History of Onchan
Modern Onchan Picture Gallery

ROOM FOUND

On Friday 14th January when contractors Parkinsons were working on extensions to the commissioners' offices the breaking up of a concrete slab had a surprise for the digger driver and those around him.

Beneath the slab was a room, not very large but the stone walls had been plastered and painted long ago. It is believed to have been a store at the bottom of the old entrance steps to the basement of Hawthorn Villa (now the commissioners' office). It may have been a larder or coal store although the walls looked too clean to have been used for the latter purpose unless of course its use changed over the years.

At one time the basement was used as a practice room by Onchan Silver Band but the external entrance was lost when the building was extended to provide accommodation for the Surveyor's Department in the mid 1970s.

The room has now been filled with stone chippings and will be lost forever.

AFTER THE STORM

This photograph, taken by the commissioners' Building Control Officer shows the tree that fell at Springfield Court in the early hours of Saturday 8th January in the storm that took the island by surprise. The photograph was taken after sections of the tree had been cut up.

TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION 7th DECEMBER 2004

The weather was extremely mild for the torchlight procession of 2004.

The parade lined up at Coutts Bank and at 7.30pm followed Onchan Silver Band through the streets of Onchan to Springfield Court.

The street lights had been extinguished and so only the twinkling of the little bulbs on the Christmas trees on the buildings lining the route showed the way.

This year there was still a preference for the burning wax torches despite lanterns having been introduced the previous year in an effort to phase out the wax torches.

As usual the parade was greatly boosted by the girls of the Onchan Entertainers taking part. They walked as a group and were very vocal in the carol singing at Springfield Court.

Taking part for the first time was Canon Malcolm Convery the new Vicar of Onchan who led the carol service assisted by Canon Brendan Alger of St Anthony's and Rev Chris Belfield of the Onchan Methodist Church.

(Photos Isle of Man Newspapers)

COWS RETURN TO ONCHAN

In the summer of 2003 cows returned to Lazy Corner but this time they were in fibreglass and not the real thing, see Old Onchan Picture Gallery 1

They were part of an all island Cow Parade organised by the Golden Jubilee Trust.

"Celtic Cow" was designed by 14 year old Sarah Carroon of the Queen Elizabeth II High School in Peel and set a Celtic cross central on the back.

The other cow "Moo Generation" was also designed by another QE2 pupil, 14 year old Anna McChesney and was covered in three legs of man.

After being on display during the summer months they were sold by auction on 9th October with the proceeds going to the Golden Jubilee Trust and in particular its "low-ropes" challenge course at Ard Whallin Outdoor Pursuits Centre in West Baldwin.

MEDAL WINNERS

The Onchan Youth and Community Centre is used for lots of different events including archery in the sports hall.

The Island Games were held in Guernsey from 28th June to 4th July 2003 and the archery team won a total of seven medals.

Pictured here are the team Peter Jordan (mens recurve), Helen Wolstencroft (ladies recurve), John Wolstencroft (mens compound), Jane Moore (ladies compound), Joy Gough (ladies compound), Gail Reilly (ladies recurve), Jenny Stanley (Team Manager), Louise Glover (Assistant Team Manager) and Peter Mumford (mens compound).