Interview with Mrs Violet Corlett, who was born in Douglas and subsequently moved to live in Cronkbourne Village upon becoming married. The following topics of conversation are covered:

* Early childhood memories
* Husband's work at Clucas' Laundry
* Getting married and starting a family
* Cronkbourne Village
* Braddan Commissioners
* Shops in Cronkbourne Village
* Groceries and deliveries
* Children's parties and games
* Local characters
* Neighbours and relatives
* Recitation of 'When the Laundry whistle blew'
* Local quarry
* Wages and budgeting money

This conversation with Violet Corlett was conducted by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris on 27 May 2011.


This interview is part of the collection of over 200 oral history recordings freely available on the Culture Vannin website: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
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Oral history interview with Violet Corlett (27 May 2011)

A recording of rhymes, songs and skipping songs Violet Corlett remembered from her childhood in Douglas and Pulrose, Isle of Man, in the 1930s.
This is followed by Violet's reading of a large number of her own humorous limericks.

This was recorded by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris on 13 November 2012.

This is released as part of the collection of over 200 oral history recordings freely available on the Culture Vannin website: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://culturevannin.im/
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Rhymes, skipping songs & limericks - Violet Corlett (13 Nov 2012)

Violet Corlett reads her own collection of humourous limericks on loosely Manx themes.

This is an extract from the recording of Violet Corlett made by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris on 13 November 2012.
The full recording is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/violet-corlett-321159/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://culturevannin.im
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Manx limericks by Violet Corlett

A recording of skipping songs & rhymes remembered by Violet Corlett from her childhood in Douglas and Pulrose, Isle of Man, in the 1930s.

This is an extract from the recording of Violet Corlett made by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris on 13 November 2012.
The full recording is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/violet-corlett-321159/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

Skipping rhymes sung in Douglas in the 1930s

A popular Christmas song, as remembered by Violet Corlett from her childhood in Douglas and Pulrose, Isle of Man, in the 1930s.

This is an extract from the recording of Violet Corlett made by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris on 13 November 2012.
The full recording is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/violet-corlett-321159/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

A Christmas Song known in Douglas in the 1930s

A conversation with Patricia Crebbin about her early life in Douglas, including work at R. C. Cain's retail store in Strand Street, before moving to Colby and continuing her life involved in choirs and the community in various ways.

Born in 1940, Patricia was raised on Westbourne Drive by her butcher and a champion weightlifter father, and her dressmaker mother. After attending Murray's Road, Ballakermeen and then Park Road schools, she joined R. C. Cain's at the age of 15, initially in the ladies' underwear department, and then fashion, before moving onto the haberdashery area and then the cash desk. After her move to Colby and her years as a parent of young children, she took up a part time job at a chemist in Port Erin.

Outside of work, Patricia speaks about her many happy years in the Lon Vane choir and the Manx Operatic Society, before moving on to the Meadowside Choral Society and then Mycheilley Ladies Choir after her move to Colby. She describes her involvement in Laa Columb Killey for over 50 years, and in the Colby W.I. since her earliest days as a parent. Later in life, after her marriage to Jim Crebbin, she became an important supporter of the Rushen Silver Band, as well as member of Rowany Golf Club.

At the conclusion of the conversation spanning many difficulty times as well as joyful ones, Patricia notes the importance of having a positive attitude to life.

 
This conversation with Patricia Crebbin was conducted by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris on 19 June 2012.

This interview is part of the collection of over 200 oral history recordings freely available on the Culture Vannin website: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://culturevannin.im/
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

Oral history interview with Patricia Crebbin (19 Jun 2012)

"Gallons of Tea & Fairy Song": A Walk Through Ballaragh

James Franklin of Culture Vannin guides a group through some of the stories of Ballaragh, including ghosts, a plane crash, shipwreck, the devil, Neolithic rock art, fairy parties, a cultural hero, the fear of parachuting Nazis, a moddey doo and marauding rowdy youths – Ballaragh’s story is a good one!

