NEWS
Warm place, warm welcome & workshops at RHC
In the run-up to Christmas, Rushen Heritage Centre is pleased to be involved with the 'warm place and warm welcome' scheme around the south of the Island.
From November 7, the Centre will be open:
- Mondays - 2pm-4pm
- Wednesdays - 2pm-4pm
- Fridays - 10.30am-1pm
Call in for a cuppa and a chat.
We are also hosting some workshops over the coming weeks:
- Art for Fun, with Margaret Galloway - November 14, November 28 and December 12 - 1.15pm start, £2 per session to cover materials
- Knitting & Crochet, with Pam Parfitt - November 11, November 25 and December 9 - 10.30am start, £2 per session to cover materials
Tea/coffee & biscuits provided at the workshops. To reserve your spot on a workshop, call into RHC and leave your name, or call/text Kathy on 330584.
07/11/22
New season of RHT talks at the Erin Arts Centre
Our new season of talks gets underway on Monday, November 7, with Dave Martin exploring Bridges in the Landscape.
Dave, a past president of the Isle of Man Natural History & Antiquarian Society and Trustee of the Manx Museum & National Trust, will take us on a tour of bridges around the Isle of Man, looking at how they evolved, the threats they have faced - including residents armed with explosives! - and the links they provide to the past and future.
It's great to have Dave back with us - those who attended his talk last season, about LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveying and other digital archaeology used on the Isle of Man, will know what a fine speaker he is (and no doubt will want to be back in the audience next week!).
Each of our 2022-23 season of talks takes place on Monday evenings at the Erin Arts Centre, starting at 7.30pm (doors 7pm).
Tickets are £5 – or £4 for Friends of Rushen Heritage Trust – and available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/erinartscentre or from the Erin Arts Centre. Tickets are also available from Rushen Heritage Centre (Bridson Street, Port Erin), but as we operate limited opening hours during the winter, if you are struggling to get a ticket, please contact our Coodinator John Quirk at rushenht@gmail.com or call/text 464634.
We are really pleased with our line-up for the season ahead. Following Dave, December will see John Wright recount the tragic story of the brig Lily disaster of 1852. John has written a book to mark the 170th anniversary, which Rushen Heritage Trust is publishing later this month (more details coming soon).
In January, Elizabeth Corlett, Outreach and Archive Officer at the Isle of Man Public Record Office, will reveal some fascinating items from the archives (with a southern flavour), while February will see Culture Vannin's James Franklin exploring the folklore of Port Erin. In March, Pete Geddes from the Laxey Mines Research Group will delve deep into Bradda Mines, and Yvonne Cresswell, retired Curator of Social History at Manx National Heritage, will round the season off in style with a talk about renowned Manx artist William Hoggatt.
The full line-up of speakers for the 2022-23 season:
- November 7 - Dave Martin: Bridges in the Landscape
- December 5 - John Wright: The Explosion That Shook Port St Mary
- January 9 - Elizabeth Corlett: Southern Travels Through the Archives
- February 6 - James Franklin: The Folklore of Port Erin
- March 6 - Pete Geddes: Deep Inside Bradda Mines
- April 3 - Yvonne Cresswell: William Hoggatt - A Passion for the Manx Landscape
Huge thanks to all of our speakers for offering their time to share their stories with us.
03/11/22
Visitors enthralled by story of 'The Winkle Pickers'
Our exhibition to mark the 130th anniversary of the founding of the Port Erin Marine Laboratory proved a resounding success, with around 1,200 visitors during its three-week run.
The Winkle Pickers exhibition was hosted by Rushen Heritage Trust and curated by a team of former staff and alumni from the Port Erin Marine Laboratory (PEML), which opened in 1892 and closed in 2006.
'The Winkle Pickers' was the name given by locals to students and researchers at the Laboratory, who were often seen on the shore filling wicker baskets with sea plants and small species for research purposes.
The exhibition was staged in St Catherine’s Church Hall, Port Erin from September 2nd-25th.
Hugh Davidson MBE, Co-Founder of RHT, who worked closely with the exhibition team, said: 'Any local exhibition run by volunteers which attracts more than 500 visits can be counted a success - and this one was seen by around 1,200 visitors. They came from all around the Island and across the British Isles, and from places further afield like Spain, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Madeira, Germany and from many parts of the USA, including Salt Lake City, Houston, and San Diego.'
