 August
1960
Commissioners' Chairman R.S. Watterson presents a young recipient
with a Carnival Princess sash in front of a crowded grandstand in
Ochan Stadium. With him are members of the Douglas Carnival Majorettes
who were trained by school teacher Irene Shimmin whose father William
Shimmin, a retired school teacher, was secretary to the Douglas Carnival
Committee.
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 August
1960
As part of the same event the famous pram races took places which
were held weekly as part of the Motorcycle Gymkhanas. Races were
held with both male and female passengers who held onto a rope whilst
being towed along by a motorbike. There was no control over the pram
in terms of steering and so the passenger was often tipped out sideways.
Experts could get up to 30mph on the straight but when they let
go of the rope after crossing the line it was a hard job for the
stewards to catch them and stop the pram.
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 August
1960
On Wednesday evening each summer athletics and cycling events were
held in the stadium. Cycling had to stop once the stockcars began
as a wire barrier was installed to prevent the cars heading into
the crowd but this presented a hazard to cyclists on the banked track.
From left to right, Roger Kelly, John Killip, Peter Callow, Rod Comish
and Brian Whitehead who at that time was the Island's leading sprinter.
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 July
1961
At one of the weekly athletics meetings young Michael Boyde, whose
father Ray was an official with one of the cycling clubs, holds the
finishing tape. The identity of the sprinter is not known.
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 July
1961
Using the banked track opened ten years before by Reg Harris the
World Cahmpion sprint cyclist. Here members of the local cycle clubs
(Ellan Vannin and the Viking Wheelers) battle it out. Just over the
wall behind them can be seen the top of the Howstrake Golf Links
rising above Onchan.
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 October
1961
Taken inside the old Onchan Youth Club this photograph shows the
teenagers of Onchan around the snooker table which was originally
in the Howstrake Hotel and given to the club by Mr Kane the proprietor
on the suggestion of Sergeant Quaye the police officer in charge
of Onchan.
Pictured left to right we have:- Bill Quayle MHK taking a shot
watched by Herbie Cannell (race walker), Mel Quine, Betty Coward
(peeping through), Margaret Stacey, Stan Hughes, Ann Howland, Laurie
Howland, Carol Lawton (of Douglas), Tony Smart, Martin Bell, Ian
Quirk, Bobby Hamlon and holding the snooker cue Russell Fox of TV,
radio and record shop Fox and Lane.
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 October
1961
Onchan United Harriers was born out of the rebirth of the Parish
Walk and the energetic approach by Bill Cain the village barber who
was a youth leader with the Onchan Youth Club. Bill is pictured to
the right of the distinctive Onchan United Harriers shirt of two
black stripes on a white background.
To the left is Don Wilkinson in whose greengrocers' shop window
the display of prizes was set. The shop was in the centre of the
village next door but one to the barbers shop but the whole row was
demolished in the 1970s to make way for road widening and the site
is now occupied by Elm Tree House. (Robinsons and Elm Tree Pharmacy).
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 February
1962
During a February night the Onchan Head Pavilion, which was used
for variety shows in the summer months, mysteriously went on fire.
Another fire broke out near the entrance and the heat generated was
such that the metal work supporting the illuminated sign which spelt
out White City, (the name for the amusement park) was greatly distorted.
In the background can be seen the Douglas Bay Hotel, home to the
famous Texas Bar, the first theme pub in the Isle of Man.
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 February
1962
All that was left of the pavilion after the fire was the stone
foundation to the structure that had stood on the site for over 50
years. It was originally built as a wet weather venue for the minstrels
who usually played outside to an audience sat on terraced seats.
At one point in time it was used for roller skating and then reverted
back to variety with shows like "Savage Africa" and then
for many years Karma the lightening hypnotist.
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 November
1962
The annual service of remembrance held at the Onchan War Memorial
in its original position at the junction of Church Avenue and Main
Road. The site was given by the Spittal family and the memorial was
erected by public subscription to the designs of Archibald Knox.
The memorial stone was carved by Thomas Quayle of St Georges Street,
Douglas and set into a huge boulder. Following the Second World War
three tablets were placed in front of the boulder and they were inscribed
with the names of the Onchan men who gave their life in that war.
These tablets were designed by Wilfred Quayle, architect of Douglas
and carved by the firm of Thomas Quayle. In the background on the
right is Quiggin the painters' store shed, originally built as a
butchers' shop and later used by the Onchan Fire Brigade to store
their handcart and equipment. Later it was demolished and became
the site of Morton Hall.
To the left is the building which housed the Post Office, Mather's
newsagent and sweet shop and Mills the licensed grocer. To the left
of the memorial is Sir Ronald Garvey the Lieutenant Governor and
Lady Garvey. On the right besides the scout is Canon John Duffield,
Vicar of Onchan for 32 years.
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 November
1962
The Onchan Silver Band plays for the service at the War Memorial
from the bottom of Church Avenue. In the background is MAN 1 the
Jaguar car of the Lieutenant Governor who would annually attend the
service at Onchan which was held at noon. He would previously attend
at the Douglas War Memorial as would the Territorial Army who would
also come to Onchan just before him.
On the front row of the band from the centre we have Robert Vass,
Jimmy Shimmin, a very young Adrian Collister and John Smith. To the
extreme right is Patricia Stevens who is about to proceed to the
memorial to lay the wreath on behalf of the St John Ambulance Cadets.
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 July
1963
Thanks to the efforts of Jack Nivison, a member of the Onchan Village
Commissioners, MHK and member of the Tourist Board, the Highland
Games were reintroduced having been a regular occurrence in the pre-war
days.
Then it was held at The Nunnery but Jack persuaded the Commissioners
to promote the event which involved a charter flight for the Glasgow
Police Pipe Band.
The event was held during the Glasgow Fair week and attracted big
crowds from the thousands of Scottish holiday makers staying on the
island. Here Jack Nivison, who was of Scottish decent, acts as compere
for the event at which he called himself Jock McNivison.
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 July
1963
The Glasgow Police Pipe Band parade around the stadium before capacity
crowds with people sitting on the perimeter wall of the cycle track.
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 July
1963
Catch-as-catch-can - wrestling Scottish style takes place in the
centre of the football field close to the stage in the centre which
was used for a dancing display.
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 July
1963
Throwing the weight and tossing the caber were also sports that
tool place but no thoughts of health and safety in those days as
will be seen. The caber was a freshly cut down tree although it was
the right dimensions it was full of sap and proved to be rather heavy
for the competitors.
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