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The Isle of Man Victorian Society seeks to help everyone better understand the amazing buildings and cultural heritage across the Isle of Man. Discover the treasured heritage behind each of these photographs - the buildings, the people and their achievements.

© 2020-2024 Isle of Man Victorian Society                         2-12-2024

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Camera Obscura

Friday 31st January 2025 at 7:30pm - at the new venue

The Isle of Man Victorian Society AGM

Followed at 8:00pm by

The Isle of Man -

Home of Happy Holidays

Bridge_Loco

The delayed but eagerly anticipated

Illustrated talk by Tony Cain

who will look at how railways and new transport

bolstered tourism development on the Island

 with new hotels and places of entertainment!

 

Non-members most welcome at our new venue:

St Andrews Church, Parkfield Corner, St Ninian’s Crossroads

(vehicular access off Glencrutchery Road)
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
 

UPDATED Friday 29th November at 8:00pm

Due to sickness Tony Cain is unable to give his talk on Friday 29th November. This will now take place on Friday 31st January 2025.

Peter Kelly has agreed to fill the gap

with a Power Point Presentation entitled  

‘Kelly’s Eye in Pictures’

This comprises 140 Photographs of the Island

 taken mainly in Victorian and Edwardian times.

This will be accompanied by a running commentary by Peter

(Peter will be stationary at the lectern...!)

Non-members most welcome at:

The Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre at St. Ninian's High School

8:00pm Friday 29th November
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians
 

 

REVISED TO Friday 31st January 2025 at 8:00pm

     The Isle of Man -

     Home of Happy Holidays

Bridge_Loco Postponed

An illustrated talk by Tony Cain

who will look at how railways and new transport

bolstered tourism development on the Island

 with new hotels and places of entertainment!

 

Non-members most welcome at:

The Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre at St. Ninian's High School

8:00pm Friday 29th November
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians

 

 

SATURDAY 26th October at 2:30pm

ANNUAL JOINT LECTURE WITH MNH

OPEN TO ALL - EVERYONE WELCOME!

Looking After Your Victorian Home


VicHouse


An illustrated talk by Kit Wedd, former education officer with the Victorian Society in the UK.

 

Likely to be a very popular subject so come early to get a seat! Doors open 2:00pm

 

We are bringing Kit to the Island especially to speak to us so this will be a very special and unique opportunity - not to be missed!

Everyone most welcome at:

The Manx Museum Lecture Theatre

DOORS OPEN AT 2:00pm  ADMISSION FREE

2:30pm SATURDAY 26th October

 

 

Friday 27th September at 8:00pm

 

A   T r i b u t e   t o 

A r c h i b a l d   K n o x

Archibald_Knox

Chris Hobdell

is our speaker who will enlighten us on Knox’s life

and work in a presentation

 ahead of the forthcoming exhibition

K n o x  -  O r d e r   a n d   B e a u t y

which is due to open at the

 Manx Museum on 5th April 2025


Non-members most welcome at:

The Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre at St. Ninian's High School

8:00pm Friday 27th September
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians

August 9th 2024

Edition No 122  of the Isle of Man Victorian

This is another 48-page bumper edition! Made freely available and posted to fully paid up  members.

No. 122 contains these new news, stories and information on interesting and important Manx Victorian related heritage -

  • Manx Whisky Galore!
  • Another Arts and Crafts House - GONE
  • The Bishop killed by a cathedral
  • Sad loss of two members
  • Help required with something obscure
  • Yellow brick tower in Douglas
  • The Fiddler of Fiddlers
  • What did the Victorians do for me ?
  • Visit to Extraordinary Craftsman and his Castle
  • New Books worth reading
  • Visit to a brand new Cathedral
  • Tale of keys to William Hilary’s tomb
  • An Edwardian  Postcard Tour of the Isle of Man
  • 150 Years of Warning Mariners

 

  

  

Society Newsletter

123_Newsletter

 

 

Sunday 25th August at 2:45pm

MEMBERS ONLY

 MER 130 at Laxey

Meet at Douglas MER Terminus Station  at 2:45pm and 

Travel on a service tram with Andrew Scarffe at 3:10pm to Laxey’s original station,

 view the tram shed, substation and mercury arc rectifier!


Bring your travel pass to obtain a half-price fare.

Choice of return tram times.

Refreshments (and toilet facilities) at Laxey Tram Station

 

 

 

Sunday 28th July at 3pm

MEMBERS ONLY

Walking Treasure Hunt of Douglas

Organised by Peter Kelly - discover the history of parts of Douglas by working out the simple clues to find buildings and then answer questions!


