The History Of The Isle Of Man
- The Persaud Catalog
- 7 days ago
- 8 min read
Today’s article shall discuss the history of the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man is a self-governing British Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea. It is between Great Britain, & Ireland. It is not owned by the UK, nor is it a territory, though those who are born on the island are entitled to British Citizenship.
The island is most well known for its tax-free status, beautiful fields, sweeping coastlines, & gorgeous cliffs. Additionally, the island is home to the oldest continuous parliament, which dates back to at least 979.
Since the island is not linked to the mainland by road, plane & boat are the only ways to access it. According to our measurements, the island is approximately 276.48 nautical miles (318.167502 miles or 512.04096 Kilometers) off the coast of mainland Europe.
The island's capital is Douglas, which houses the majority of the 84,069 populous. The isle has a lot to offer naturally, with its large puffin population, mussel reefs, lichen colonies, & coastal grasslands. For its biodiversity, the entire island has been awarded biosphere reserve status. Additionally, the majority of the ocean surrounding the island is considered a marine protected area.
The island was separated from the other British Isles approximately 8,500 years ago due to rising oceanic levels. Early traces of human civilization can be found as far back as 6,500 years ago. The history of the Isle of Man has been extremely well preserved, & dates as far back as the Iron Age.
Across its long & tumultuous history, the isle has belonged to approximately 3 countries, those being Norway, Scotland, & England. The culture of the island is largely Celtic, though Norse influences can be seen. Though many people consider the Manx people to be just British, they are their own distinct nationality. Additionally, the Manx have their own distinct Gaelic language, known as Manx Gaelic.
In this article, we will discuss the documented history of the Isle of Man, the aboriginals of the Isle of Man, the most destructive man-caused & natural disasters to affect the Isle of Man, & the economic state of the Isle of Man. With that being said, let us delve into the magnificent, beautiful, & powerful history of Ellan Vannin.
The Documented History Of The Isle of Man
Before Colonization
The first humans arrived on the Isle of Man around 6,500 B.C. Due to the fact that it is located in the center of the Irish Sea between Ireland & the United Kingdom, the island got quite a lot of attention from sailors. The first people to arrive on the island were small Celtic groups, most likely from Ireland. Upon arrival, they named the island Manannán after a Celtic Sea God.
These groups created an interesting creation myth for the island. This myth attributes the creation to the legendary hero Finn McCool. McCool was attempting to incapacitate a Scottish Giant, so he took a large chunk of land to do so. He then proceeded to throw this piece of land at the giant, however he missed. This piece of land landed in the Irish Sea & created the Isle.
Historical Events From The 400’s To The 700’s
The first Christian missionary to arrive is considered to be Saint Maughold, an Irish saint with a questionable history. He arrived on the isle in the 400s.
Historical Events From The 800’s
Vikings began visiting the island between the years 800 AD & 815 AD. These Vikings originally planned to steal everything they could, & redistribute it amongst themselves. However, they instead choose to build a settlement. This settlement appears to have been constructed between 815 & 850. For this reason, the island became a waypoint for ships passing from the English to the Irish outposts & vice versa.
After Colonization By Norse Vikings
Historical Events From The 900’s
The Isle of Man was commandeered by the Scandinavian Kings of Dublin, who would in 979, establish the self-governing parliament known as the Tynwald. The Tynwald is still the governing body of the island in the modern day.
After Colonization By Scotland
Historical Events From The 1000s To The 1200s
In the year 1266, the Treaty of Perth ended the conflict between the Norse Vikings & Scotland over who ruled the Hebrides, Caithness, & the Isle of Man. As a part of this treaty, Norway gave up any claim to the land in exchange for 4,000 marks & an annuity of 100 marks. From this point until 1290, or officially 1765, Scotland had all the rights to the Isle of Man.
The English would first have a claim to the island in the year 1290 when King Edward the 1st took over possession of the island. Over the next few centuries, a power struggle for the island ensued between the Scottish & the English.
Historical Events From The 1300s To The 1400s
The island gained some political balance when in 1405 King Henry IV of England granted the rights of the island to Sir John Stanley on a feudal principle. So long as Stanley paid all the fees he needed to, to future kings of England, generational rule of the isle for the Stanley family was guaranteed.
After Colonization By England
Historical Events From The 1500s To The 1600s
Due to the island's strategic placement & lack of major maritime policing, the island became the epicenter of illegal smuggling during the 1400s & 1500s.
Historical Events From The 1700s
Due to the high levels of illegal products passing through the isle, the government in Britain attempted to stop all illegal trade by passing the Smuggling Act of 1765.
Historical Events From The 1800s
The island began industrializing in the 1800s, with the pinnacle of which was constructed in 1854. In 1854, the world's largest water wheel was constructed on the isle. Standing at 72 feet in diameter, the Laxey wheel was built to pump excess water from lead mines.
The Aboriginals Of The Isle Of Man
The Celtic Manx Indigenous Aboriginals Of The Isle Of Man
The Celtic Manx People were the primary indigenous group to inhabit the Isle of Man. It is believed that these people migrated from Ireland approximately 6,500 years ago. They spoke Manx Gaelic, a language in the Goidelic family. This language is closely related to Irish. Unfortunately, very little is known of their culture today, as so much of it has fused into British or Irish Gaelic culture over a long time.