Feedback from visitors was excellent, and two of the most frequently asked questions were: “How did a small town like Port Erin manage to develop a world leading centre in Marine Biology with major projects and alumni across the globe?”; and, “Why did it close in 2006?”
A world map at the exhibition demonstrated why this question was asked - the map showed that nationals from countries across the globe had become students or researchers at the Laboratory, and that PEML staff and graduates had gone on to work on projects around the world as well as in the Isle of Man.
PEML was successful for a variety of reasons, such as a world-leading founder and leader for 28 years in Sir William Herdman; a 114-year-old partnership between the Isle of Man Government and Liverpool University; the Island’s unique location in the centre of the Irish Sea; and high-calibre staff and students who worked well together and enjoyed the experience.
Hugh said: 'The reasons for the closure in 2006 were complex and there is not the space to cover them here. Quite simply, Liverpool University, in the early 2000s made a financial offer which its partner, the Isle of Man Government, considered inadequate and decided not to commit to the high cost of continuation.
'In discussions at the exhibitions with locals and especially visitors, some people questioned whether the Island gives sufficient priority to the things which make it distinctive, and which attract both visitors and residents to our shores. Things like our unique Victorian railway system, including the horse trams; Laxey Wheel; our built environment, such as Douglas Promenade, which even in the 1950s was a model of outstanding Victorian and Edwardian architecture; and PEML, as an organisation or brand, rather than just a building. However, it was recognised that the Laboratory's reputation lives on, even though the building will soon be gone, and there were many suggestions as to how the Island could still capitalise on this in the future, which will be followed up.'
We are extremely grateful to Drs Peter Duncan, Andy Brand, Richard Hartnoll, Jeremy Paul and Roger Pullin, who developed the material for the exhibition as volunteers over many months; to our exhibition sponsors, the Elizabeth Clucas Charitable Trust and Gough Ritchie Charitable Trust, which have been consistently supportive; to all of our own volunteers and the alumni of PEML, who managed to staff both the exhibition and Rushen Heritage Centre during September; to members of St Catherine’s Church who helped with staffing; to Pam Crowe MBE and her fine catering team; and to The Copyshop for its superb work on the design and printing of the exhibition materials.
For those who missed the exhibition, there is an accompanying book, The Winkle Pickers – Port Erin Marine Laboratory: A Leader in Marine Biology (1892 -2006), priced at just £10, which tells the story vividly in words and pictures and can be purchased from Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin and Bridge Bookshop in Port Erin or Ramsey.
07/10/22
Announcing Rushen Heritage Book Club!
If you are an avid reader of Manx history and/or historic fiction (set anywhere), our new book club might be right up your street.
The Rushen Heritage Book Club will meet once a month, at Rushen Heritage Centre (Bridson Street, Port Erin), and discuss the chosen books over a cuppa.
It will be informal and relaxed - all about sharing a love of books and heritage, to chat with (new) friends and find new authors/books that you may not have known about.
If you are interested in coming along, please email our coordinator John at rushenht@gmail.com or call him on 464634 - ideally with which evenings of the week suit you best. We'll then be in touch with everyone to advise of the first date.
08/08/22
'Model Yachting Mania!' - a new exhibition at Rushen Heritage Centre
The latest exhibition at Rushen Heritage Centre takes visitors back to a time when model boats were all the rage in Port St Mary.
'Model Yachting Mania' tells the story of Port St Mary boating pool, which was built in 1937 as a response to the increasing popularity of model boats and boating sites around the Island.
The exhibition has been compiled in conjunction with model boat enthusiast Brian King and will run until Saturday, September 3rd. Rushen Heritage Centre - at 1, Bridson Street, Port Erin - is open 10am-4pm from Tuesday to Saturday, with free entry for all.
Brian, who grew up in Port St Mary, said: 'People have been making model boats for hundreds of years but it really took off as a national sport in the UK at the beginning of the 19th century. Lakes were made into boating pools and purpose-built pools, complete with clubhouses, spread up and down the country.
'In the Isle of Man, Ramsey was the first to develop a club on the lake at the Mooragh, followed by Douglas on the Tromode dam. Not to be outdone, the Port St Mary model boat enthusiasts, of whom there were many, decided to build their own purpose-built pool at Kallow Point.
