the moral deportment of the great bulk of the people ; and nothing is more likely to disseminate such a desire, than public lectures. We therefore earnestly recommend the committee of the Mechanics' Institution to persevere in the wise course they have now adopted, and to give all their proceedings as much publicity as possible. We feel convinced that there are many scientific gentlemen in this Island, who, if applied to, would immediately come forward and assist in the philanthropic work of promoting the mental and moral amelioration of their fellow-creatures.
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
The Editor |
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