A Fun afternoon for everyone!

Meet at the Jubilee Clock - and maybe bring along a clipboard to lean on!


 

 

Saturday 29th June  at 3pm

Dorothy Wordsworth and other visitors

to the Isle of Man

Venue:   Old Kirk Braddan Church

Something a little different! - being presented by

Bob Carswell


Bob will read extracts from Dorothy’s diary during her visit

 to the Island in 1828, together with extracts

from other journals describing the Isle of Man in Victorian times.
 

Admission Free  -    Light refreshments  

Donations welcome for the upkeep of the church

Please note this meeting takes place on a SATURDAY afternoon

 and not a Sunday!

 

 

Sunday 26th May at 3pm

The Co-Cathedral of St. Mary of the Isle,

Hill Street, Douglas.

Peter Kelly will lead a guided tour of the new cathedral created

following the creation of Douglas as a city.

Peter will give the history of the Post-Reformation Catholic churches serving Douglas since 1810 , the anti-Catholic riot in the town and the building of St Mary’s.

Details of all the statues and alterations to the interior over the years will also be given.

Admission is free and non-members welcome.
Refreshments will be served  and donations welcome.

 

 

May 14th 2024

From one of our members - an invitation to view and possibly purchase paintings

by a very capable MANX Victorian artist!

18th to 23rd June 10am to 4pm at the Quayle’s Hall, Ramsey

ROBERT EVANS CREER (1838-1915) EXHIBITION 18th-23rd June 2024

 

 

April 29th 2024

Don’t Forget the Camera Obscura is Open

from May Bank Holiday and

throughout the holiday season

at Weekends and most Bank Holidays

when the weather is fine

Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm   

Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11am to 4pm

Subject to the weather - if it is raining we are unable to open

We are open whenever the flag is flying!

               CO_2

 

 

 

Please join us on Friday 26th April at 8:00pm

 for an illustrated talk -

 

   Deep Inside

 Bradda Mines
 

The southernmost mine on the Island,

at Port Erin

with Peter Geddes MBE


Non-members most welcome at:

The Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre at St. Ninian's High School

8:00pm Friday 26th April
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians

 

 

Friday 22nd March at 8:00pm

 

   The Southern Line
 

A look at the steam train line from Douglas to Port Erin

 as it celebrates its 150th anniversary

with Mike Buttell


Non-members most welcome at:

The Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre at St. Ninian's High School

8:00pm Friday 22nd March
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians

 

February 19th 2024

Edition No 121 of the Isle of Man Victorian Society Newsletter

Has just been published and posted out to members! 

This edition is yet another bumper 48 pages!  Made freely available to fully paid up  members.

Discover the following news, stories and information on interesting and important Manx Victorian related heritage -

  • Arts and Crafts house under serious threat  
  • The fashion of Short Cake dancing
  • Victorian and Edwardian buildings of importance
  • New Books of Manx interest written by members*
  • Two attempts at a cathedral for Douglas
  • The great loss of Mr Robert Fyson
  • The development of Douglas portrayed in plans
  • Two different Sulby Churches
  • A Victorian Architect for an ancestor
  • Local man building 12 horse trams
  • The family firm who let down Dawsey Kewley
  • Red and Yellow brick houses in Douglas
  • The anchor that never came back
  • MER on the right track
  • A Town Band on the right note .

*Please note there is an error in the web address on page 16 - alternatively search at abebooks.co.uk

 

Newsletter121LR

 

Join us on Friday 23rd February at 8:00pm

for an illustrated talk by  Dr. Peter Litman entitled

 

   ‘It’s the Cathedral which killed him!’ Bishop Rowley Hill

and his Cathedral of 1884.   
 

Fuelled by ambition,  and against a political storm and public speculations,

Bishop Rowley Hill pitches his concept and desire for an Island Cathedral.


Non-members most welcome at:

The Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre at St. Ninian's High School

8:00pm Friday 23rd February
Admission: Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians

 

 

 

 Friday 26th January 2024

The AGM will begin at 7:30pm and will

 be followed at 8:00pm by

 

What the Victorians

Have Done For Me

 

a fully illustrated talk

by Chairman Tony Pass

Non-members most welcome

 Both will take place in the Barbara Cottier Lecture Theatre

at St. Ninian's High School

Admission Members Free, Non-Members £2 contribution to room hire. Includes light refreshments.
Please use the Somerset Road Entrance (faces the rear car park) for vehicles and pedestrians