Manx Oral History

During WW2 British Fascists were interned in Peveril Camp at the far end of Peel Promenade. The feelings of the local population perhaps reached its most extreme point when a boat's crew left the pub and took their boat alongside the promenade to let out a blast of machine gun fire into the camp...
The crew were swiftly arrested and were soon in front of a court...

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Albert Frost recorded by Katie Newton on 25 June 2020. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/albert-frost-699773/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Machine gunning the fascists of Peel

Memories of the Fish Girls of Peel in the 1940s. As seasonal migrant workers, predominantly from Scotland, the young women involved in the herring industry were in Peel on their own and often looking to have fun with a dance on a Saturday night. However, there was no escaping the smell of their work, as Albert Frost remembers from an early job of his youth, perfuming his workplace after any of them paid the shop a visit!

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Albert Frost recorded by Katie Newton on 25 June 2020. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/albert-frost-699773/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Perfuming the Peel Fish Girls

"He had a smile in his voice and a smile in his soul, and it was a joy to meet and know the man."

David Fisher recalls fond memories of learning Manx under Doug Fargher.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with David Fisher recorded by James Franklin on 9 December 2019. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/david-fisher-510786/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Learning Manx From Doug Faragher

A strange tale of a haunted fishing boat once owned by Ernie Leece in Peel.
They were experiencing all sorts of problems with the boat, with the battery being run down by lights being left on, when no one had been on the boat etc. So the skipper slept on the board to find out more, but when he heard sounds of someone on the desk pulling in chains and the like, he went out and found no one at all on the quayside, let alone the boat.
The boat continued having back luck and breaking down, until it did so at Whitby, where the boat's story was finally discovered...

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Ernie Leece recorded by Katie Newton on 2 June 2021. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/ernie-leece-753834/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

A Haunted Fishing Boat

A remarkable story of sweeping the crossroads in Douglas the 1950s.

Norma Cowell recalls her mother's heart problems that had her so dangerously close to death that an aunt was called and Norma's mother began to warn her, "Don't be afraid, I don't think I can get better."
But they thought that they might as well try their luck sweeping the crossroads.
And so the teenage Norma was sent out with a dustpan and brush, and returned to rub the dust onto her mother's feet.
After two days of this, the improvement was remarkable and the doctor was left almost speechless...

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Norma  recorded by Katie Newton on 28 September 2020. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/norma-cowell-754327/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Sweeping the Crossroads in Douglas in the 1950s

"That was unbelievable...!"

Norma Cowell recalls going out for a drive with her mother and two aunts and coming across something amazing just outside Ballasalla which caused them all to scream and stop the car...

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Norma  recorded by Katie Newton on 28 September 2020. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/norma-cowell-754327/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

A Ball of Fire at the Cross Four Ways

Memories from 25 years as founding head teacher at Anagh Coar School.
Appointed before the school even opened, Norma Cowell was involved in everything from the positioning of light-switches to even naming the school.
But her most joyful memories are of the people she met there, from the teachers - "I was blessed by the staff I had" - to the children, who she clearly cared so much for as individuals in her care.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Norma  recorded by Katie Newton on 28 September 2020. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/norma-cowell-754327/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Memories of 25 Years at Anagh Coar

In the 1953 Junior TT, H. L. Stephen crashed at the start of the Bishopscourt on his first lap.
Clipping the back tyre of a bike he hoped to overtake, he was thrown off the bike and smashed into an electricity pilon at the side of the road.
10-year-old Bill Quine was sat only yards away when this happens and today he still remembers the distinct imprint of the 37-year-old rider's goggle and helmet on the pole after the impact.
It appeared that witnessing this had no impact on Bill at that time, but only a couple of days later the news of Les Graham's death elsewhere on the course brought about days of tears from the young boy.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Bill Quine recorded by James Franklin on 14 March 2024. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/bill-quine-824294/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin
https://www.instagram.com/culturevannin/

Witnessing a TT death as a 10-year-old

On his deathbed, the gardener of Bishopscourt reported that it was his time, as the angel was waiting for him there in a corner of the room. The man then promptly died.
The story of this event from 70 or more years ago is related by Bill Quine, from his father's own telling of it.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Bill Quine recorded by James Franklin on 14 March 2024. The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/bill-quine-824294/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin
https://www.instagram.com/culturevannin/

Seeing an angel before death

A story of childhood in St. John's: pushing empty railway trucks up the Foxdale line from St. John's and riding them back down the hill to St. John's, before leaping out and running away before the Station Master caught them...

