Commissioners
John Keith Watterson

Born a native of Ballakilpheric in Colby in 1953 he was educated at Rushen Primary School and Castle Rushen High School.

After finishing his education he trained and worked for ten years as an oil burner engineer before joining the Post Office Telephone Engineering (later renamed Manx Telecom) with whom he continues to work.

At the time of his marriage in 1981 he chose Onchan as his home and in 1988 moved out of the village to Lanjaghan, Abbeylands, in Onchan Parish.

He was a former Treasurer, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Southern Young Farmers Club and also former Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Isle of Man Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.

He was Treasurer of Onchan Men's Fellowship Group, and is a Committee member and safety officer of the Southern Vintage Engine and Tractor Club chairman in the year 2000.

He is a chairman of the Friends of Onchan's Heritage.

In June 1991 he was elected as a Rural Member of the Commissioners' Rural Committee at a bye-election held following the death of Mr Arthur Harvey .

With the exception of the original 1894 election for the Parish Commissioners this was thought to be the first time the people of the parish (now called the Rural Ward) actually went to the poll as previously there had always been the right number of candidates for the positions vacant.

He was elected with 94 votes compared to his opponent's 3.

In April 1992 he was elected as the Rural Commissioner and in May 1999 became Chairman of the Board, the second Rural Commissioners to do so. Following the dissolution of the Rural Ward and Rural Committee in May 2008 he was elected one of the seven commissioners representing the whole district.