'Model yachting ''mania" spread through Rushen like wildfire. While there had been one or two traditional scale model boat builders, like John Gawne from Fistard, it was the competition element that seized the day. This needed a decent-sized, regular-shaped pool, and from this the people of Rushen raised the money, volunteered their services and even equipment to have a pool of a size to enable proper competition for the two national-sized boats, the 36R and the 50-inch Marblehead.'
The pool was completed in 1937, with competitions taking place between the Island's clubs, before being interrupted by the war. It remained popular in the post-war years, but eventually interest started to wane and the pool was closed around 1997 and filled in around three years later.
Doreen Moule, Chair of Rushen Heritage Trust, said: 'I think most children from the era covered by the exhibition will have fond memories of visiting a boating pool near where they lived. They were incredibly popular in their heyday, with regular competitions, and we hope the story told by our latest exhibition will resonate with many people, from Rushen and further afield.'
19/07/22
'The Ultimate Challenge' - TT exhibition at Rushen Heritage Centre
To mark the return of the TT races after a Covid-enforced absence of three years, our latest exhibition features six Manx TT riders, past and present.
'The Ultimate Challenge' runs until Saturday, June 25 - entry is free and the exhibiton includes a former race bike and TT-inspired artwork.
The featured riders in the exhibition are Tom Sheard, Ryan Kneen, Richard 'Milky' Quayle, Dan Kneen, Dave Molyneux, and Matt Mylchreest. The bike on display was originally owned by Conor Cummins.
Entry to Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin is free and it is open 10am-4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
31/05/22
A Year on Ballachurry Farm exhibition on display at Rushen Heritage Centre
In 2016, Captain of the Parish of Rushen Stanley Clucas sat down to write about his family memories of life on Ballachurry, the farm that has been in his family for almost 100 years.
Rushen Heritage Trust published his memories in a book - A Year on Ballachurry Farm 1943-44 - which perfectly captured the story of a traditional Manx farm during World War II.
To coincide with publication, we organised an exhibition - and we are delighted to be able to show this exhibition again, in our Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin.
The first half of the story - November 1943 to April 1944 - is now on display in RHC. The second half of the exhibition - covering May 1944 through to November 1944 - will be on display at a later date.
Please do call in and see the exhibition - copies of Stan's book are also on sale, and we are arranging a couple of dates for Stan to do a signing. More news soon.
05/04/22
Wish You Were Here! A Postcard Tour of the Isle of Man - illustrated talk by Peter Kelly MBE
Tickets are now on sale for the next in our season of talks at the Erin Arts Centre on Monday, April 11- Wish You Were Here! A Postcard Tour of the Isle of Man, with Peter Kelly MBE.
Renowed historian Peter will take the audience on a pictorial tour of the Island, with views from Edwardian postcards accompanied with his light-hearted yet informative commentary.
Peter is a gifted speaker, author and storyteller. He set up the Isle of Man Victorian Society in 1975 and has worked tirelessly to protect and preserve the Island's architectural heritage. Peter was appointed Captain of the Parish of Onchan in 2011 and last year he was presented with the prestigious Reih Bleeaney Vanannan prize, which is awarded annually by Culture Vannin to someone who has made an outstanding lifetime contribution to Manx culture.
The talk starts at 7.30pm (doors 7pm), with tickets £5 (£4 for Friends of Rushen Heritage Trust) available from Erin Arts Centre (https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/isle-of-man/erin-arts-centre), Rushen Heritage Centre, Bridge Bookshop (Port Erin), and Erin News.
The final talk of our season will be on Monday, May 16 - Around the South in 30 Objects, with Allison Fox, Curator of Archaeology at Manx National Heritage. This talk has been rescheduled from January, when it was postponed because of high Covid numbers.
Tickets for Allison's talk will be available from the usual outlets (see above) from Wednesday, April 13. If you bought tickets for the postponed talk in January, and would like to attend the rescheduled date of May 16, please contact RHT Coordinator John Quirk at rushenht@gmail.com or call/text 464634.
17/03/22
150 Years of 'Education for All' - illustrated talk by Professor Angela W. Little
Tickets are now on sale for the next in our season of talks at the Erin Arts Centre on Monday, March 7th:
2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the landmark 1872 Isle of Man Act for Public Elementary Education, which introduced compulsory education, eight years ahead of England and Wales, transferring control of education from the Church to the State. It paved the way for improvements in the quantity and quality of teachers, the abolition of school fees, and the extension of an independent system of education. How and why did this Act come about? Who resisted and who supported it? Professor Angela W. Little will explore these questions and more in relation to the Island as a whole, but with special reference to the Parish of Rushen.