This was recorded live on Saturday 11 October 2025.
It was delivered as Culture Vannin's offering for the Heritage Open Days 2025.
The renditions of Arrane ny Niee and Marish ny Fiddleryn were performed by Ruth Keggin Gell. Her recorded version of Arrane ny Niee is available on the album, Lossan: https://ruthandrachel.bandcamp.com/album/lossan

The eight stops of this walking tour, and their What3Words locations, are as follows:

1) Ballachrink gates https://what3words.com/grumble.tropic.vets
2) Ballachrink Farm track https://what3words.com/responds.revolts.rafters
3) The Clarum Road https://w3w.co/pressing.linen.ruin
4) Sam's Barn https://w3w.co/guitars.brain.class
5) Milestone https://w3w.co/plunge.control.gasping
6) Ballaragh Farm https://w3w.co/sounding.masking.video
7) The Spiral Stone https://w3w.co/systems.animated.slamming
8) The Merisia Stone https://w3w.co/jaws.perkily.punchy

More information about some points of this tour can be found on this page of the Culture Vannin website: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/audioarchive/ballaragh-tour-gallons-of-tea--fairy-song/

This recording was produced by Culture Vannin in 2025.
Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://www.culturevannin.im
https://www.facebook.com/culturevannin
https://www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
https://www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

Ballaragh: A history & folklore tour

The amazing story of the Handley Page Hampden which crashed through the roof of Ballaragh farmhouse on the morning of 27 March 1941.
Involved in the tale are the lucky escapes of those who survived the day, both on the ground and in the plane, and those who did not; as well as the story of what happened after...

This is an extract from the full tour around Ballaragh delivered by James Franklin on Saturday 11 October 2025.
It was delivered as Culture Vannin's offering for the Heritage Open Days 2025.

The full tour can be enjoyed in full here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/audioarchive/ballaragh-tour-gallons-of-tea--fairy-song/

This recording was produced by Culture Vannin in 2025.
Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin
www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

WW2 plane crash at Ballaragh, 1941

The tragic tale of the Fleetwood trawler wrecked at the bottom of the Bulgham Bay cliffs on 26 December 1940.
This is one wreck amongst so many around the Manx coast, but it is remains in public awareness today thanks to the stone carved at the roadside at Ballaragh, Lonan, and, more recently, with the ship's bell on display in the Ramsey Lifeboat Station.
This is the story of the wreck...

This is an extract from the full tour around Ballaragh delivered by James Franklin on Saturday 11 October 2025.
It was delivered as Culture Vannin's offering for the Heritage Open Days 2025.

The full tour can be enjoyed in full here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/audioarchive/ballaragh-tour-gallons-of-tea--fairy-song/

This recording was produced by Culture Vannin in 2025.
Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
www.culturevannin.im
www.facebook.com/culturevannin
www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

The wreck of the Merisia, Bulgham Bay, 1940

A conversation with Fiona McArdle RBV about the White Boys between the late 1980s and the 2000s, and the wider Manx cultural circles in which it lived.

It was as a driver in the late 1980s that Fiona McArdle first joined those keeping alive the Isle of Man's 200-year-old Christmas mummers play named for its unusual costume.
In 1992 she was a leading member of 'The White Girls' who performed the first ever modern all-female performance of the play.
She continued to play a central role in the play's performances each year through to 2007, when the performances linked to the dance group, Bock Yuan Fannee, finally ceased.

As well as discussions of the White Boys, the conversation also touches on the wider Manx cultural revival of the time, including the Manx language and dance.

This conversation with Fiona McArdle RBV was conducted by James Franklin on 2 December 2025.

This interview is part of the collection of over 200 oral history recordings freely available on the Culture Vannin website: culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

The image is Fiona McArdle RBV as St Denise in 'The White Girls,' 28/12/1992, MNH PG/16370. It is used here with thanks to our friends at the Manx National Heritage Library & Archives.

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
https://culturevannin.im/
www.facebook.com/culturevannin/
www.instagram.com/culturevannin/
www.youtube.com/@culturevannin8486

Oral history interview with Fiona McArdle RBV about the White Boys (2 Dec 2025)

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.

New tracks tagged #Manx history