XAW023453 ISLE OF MAN (1949). General View, Douglas, Isle of Man, Isle of Man, 1949. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing North/East.

This contributor spent a couple of days, in the spring of '07, travelling on the Isle of Man railways, in addition to walking the former line (Steam Heritage Trail) from Douglas to Peel, which opened in 1873 and closed almost a century later.



Given decent weather, this island remains a fascinating place to explore and it's no wonder that many folk, mainly from England, have decided to retire here, including the late, great Norman Wisdom (1918-2013). In 2001, 38% of the island's population were born in England and just under a half of the Manx inhabitants were actually born on the island. Although some of the physical landscapes reminded the writer of parts of SE Ireland (Counties Wicklow and Wexford), the cultural impression was very much that of northern England, including the distinctive accent!

In 1866, Douglas replaced Castletown as the island's capital, and the last decades of the 19th century witnessed the growth of hotels, boarding houses, promenades, theatres and improvements to civic amenities. In 1872, the Victoria Pier was opened and this was followed by the steam railway in 1874 and the electric railway in 1895, both of which are popular attractions for visitors today.

Located in the gentle curve of Douglas Bay, the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man is a grand Victorian resort with a sweeping promenade, busy harbour (off to the right of picture) and a variety of hotel accommodation.

A former small fishing port, Douglas has been transformed from the early 19th century into an international centre of banking, commerce and tourism. The town spread out from the harbour as Georgian & Regency residences were built for affluent arrivals from Britain attracted by the lower cost of living and for the holiday visitors from the Industrial North of England, who arrived on steamships from Liverpool and Whitehaven.

As the tourist trade continued to boom from the 1880s into the 20th century, Douglas grew to dominate the urban hierarchy of the island. In 1841, 18% of the population resided in Douglas, and this proportion rose to 35% in 1891 and 55% by 1931. The town's inhabitants totalled 27,604 in the latter year, although there was a marked decline during the Depression and the effects of World War II, so that this figure had only just recovered by 2011. The ancient parish of Onchan has become something of a postwar overspill for the capital and has recently overtaken Ramsey as the second urban centre, with over 8,800 residents. The towns of Douglas, Onchan, Ramsey, Peel and Castletown now account for over 75% of the Manx population (around 76,300).