Angela is Professor Emerita at UCL Institute of Education, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a past President of the British Association of International and Comparative Education. She was educated at Rushen Primary School and Castle Rushen High School and wrote the chapter on education in our book, Living with the Sea, which tells the story of how Port St Mary developed betwen 1829-1979.
The talk starts at 7.30pm (doors 7pm), with tickets £5 (£4 for Friends of Rushen Heritage Trust) available from Erin Arts Centre (https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/isle-of-man/erin-arts-centre), Bridge Bookshop (Port Erin), and Erin News.
Our next talks are:
- April 11 – Peter Kelly: Wish You Were Here! A Postcard Tour of the Isle of Man
- May 16 - Allison Fox: Around the South in 30 Objects (rescheduled from January)
11/02/22
A new light on Mann: LiDAR & other digital archaeology on the IOM - illustrated talk by Dave Martin
Tickets are now on sale for the next in our season of talks at the Erin Arts Centre on Monday, February 7th:
LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) surveying has been used in Britain for a number of years (and seen on programmes such as Time Team), but coverage of the Island is recent and exciting. Illustrated by local examples (pictured is South Barrule) of the detail that can be revealed by LiDAR, Dave Martin – past president of the Isle of Man Natural History & Antiquarian Society and a Trustee of the Manx Museum & National Trust – will give an insight into LiDAR and other digital techniques (including demonstrating 3D models) and show how they help interpret archaeological and environmental data.
The talk starts at 7.30pm (doors 7pm), with tickets £5 (£4 for Friends of Rushen Heritage Trust) available from Erin Arts Centre (https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/isle-of-man/erin-arts-centre), Bridge Bookshop (Port Erin), and Erin News.
Our next talks are:
· March 7 – Angela Little: 150 years of the Education Act (1872)
· April 11 – Peter Kelly: A Postcard Tour of the Isle of Man
We are still arranging a new date for our postponed January talk, by Allison Fox.
19/01/22
Around the South in 30 Objects - POSTPONED
In light of the high Covid numbers in the Isle of Man, we regret that Allison Fox's talk, Around the South in 30 Objects, scheduled for Monday, January 10th, has been postponed.
While Erin Arts Centre has Covid mitigation measures in place, and these allowed the first in our season of talks to take place last month, we feel that, given the current Covid situation, it is prudent to postpone Allison's talk, to a date to be confirmed.
Tickets purchased for Monday's talk will be valid for the rescheduled date. We will have full details about how to obtain refunds (should you wish) very soon - watch this space.
At this stage, we will continue to monitor the situation with regards the other talks in our season:
· February 7 – Dave Martin: New light on Mann - LiDAR and other digital archaeology on the Island
· March 7 – Angela Little: 150 years of the Education Act (1872)
· April 11 – Peter Kelly: A Postcard Tour of the Isle of Man
Our apologies again for the late postponement and thank you for your understanding and patience.
06/01/22
Online festival celebrating refugees from Nazi Europe and their contribution to British Culture
A series of online talks about the artists & musicians interned in the Isle of Man during WWII takes place over the next few weeks.
'Insiders, Outsiders' is an arts festival celebrating refugees from Nazi Europe and their contribution to British culture - and the Isle of Man played a large role in that story.
The first two events take place on Thursday, September 30:
From Internee to Art Collector: Tribute to Ruth Borchard
Thurs 30 Sep 6pm
https://insidersoutsidersfestival.org/.../from-internee.../
Tales of Internment – Sonia Lambert
Thurs 30 Sep 8pm
https://insidersoutsidersfestival.org/.../tales-of.../
The Tribute to Ruth Borchard will include a screening of a film about Ruth, followed by a Q&A, which will feature Yvonne Cresswell, former Curator of Social History at Manx National Heritage, and David Wertheim, a member of RHT's Women's Internment team. You can book tickets direct from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-internee-to-art-collector-tribute-to-ruth-borchard-tickets-169093506229
More information about the whole festival: https://insidersoutsidersfestival.org/events/
30/09/21
Memorial Service & exhibition to mark life of William Milner & 150th anniversary of Milner Tower
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the building of Milner Tower on Bradda Head as a monument to Port Erin benefactor William Milner, the Sheffield-born world-renowned safe maker who made the village his home.
