Tribute to the Isle of Man Note: If you haven't already done so, click here to open a scrollable map of the Isle of Man in a separate window for handy reference.
Douglas (page 2) As well as its fine beach, Douglas has traditionally offered other entertainments to occupy holidaymakers. The advertisement (right) taken from a 1940s edition of Brown's Popular Guide to the Isle of Man, gives an indication of the entertainment available at the Derby Castle complex at the northern end of Douglas promenade. The original Derby Castle, latterly housing the "Summerland" leisure centre, was destroyed by fire in 1973. Unfortunately it was replaced by an unsightly concrete monstrosity.
Left: The Gaiety Theatre and Opera House on Harris Promenade, built to an early 20th century design by Frank Machin, has recently been sensitively refurbished inside and out to recreate its original appearance.
In her reminiscences of the 1920s, my late mother recalled going to the Palace to see music hall artiste Florrie Ford, singing: K, E, double L, Y Has anybody here seen Kelly? Find him if you can. He's as bad as old Antonio, Left me on my own-eeo. Has anybody here seen Kelly? Kelly from the Isle of Man. Another favourite entertainment centre in Douglas is the Villa Marina on Harris Promenade (see below).
The history of the Villa Marina goes back nearly 200 years but the present building was opened on 19th July 1913 by Lord Raglan who named it The Kursaal. This German name was an unfortunate choice; thirteen months later the Great War of 1914-1918 began and the name was quickly changed to Villa Marina!
The southern end of Douglas promenade, near the sea terminal, is known as Loch Promenade in memory of a former governor of the Island. Loch Promenade features some attractive sunken gardens, where promenaders can sit in the sunshine, sheltered from the sea breezes, and enjoy the colourful blooms. The photograph below shows my late mother admiring the floral display.
Douglas promenade is endowed with a fine array of Victorian hotels, looking out across Douglas Bay. The original hotels, although differing in their architectural details, formed a well-integrated whole. Unfortunately the architecture of some of the more recent developments along the promenade has been rather out of character, and the original unified appearance has been lost. The Caledonia Hotel (below left) on Queen's Promenade is one of the hotels which has retained its original appearance.
Click here to explore my family history links with Douglas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
