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A Tour of Onchan
Straight down the middle.
Elm Court and Kirk Onchan Post Office
Although difficult to see, there is a plaque on this building which says “KPC 30-60” which are the initials of the owner and his wife.
The property was built in 1959 -60 by Mr Clowes who had the Alexandra Chip Shop in Douglas and here he built a new chip shop and café in the space now occupied by the post office.
It had an outdoor service area at the end of the passageway alongside the building and the whole of the front half of the building was a café which just didn’t take off and was converted into a flat.
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Alongside was “John’s” stationery shop which became the post office before it subsequently moved into the large premises next door. The property was built on the site of Elm Cottage for many years the home of the Temple family and which originally dated from 1830. The flat roofed property was designed by T.H. Kennaugh, architect of Douglas and from the time of its completion had a ladies hairdressers on the first floor run by Win Prince. Now it just has two flats upstairs but a further flat has been created out of a basement storeroom and a house has been built where once there were lock up garages. |
Another group of locals about to set off, this time from outside Elm Cottage where the Onchan Post Office now stands as part of Elm Court. |
Isle of Man Bank
The site of the bank was bought by W.H. Okell when he purchased the Manx Arms
Hotel.Here he had the earth partially dug out and partially filled to form
a level ground for a bowling green run in conjunction with the hotel.
After nearly 40 years of use it was purchased by the Isle of Man Banking Company who in 1934 built up a building with its basement at bowling green level.
The Isle of Man Bank photographed in 1992 when the original wall had been set back to accommodate a bus lay-by |
The front area was filled in so the building was entered on the level of Main Road. The building was designed by Jos. E. Teare architect of Douglas (with whom T.H. Kennaugh served his articles) and built by Creer Bros. builders of Demense Road, Douglas. The rustic brick “textbook” bank building was set well back from the roadway to allow for major widening in the future even though there were few cars passing through at that time. The front wall with iron railing on top ran behind the pavement
but this was demolished and rebuilt further back when a bus lay-by
was created around 50 years later |
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