To mark the anniversary, we are staging two events during October:
At 3pm on Saturday, October 9th, a Memorial Service at St Catherine's Church (the building of which was funded by Milner's estate) - all are welcome to attend and light refreshments will be served afterwards in St Catherine's Church Hall.
From Thursday, October 21st until Sunday, October 31st, an exhibition - Milner: The Man & The Tower - will be held at St Catherine's Church Hall, looking at the life and legacy of William Milner and the building of the landmark tower.
Our thanks to our sponsors for our Milner events - Culture Vannin, Isle of Man Arts Council, and the Elizabeth Clucas Charitable Trust.
We have other exciting news to reveal about other elements of our celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary - watch this space!
21/09/21
Photograph courtesy of Lynn Ryan, Southern Photographic Society
Port Erin in World War II - including TOP SECRET Gardens! - set for August bank holiday weekend
Following the success of last month’s Port St Mary Secret Gardens, Rushen Heritage Trust is opening 10 TOP SECRET Gardens during its Port Erin in World War II event, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend.
Running from Friday, August 27th until Monday, August 30th, Port Erin in World War II will include attractions each day, including three wonderful exhibitions:
The Railway Station will host an exhibition on the unique Internment Camp in Port Erin recalling the time 4,000 foreign women arrived in 1940; the Trust’s new Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street will host a World War II exhibition by the Manx Aviation & Military Museum; and the Legion Hall in Droghadfayle Road will be home to James Fenton’s amazing pictures of the Burma Campaign.
The TOP SECRET Gardens will be open on Saturday and Sunday, August 28th and 29th.
Rushen Heritage Trust fundraiser Pamela Crowe, Co-Chair of Friends of RHT, has pulled the weekend together.
She said: ‘We thought it was a shame that the popular Island at War event is not taking place this year, so Rushen Heritage Trust stepped in and there is now a full programme over the four days. We are working closely with Visit Port Erin and it will be a great opportunity to learn about the unique history of Port Erin and, for those who love a skeet, some lovely gardens to visit.’
The full schedule for the four days:
Exhibitions:
WWII IN THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH - Rushen Heritage & Visitor Centre - curated by Ivor Ramsden from the Manx Aviation & Military Museum
RUSHEN INTERNMENT CAMP - Port Erin Railway Station – curated by Rushen Heritage Trust, telling the story of the Women’s and Children’s Internment Camp
WAR IN BURMA - Port Erin British Legion Hall - Paintings by Burma Star Veteran James Fenton
Friday 27th August: 10am – 4pm:
- INFORMATION - Rushen Heritage Trust stand - each day at Port Erin Railway platform
- TOP SECRET GARDENS - brochures/Information also at our Visitor Centre in Bridson Street
- RATION BOOK CHALLENGE – entry forms from The Good Health Store and Visitor Centre
- VINTAGE MOTORCYCLES at the Visitor Centre
- MANX RADIO will be roving throughout the day
Saturday 28th August: 10am – 4pm:
- TOP SECRET GARDENS - Gardens open and your £5 brochure admits two people to all gardens
- RUMMAGE SALE - and refreshments available (Black Forest gateau, tea, hot dogs) - St Catherine’s Church Hall, Church Road
- THE SOUTHERN BELLES - 11am, 12.20pm & 1.50pm - Orchard Road
- RATION BOOK CHALLENGE entry forms Visitor Centre and The Good Health Store
- VINTAGE VEHICLES – around the village
Sunday 29th August: 10am – 4pm:
- TOP SECRET GARDENS - Gardens open and your £5 brochure admits two
- RUMMAGE SALE - and refreshments - St. Catherine’s Church Hall, Church Road
- RATION BOOK CHALLENGE - return entry forms to The Good Health Store
- SWING DANCING IN THE STREET - 11am – 2pm - Orchard Road - Swing in the Isle Dancers
Monday 30th August: 10am – 4pm:
- VETERANS' DAY – Port Erin welcomes our Veterans – make your way to the British Legion Hall in Droghadfayle Road after seeing the exhibitions
- RATION BOOK CHALLENGE - entry forms should be returned to Good Health Store
- RUMMAGE SALE – the camp is closing – everything must go!
