A Tour of Onchan 2
Round The Edges.

Strathallan Hall Cottage

This property was built by Dr Steele and provided a coachman’s cottage and adjoining stables, pig sty’s etc. They too became derelict but were restored by Don Parsonage in the mid 1960s with further subsequent alterations being carried out in 1987.

It now forms a mews cottage with rear walled garden.

The Isle of Man Industrial Home for Destitute Children in Strathallan Hall. The original pair of houses are on the left and Dr Steele's Academy buildings are on the right linked by a corridor with lean-to hot house. Strathallan Hall Cottage in its early form appears on the left at the back. The print dates from 1883 when the children's home moved into the complex and a number of changes took place over the years.

Blackberry Lane

This was once indeed a lane and was an access up to Bemahague. In fact the Strathallan Park land was once part of Bemahague and was sold by Deemster Heywood to the Duke of Athol in 1823.

Blackberry Lane Bungalows seen here and on the right is the original boundary wall to the house called "Summer Hill". The dormer windows on the bungalows are modern additions.

The group of bungalows were erected in 1930s on the site of a house called Summerhill of which the boundary still exists. The rates book of the commissioners shows the house paying full rates up to 1906 when it was then listed as a ruin. The bungalows were built for individual owners and were generally designed by the firm of Lomas and Barrett architects of Douglas. The names of several of the properties have changed over the years. The first one inside the Onchan boundary was built in 1933 for Mr Askham and his French wife Louise. It was called Cote D’ Ete when erected but of more recent times has been renamed Chanda.

The adjoining property Hillside was also built for Mr Askham who let the premises following its building in 1934 – 5. This property was altered in 1979, 1981 and substantially in 1998.

The first pair of houses inside the cul-de-sac were built for Mr and Mrs Jolley and her father Mr Lewis. Harwood and Slieu Charne had their plans approved in August 1933 with the former being altered in 1996.

Next door Reve Châlet (now called Croit Ashlish) was approved in December 1933 and erected for Mrs Lee shortly afterwards. It was purchased by Mrs E. Cubbin of Strathallan Cliff and occupied during the Second World War by Father McGrath of St Anthony’s as a tenant. In the corner is Summer Rise built in 1934 as was the adjoining Cartref which was designed for Mrs Swaine by A.J. Davidson, on the upperside we have Marina built for Miss Hird in
1933 – 34 whilst the final house Clarendon was built around the same time.

Beyond the bungalows is the entrance to Tremmisarry (at one time called Mount William House) which was built for Moore Thomas Cubbin when he purchased an area of land from Deemster Heywood in 1852.

The surplus land was sold as building plots to William Kelly who built two pairs of semi-detached houses facing on to Summer Hill at a point now called Mount William and which has been in Douglas for several years.

Of the three Cubbin brothers, Richard Cubbin died on 6th February 1861 a bachelor and intestate, Moore Thomas Cubbin died on 15th September 1863 leaving his estate to his brother William Henry Cubbin, the third bachelor who died intestate on 17th September 1876.

The balance of the property then passed to their sister Jane Moore Cubbin. When she died, in her will dated 13th June 1881 she left several properties in Douglas and Onchan including “Tremmisarry” which went to Elizabeth Dorothea Sidley.

What appears to be a lodge at the entrance gate was in fact built as an observatory – not for looking at the stars but for looking out over the bay of Douglas. In 1886 Elizabeth Dorothea Balster as she had become following her marriage to Irishman George Balster two years earlier, sold the property to Thomas Lightfoot of Douglas horse tram fame.

Strathallan Road

It is hard to imagine today as you enter Strathallan Road you actually cross a bridge. It takes the water from a spring and natural drainage in the fields on the right hand side of Blackberry Lane and this then passes through a glen and shows behind the horse tram depôt in the form of a waterfall before passing under the promenade and appearing again on the beach.

The bridge was built when the Cubbin brothers laid out the land. They used the services of Thomas Skillicorn to do so although he was a labourer rather than a stone mason. The arched opening to the bridge was low down because of the natural fall in the land and a lot of fill was placed above it to come up to a level road way.

Onto Calvary Glen and Cottage