This is an extract from an oral history interview with David Fisher recorded 15 September 2017.
The full interview can be found on the Culture Vannnin website: http://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Riding railway trucks down the old Foxdale line at St. John's

A first-hand account of waving to someone stood at the door of an Allied bomber flying over Perwick Bay in the Isle of Man shortly after the end of the Second World War, moments before the plane crashed.

This is an extract from an oral history interview with Pauline Kinvig recorded by Katie Newton 17 January 2018.
The full interview can be found on the Culture Vannnin website: http://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Waving to a plane moments before it crashed on the Isle of Man

Probably one of the best oral history stories you will ever hear:
The account of a postman's clever escape from blame after they caused disaster by slinging the paper in through a window.

This is an extract from an oral history interview with four postmen: Steven 'Sparky' Parkinson, Richie Stevenson, Phil 'Nipper' Cain and Brian Speedie. The conversation was recorded by Katie Newton in January 2018.
The full interview can be found on the Culture Vannnin website: http://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

The Smashed Goldifsh Bowl: A Manx Postman's Story

The story of a postmen's night out going wrong as they try to avoid the wrath of the mother of the most inibriated...

This is an extract from an oral history interview with four postmen: Steven 'Sparky' Parkinson, Richie Stevenson, Phil 'Nipper' Cain and Brian Speedie. The conversation was recorded by Katie Newton in January 2018.
The full interview can be found on the Culture Vannnin website: http://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Throwing a Drunk in the Wrong House: A Manx Postman's Story

A ghost story relating the a distinctive white house on the edge of Laxey in the Isle of Man.
Told by Ernie Cleator, from his mother's own experience, it is believed that this story has never before been published publicly in any form.
The story relates how a sea captain and a woman with a white horse used to live in Abbey Cottage.  Every time the captain returned in the moonlight he would blow the horn of his ship, and the woman would come down on her horse and meet him. However, one time the captain was lost at sea, and the woman died from heartbreak.
Now, any time a boat blows its horn at midnight, the ghost of the woman upon the white horse is said to ride down and meet the sailors.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Ernie Cleator conducted in August 2018. The full interview is available online: https://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history_article_567331.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

A Laxey Ghost Story: The ghost rider of Abbey Cottage

A report of a first-hand account of meeting one of "Themselves" when visiting a farm in order to collect the rent.
Ernie Cleator tells the story told to him by the man who experienced it, Kenny Brown, who met one of the Mooinjer Veggey one night lurking inside the very room he was speaking to the tenant of the farm in.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Ernie Cleator conducted in August 2018. The full interview is available online: https://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history_article_567331.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Manx Folklore: Meeting a Fairy at Close Mooar

Johnny Crellin recalls memories of when he witnessed the plane crash of a Fairey Battle, and thus went to investigate the crash site.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Johnny Crellin conducted in February 2019. The full interview is available online: www.culturevannin.im/oral_history.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Pulling a body from a WWII plane crash in Andreas

Lenny Kerruish tells of the Fairy Glen at Lanjaghan.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Lenny & Mona Kerruish conducted in October 2018. The full interview is available online: https://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history_article_572908.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

The Fairy Glen at Lanjaghan

Bob Kewley recalls memories of closing a road to test a motorbike for racing in the Southern 100.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Bob Kewley conducted in July 2018. The full interview is available online: https://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history_article_573184.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Picture credit: Evelyn Simak
This picture is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

Closing a road to test a bike for the Southern 100

John Quilliam recalls memories of the various gangs of Douglas in the 1940s and their territories.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with John Quilliam conducted in October 2018. The full interview is available online: https://www.culturevannin.im/oral_history_article_573564.html

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

The gangs of Douglas in the 1940s

A house in river in Laxey was once legendary for being haunted, until it was eventually pulled down as no one would stay in the house longer than a matter of weeks or months.
This is a first-hand account of someone who lived there in the 1960s and just some of the strange things he heard and experienced which eventually drove out his sister and her husband, and so forced him to leave too.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Sidney and Wesley Quane recorded on 9 March 2020. The full interview is available online: https://www.culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/sidney--wesley-quane-666466/

More about this house can be hear in this oral history extract: https://soundcloud.com/culture-vannin/the-haunted-house-of-glen-road-laxey?in=culture-vannin/sets/a-conversation-with-ernie-cleator

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.twitter.com/CultureVannin

Living in a haunted house - Edenvale, Laxey

Promoting and supporting all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.

Culture Vannin awards grants and initiates schemes whilst supporting the work of development officers for music and language. The work of Culture Vannin has been fundamental to the revival of interest and support for Manx language and culture over the last twenty years.

Culture Vannin is the trading name for the Manx Heritage Foundation, registered charity 333 in the Isle of Man.