- TRANSFORMATION – see what we turned an old bus shelter into at No1 Bridson St
Keep an eye out for 'Laurel and Hardy', who will be around during the weekend to entertain - and if you want to really join in with the atmosphere, why not dig out any 1940s-style gear you have and dress up!
Entry to the TOP SECRET Gardens is by brochure, which costs £5 and admits two people.
The brochures are available from:
· Welcome Centre in Douglas
· Bridge Bookshop and Marianne’s Flowers in Ramsey
· Kirk Michael Stores
· Elaine’s Flowers in Peel
· Foxdale Stores
· Charlotte Sadler Opticians in Castletown
· Calvert Newsagent in Port St Mary
· Bridge Bookshop, Port Erin Pets, Erin News and Rushen Heritage Centre in Port Erin
· And all garden centres around the Island
We always welcome anyone who is interested in volunteering at our events – if you can help over the four-day weekend, please contact Pamela via email – pamrht@gmail.com or on 834614 or 473768.
12/08/21
Photograph courtesy of Colin Cunliffe
Port St Mary Secret Gardens & Hidden Treasures raises nearly £5,000
Tynwald weekend's Secret Gardens & Hidden Treasures event in Port St Mary, organised by the Friends of Rushen Heritage Trust, proved a huge success, with around 2,500 people visiting the village and raising almost £5,000 for the Trust.
The weekend saw 10 beautiful gardens in Port St Mary and Cregneash open to the public and an antique and collectors fair at Port St Mary Town Hall.
Organiser Pam Crowe, Co-Chair of the Friends of RHT, said: 'We could not have raised these funds without the kindness of the homeowners who agreed to open their beautiful gardens for the weekend.
'We would like to thank everyone who volunteered their time over the weekend and helped make it such a fantastic success – and, of course, to all those who visited the village over the weekend to view the gardens and attend the fair. The event brought extra business for Rushen’s many fine shops and eateries.’
Pam is not one for resting on her laurels - she is already busy working with volunteers to plan the Trust's next event, 'Port Erin in World War II', which will run over the August bank holiday weekend - Friday, August 27th through to Monday, August 30th.
'This will be a unique event celebrating the 4,000 foreign women who arrived for internment in Port Erin in 1940,' said Pam. 'We are planning two wonderful exhibitions, a German "flea market", vintage vehicles, a “ration book” challenge, children's activities and internment trains, with lots of prizes on offer. So, we are looking for everyone to dig out their 1940s gear and join in the four days of fun celebrating Port Erin's rich history.
'The first exhibition will be at the Railway Station, focusing on Internment, with the second being at our new Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, which will host a visiting exhibition curated by Ivor Ramsden from the Manx Aviation and Military Museum at Ronaldsway.
'Finally, following on from the success of Port St Mary's Secret Gardens, there will also be 10 top secret gardens open around Port Erin over the August bank holiday weekend. It should all make for a fantastic few days.'
Pam added: 'We are always in need of volunteers for these events, so if you would like to get involved in any way, please give me a call on 834614 or 473768.'
More details about Port Erin in World War II will be announced over the coming weeks – keep an eye on this website or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
21/07/21
Photograph courtesy of Ian Costain
Rushen Heritage Centre opens its doors to the public!
An exciting new chapter dawns for Rushen Heritage Trust (RHT) this week with the opening of our new heritage centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin.
The project to redevelop the former bus shelter began two years ago and, despite delays caused by Covid-19 lockdowns, Rushen Heritage Centre (RHC) will open its doors to the public for the first time on Tuesday, June 29th.
The centre will open from 10.00am-4.00pm Tuesday to Saturday, from Easter until late October/early November each year, providing a multi-purpose base to support Rushen Heritage Trust’s activities.
Exhibitions will be central to RHC, with a new topic featured approximately every six weeks. The first exhibition is a collaboration with the Isle of Man Public Record Office, looking at the ‘Lives & Landmarks of Rushen’. This will feature photographs and plans showcasing the local landscape and its people from early to mid-20th century.
The Centre was officially opened at a private event on Saturday evening, June 26th.
Doreen Moule, Chair of RHT, explained: ‘Since the Trust was founded in 2014, we have enjoyed great success with a series of exhibitions, which have attracted more than 10,000 people to Rushen, and published four well-received books, alongside many other events. Two years ago, we identified a need to have a physical base, somewhere for the public to come and meet us, learn about the work we do, and hopefully get involved with our projects.
