Few will realise that the Rushen Silvery Band was once the Surby Silver Band, and it would probably still be so were it not for the strange circumstances around a donation in in 1944, which caused great disappointment and bitterness for a time between many in the band.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Jim Crebbin recorded by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris in 21 May 2012.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/jim-crebbin-904780/

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Re-naming the 'Surby Silver Band' to the 'Rushen Silver Band'

"If you support the community, the community will, in return, support you"

Longstanding member of the Rushen Silver Band, Jim Crebbin, reflects on the enormous importance of community in the band's history and success.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Jim Crebbin recorded by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris in 21 May 2012.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/jim-crebbin-904780/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
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Community & the Rushen Silver Band

The Rushen Silver Band grew out of the earlier Surby Silver Band, whose practice space at Ballafesson is one which will be remembered by very few today...

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Jim Crebbin recorded by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris in 21 May 2012.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/jim-crebbin-904780/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
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The Surby Silver Band rehearsal room

The early history of Surby Silver Band, which Jim Crebbin joined as a boy and remained with throughout his life, even after it grew into being the Rushen Silver Band.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with Jim Crebbin recorded by Elizabeth Ardern-Corris in 21 May 2012.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/jim-crebbin-904780/

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

The early history of Surby Silver Band

The wild goats of the Laxey Coast Road are well-known, but few know where they came from...
Jim Quilleash here recounts the origin of those first two original goats, discarded to the broogh from two different Ballaragh farms, and flourishing ever since, even to the irritation of a few Laxey MHKs!

This is an extract from the oral history interview with John Quilleash recorded by James Franklin in 2 September 2025.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man.
culturevannin.im/
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The story of the Wild Goats of Lonan

The wonderful story of Frank Higley, who responded to the appeal on Manx Radio for a sponsor for a young hopeful motorbike racer who couldn't afford the tyres to race.
Over the years Higley contributed more as the racer needed it at key points in his rise to the top.
The racer was the TT legend, Dave Molyneux.

This is an extract from the oral history interview with John Quilleash recorded by James Franklin in 2 September 2025.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

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

The story of Dave Molyneux's early sponsor

First-hand memories of Mona Douglas, as a neighbour of hers at Ballaragh, Lonan.

John Quilleash recalls her mother's harrowing tales of travelling with Mona in her car to Douglas, where she played piano for the Manx youth group, Aeglagh Vannin. He also recounts the time Mona Douglas crashed into his car, parked outside the family farm at Ballaragh!

This is an extract from the oral history interview with John Quilleash recorded by James Franklin in 2 September 2025.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

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

Being crashed into by Mona Douglas

Family memories of the rescue attempts for the Merisia shipwreck of 1940 in Bulgham Bay.

Jim Qulileash recounts his own father and grandfather's telling of their going down the cliffs of Bulgham to try to help the attempted rescue operation of the 12 fishermen stranded on their ship caught on the rocks.
He also explains the history behind the curious and little-known memorial to the ship, to be found on the roadside in Ballaragh.

This is an edited extract from the oral history interview with John Quilleash recorded by James Franklin in 2 September 2025.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

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

The Merisia shipwreck and its Ballaragh memorial

Wonderful family memories of the WW2 bomber which crashed into Ballaragh farm house in 1941.
The off-course Handley Page Hampden crashed through the roof, destroyed a farm and crashed into the field opposite, killing most of the crew. But, miraculously, the Quilleash family survived, thanks to a series of lucky coincidences, as John Quilleash explains.
Also included here is the wonderful tale of the otherwise unrecorded trip out to salvage some of the fuel that night, which didn't go as expected...!

This is an edited extract from the oral history interview with John Quilleash recorded by James Franklin in 2 September 2025.
The full interview is available online here: https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/oralhistory/

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

Family memories of a WW2 plane crash into the family farm

A conversation with John Quilleash about Ballaragh, where he grew up and still lives today.

John Quilleash was born in 1947 and grew up on the family farm of Ballaragh itself. Some of the subjects discussed in the interview include: the farm’s horse, getting water from wells until piped water arrived in the 1950s, going to Laxey school on the tram, the Ballaragh chapel and Sunday School, family stories of the WW2 plane crashing into the farmhouse in 1941, family stories of the Merisia wreck of 1940, Mona Douglas and being on the receiving end of her poor driving, the origins of the wild goats of Bulgham, and more.

This conversation with John Quilleash was conducted by James Franklin on 2 September 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/

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

Oral history interview with John Quilleash (2 Sep 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