The Most Destructive Man Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect The Isle Of Man
Disaster No. 1: USAAF Boeing B-17G Crash Of 1945
On January 8th of 1945, a United States Air Force Aircraft had just returned from a mission in Germany. As many mornings are, it was especially misty on the Isle of Man. This mist would lead 31 people to their deaths.
The flying fortress was transporting 31 people from England to Northern Ireland for a week's vacation. The plane had 29 passengers, & 2 pilots. The aircraft took off at approximately 8:00 AM, flying from Ridgewell Base to Nutts Corner. Soon after takeoff, the plane reached its cruising altitude of 500 feet. The misty morning obscured the North Barrule Mountain, which the plane was supposed to fly past. Unfortunately, the plane wouldn’t realize this until it was too late. The plane collided with the mountain at a very high speed, killing all 31 people on board.
Today, there is a memorial plaque on North Barrule Mountain, dedicated to those lives lost. This is by far, the deadliest aviation accident to affect the Isle of Man.
Below, is a list of all the passengers & crew on board: Captain Charles E. Ackerman, Corporal Earl G. Ammerman, Corporal Edward G. Bailey, Private Andrew R. Barbour, 1st Lieutenant John P. Fedak, Corporal Thomas P. Flaherty, Technical Sergeant William E. Geist, Master Sergeant Edward Z. Gelman, Staff Sergeant Ralph L. Gibbs, Technical Sergeant Joseph L. Gray, Corporal Herbert C. Gupton, Technical Sergeant Wesley M. Hagen, Sergeant Irwin R. Hargraves, 1st Lieutenant Wayne W. Hart, 1st Lieutenant James M. Hinkle, Flight Sergeant Edwin A. Hutcheson, Sergeant Michael J. Kakos, Technical Sergeant David H. Lindon, Staff Sergeant Wayne K. Manes, Sergeant Jose M. Martinez, Staff Sergeant Alfred M. Mata, 1st Lieutenant Martin M. Matyas,
Corporal Leslie H. Maxwell, Fifth Grade Technician Walter A. McCullough, 1st Lieutenant Lawrence E. McGhehey, Fourth Grade Technician Andrew Piter, Private First Class Angelo Quagliariello, Corporal Merle L. Ramsowr, Technician Joseph W. Sullivan, Corporal Harry Super, & finally Sergeant Edwin C. Ullmann.
Disaster No. 2: The Summerland Disaster
The Summerland Leisure Center was an indoor leisure center on the Isle of Man, which opened on May 25th, 1971. The center was 5 stories tall, & designed with a bingo hall, multiple restaurants, bars, an underground discotheque, an indoor heated pool, saunas, & a children’s theatre. Marketed as the world's most innovative indoor entertainment center, the building had the capacity to host approximately 10,000 people. Due to the architects not cooperating fully on the designs for the interior & the exterior, the building had quite a few fire hazards.
On the evening of August 2nd, 1973, a group of juveniles was smoking near the building. Instead of extinguishing their match, they dropped it near the ground floor of the building. The match quickly set a kiosk ablaze, which then collapsed against the building. Now, the exterior of the building was covered in an acrylic sheet known as Oroglas, which is incredibly flammable. The fire quickly spread to the interior of the building, which was coated in a highly combustible material for soundproofing. Upon entering the building, it burned the wiring system that connected to the fire alarm. Locked fire doors caused people to look for other exit points, causing a stampede. It took approximately 20 minutes for the fire department to be called. At the end of it all, approximately 50 people were killed, & 80 to 100 were injured.
The boys responsible were not charged, & were merely ordered to pay a fee of 3 pounds.
The Economy Of The Isle Of Man
The Economic State of the Isle of Man is relatively stable. The primary currency used on the island is the Pound Sterling. The Gross Domestic Product of the island was approximately 6,792,000,000 U.S.D in 2023, with a 2.2% growth rate.
Due to the Isle of Man levying their own taxes, their tax rate is relatively low. The estimated labor force of the island is approximately 39,690 people.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “The Isle Of Man”, Written By Ben Johnson, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Historic United Kingdom. Retrieval Date: February 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 2: “Isle Of Man History”, Written By Unknown & Published on May 19th of 2022. Published By the Isle Of Man. Retrieval Date: February 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 3: “Ellan Vannin”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By The New World Encyclopedia. Retrieval Date: February 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 4: “Isle Of Man”, Written By The Editors Of The Encyclopaedia Britannica, & Published on July 28th of 1999. Retrieval Date: February 9th, 2024.
Citation No. 5: “The North Barrule Air Crash, 1945”, Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Manx Heritage Foundation. Retrieval Date: February 9th, 2024.
Citation No. 6: “American Flag Flies On A Lonely Manx Hillside. The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Crash On North Barrule”, Written By Alastair Kneale, & Published on September 18th of 2016. Published By Transceltic. Retrieval Date: February 10th, 2024.
Citation No. 7: “We Will Not Forget”, Written by Dr. Ian Phillips, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published By SummerlandFireDisaster.Co. Retrieval Date: February 10th, 2024.
Citation No. 8: “Summerland disaster: Families fight for justice after holiday paradise inferno killed 50 people”, Written by Amita Joshi, Published on August 4th, 2023. Published By Sky News. Retrieval Date: February 10th, 2024.
Citation No. 9: “On this day, forgotten disasters: Summerland disaster”, Written by Kristy Lavell, & Published on August 02nd, 2023. Published by the Fire Industry Association. Retrieval Date: February 10th, 2024.
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