‘In addition to exhibitions, the centre will stock our books, host regular meetings, and serve as a visitor centre for the Rushen area, providing information on both heritage and tourism.’
The idea of transforming the bus shelter into a heritage centre came from Staffan Overgaard, one of the Trust’s directors.
The building project was skilfully managed by quantity surveyor Robert Graham and Ali Graham, of Robert Graham & Co, who carried out the work pro bono. They developed the plans for RHC, submitted the planning application and put the project out to tender, with the building work undertaken by J&J Building Contractors, who were excellent.
Ali, who is the RHT Treasurer, said: ‘We have received wonderful financial support towards RHC from several organisations and private individuals, including Manx Lottery Trust, Gough Ritchie Charitable Trust, Elizabeth Clucas Charitable Trust, Lord Cockfield Memorial Trust, Celton Manx, Visit Isle of Man, Isle of Man Government’s Town & Village Regeneration Scheme, and a significant donation from RHT co-founders Hugh and Sandra Davidson. In addition, several of our suppliers gave us generous discounts or provided items free of charge, which was wonderful.
‘The Friends of RHT has held several superb fundraising events – the next will be Port St Mary Secret Gardens & Hidden Treasures, which will take place over Tynwald weekend July 3rd-5th – and our sincere thanks to all volunteers who have helped with those events.
‘Our thanks also to Port Erin Commissioners, with whom we agreed a 99-year lease at £1 a year – and we have already paid up our 99 years’ rent in advance!’
Pamela Crowe leads the RHC Operations Team.
She said: ‘This is an exciting time for RHT and the culmination of a lot of hard work by a wonderful team of people. We have more than 40 volunteers who have kindly offered their time to “staff” the centre and we are indebted to those volunteers, because without their commitment the vision for the project would not have been possible. It has been a real team effort to see this project through to fruition and we cannot wait to open the centre and welcome visitors.’
In recognition of their excellent work on RHC, Saturday night’s official opening will see Doreen present the Trust’s highest honour, the Silver Medal for Outstanding Performance, to Pamela, Ali and Robert. Only five Silver Medals have been awarded in our seven-year history.
If you would like to know more about Rushen Heritage Centre, or if you would like to volunteer at the centre, please contact RHT Coordinator John Quirk at rushenht@gmail.com or call 464634.
28/06/21
Port St Mary Secret Gardens & Hidden Treasures!
One of our major fundraising events of the year will take place over Tynwald weekend, with beautiful gardens to view around Port St Mary and a huge antique and collectors fair being held in the Town Hall.
Organised by the Friends of Rushen Heritage Trust, the three-day Secret Gardens & Hidden Treasures event runs from Saturday, July 3rd through to Monday, July 5th, from 10am-4pm each day.
There will be 10 gardens open to view around the village, the antique and collectors fair at Port St Mary Town Hall, and a Farmers' Market and Hog Roast centred around the Town Hall.
Admittance is with a brochure, which costs £5 and admits two people.
Brochures are available from various outlets island-wide including:
- Port Erin - Bridge Bookshop & Port Erin Pets
- Port St Mary - Calvert Newsagents & PSM Town Hall
- Peel - Elaine's Flowers
- Ramsey - Bridge Bookshop & Marianne's Flowers
- Douglas - Welcome Centre & Railway Station
The weekend will raise funds towards the running costs of the Trust's new Rushen Heritage Centre at 1 Bridson Street, Port Erin, which opens to the public for the first time on Tuesday, June 29th.
Organiser Pam Crowe said: 'Our previous Secret Gardens & Hidden Treasures event, in Port Erin two years ago, was a huge success, raising several thousand pounds towards the work of Rushen Heritage Trust. We want to make this Port St Mary even bigger, and we are looking forward to a fantastic weekend. The gardens are truly beautiful, and the antique and collectors fair will be packed with stalls - we only have one or two still available, so do get in touch quickly if you would like a table.'
Pam is marshalling a team of volunteers to ensure the weekend runs smoothly, but would welcome any additional support.
She said: 'We have a wonderful team of volunteers at Rushen Heritage, but we never turn away offers of help. If anyone has an hour or two to spare over the Tynwald weekend, we would love to hear from you.'For further information, please call Pam on 834614 or 473768.'
