Old Onchan - Picture Gallery 1

View over Groudle and Molly Quirk's Glen

Taken for the official Onchan Guide (early-mid 1950's) on the old Groudle Road looking out over the Molly Quirk's valley.

The property in the trees on the extreme left of the picture is Ballachrink Farm and the building on the right is Kates Cottage. The land in front of the lady is currently being developed by Heritage Homes for residential use.

The Hague Farm House (rear view)

At one time owned by Richard Betham LLD, the first Collector of Customs appointed after the Revestment Act of 1765.

Betham was collector for 24 years and his second daughter, Elizabeth, married Captain William Bligh (then a lieutenant) in the old parish church of Onchan on 4th February 1781. Bligh was to become famous as a result of the Mutiny on the Bounty which took place in 1789, the same year as Richard Betham was to die.

The property subsequently changed hands many times and at one point in history the house was run as a seminary for young ladies.

In the mid 1920's most of the land, owned by the estate of Mr Penny was auctioned off; the purchaser of the majority of the land was Mr L L Corkill ARIBA, an entrepreneurial builder who developed along Governors Road, Summerhill Road and Hague Walk.

Further development was curtailed by the outbreak of the Second World War and the compulsory purchase of the land by Onchan Village Commissioners to create Onchan Park

Douglas Bay Hotel

Built for Mr Marsden by Frederick Callow and opened in 1894, the hotel was extended in 1897. The total expenditure on the venture was quoted as being £32,00 in an advertisement for its sale following liquidation in 1910.

The property was built using local Ballanard brick but this photograph is taken (date unknown) when the hotel has been painted white over the brickwork. It as demolished and a new office block is currently being built on the site.

Governors Road cc 1900

Ballachurry Farm Cottages on the left. The steps leading up to a one roomed bothy above a similar room entered at Summerhill Road level. Clifton Terrace on the right with John Kelly's Holly Cottage alongside the trees of Sea View.

The cows were kept in a small cow house within the triangular yard in front of the Ballachurry Cottages. In the distance along Governors Road can be seen one of the five original Jubilee Electric streetlights of 1897.

In the fields near Royal Avenue, Onchan

Taken by A J Pierce, Portslade by Sea - 1935

In the foreground The Avenue Cinema was built on this and has been replaced by Royal Court.

Majestic Hotel and King Edward Road - 1940's

The hotel was demolished recently and several blocks of apartments are currently being erected on the site by Heritage Homes.

The Manx Arms Hotel

The land upon which the hotel stands was purchased by Thomas Cubbon the blacksmith in 1805 and 1807. He erected a house, smithy and farm buildings.

The exact date of the hotel is not known but it would appear to have been in existence in 1837 when it was know as "Gellings Public House". By 1857 it was called "Three Legs of Man".

It was purchase by William Oaken in the 1890's and took on its appearance as in these photographs about that time.

Previously the building was only three windows wide, had a central door and a parapet wall at roof level.

Motorcar Racing

Photograph taken at Cronk-ny-Mona Corner in the 1930's.

Howstrake Farm - Farmworkers' Cottages

The cottages were situated on Church Road between the church and the junction with Harbour Road. They were subsequently demolished in the 1930's and following a certain amount of road widening, were replaced by small bungalows under private ownership.

In the background (right) can be seen the Howstrake Farm buildings and (left haystacks in the Hackett field.

Royal Avenue

The band from a visiting regiment of the Territorial Army marching up Royal Avenue having travelled along Douglas Promenade after disembarking from the boat. The regiment was probably camped at Bibaloe Moar just off The Whitebridge

In the background is "The Avenue Cinema" built in 1936.

A September Morn

A view down Church Road, Onchan in 1935.

Taken by George B Sturrock of Scotland who won a three guineas prize

The Shannin Rae (The Red Inn) Whitebridge, Onchan

Built and occupied as a farmworkers dwelling for Ballakilmartin Farm, the property was last occupied by Mr & Mrs Crellin. (Mrs Crellin is seen sitting alongside the wall to the right of the picture)

The premises burnt down in 1932 after a chip pan caught fire and when the occupiers ran out of the door with the pan, the thatch caught alight. Folklore tells of the cottage having been used as an illegal ale house in times past.

The remains of the cottage were demolished in the late 1930's and the site was presented to the Onchan District Commissioners in 1991 by Mr Harvey Briggs, owner of Ballakilmartin Farm.

Alex Nivison's Butcher Shop, Main Road

View of the butcher's shop and house as designed by Armitage Rigby and built by W J Nivison for his brother in 1904-05.

Note the sides of beef hanging outside the shop under the slated canopy. The footpaths are concreted but the roads are dirt formed without tarmacadam finish.

Only this building remains of all that can be seen in the photograph. It is currently called Royal Buildings and is intended to be incorporated into a new hotel on the site.