A Tour of Onchan 2
Round The Edges.

As part of their scheme for mixed housing on their estate the Cubbin Brothers decided to include an area of terraced dwellings.

Of the terrace of six houses, three were built for the Cubbins and let out. The first plot sold for private building was to Ann Skillicorn in 1856.

There were conditions to the sale particularly in respect of the front elevation having to follow a set elevation including the front boundary wall.

The terrace was called Alpine Terrace linking with Swiss Villas above. In 1907 a stable was built behind No 110 which was contrary to the ideals of the Cubbin Brothers who had long since died.

No 120 was for many years the home of Charles Fox the Secretary of the great Palace and Derby Castle Company.

Across the road where the MEA have a substation was once a small plantation which belonged exclusively to this house.

The original architect's drawing to show how the houses in Alpine Terrace should look.

It shows No 120 and 118

The pair of houses were rented by Colonel Falconer and William Ellis but in 1868 the Cubbin brothers sold them and some adjoining land to Doctor Alexander Steele LLD who wished to relocate his “Academy for the sons of gentlemen” from Douglas Promenade as it had burnt down.

He extended the building to provide two large classrooms with ancillary accommodation. The pair of houses were used as dormitories.

In April 1883 the trustees of the Isle of Man Industrial Home for Orphan and Destitute Children purchased the building and a further 4 acres of undeveloped land alongside thanks to the generosity of the trustees of the estate of Pierre Henri Josef Baume.

The original pair of houses built in Strathallan Park that Doctor Steele purchased and extended to become his academy and later served as a children's home. The photograph was taken by Marshal Wane and probably dates from the early 1860s.

In January 1957 the property was bought for £2,000 by George Higgins MLC JP who presented it to Father McGrath and St Anthony’s Church.

The outright purchase was without a condition about cutting down trees and work began using voluntary and paid labour until “Father McGarth’s Ruins” were turned into “The Lourdes Social Centre”.

The grounds were cleared and became parkland. Doctor Steele’s Academy became a café and cinema whilst a covered playground created for the children’s home between the buildings became a ballroom.

One of the original semi-detached houses became a home for the parish priest and the other half was used for storage.

Following the death of Father McGrath in 1982 The decision was taken to sell off the property and to use the proceeds towards the erection of a new church. The group of buildings were sold but the majority of the parkland was retained by the church authorities.

The state of part of the old buildings purchased for Father McGrath after work had started on replacing some of the windows.

The metal fire escape was from the time when the building was used as a children's home.

This was the side of the house facing Strathallan Road. The right hand side of the building was eventually renovated to become the priest's house and joined the Lourdes Social Centre via a corridor built by Doctor Steele.