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Independent Islands => Isle of Man => Topic started by: LauraH on Thursday 31 March 05 16:04 BST (UK)
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My gt gt grandfather John Brown was a brewer employing 3 men at the Castle Hill Brewery, Onchan (1881 census). I would be interested if anyone has any info on the brewery or the Brown family.
Thanks
Laura
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Hello Laura,
I wonder if your great great grandfather bought the Castle Hill Brewery from Dr William Okell ? www.okells.co.uk/History.htm
The site below may provide a couple of useful addesses for you
http://www.familia.org.uk/services/iom/isle_of_man.html
Best Wishes,
Christopher
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Christopher,
Thanks for the message, I believe that John Brown bought the brewery in about 1880 and only had it for about a year. I think that after that, the family returned to Derbyshire. I'll have a look at the familia web site, thanks again
Laura
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I believe these people are my relatives. Washington Brown was my grandfather. I would love to talk to any relatives that are around. Cheers, Evonne
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try T Crumplin + Roger Rawcliffe "A Time of Manx Cheer" ISBN 1-873120-54-0 (I think still available from shop at Manx Museum shop@mnh.gov.im) for a history of the Manx brewing trade + pubs - however Brown only has a footnote as only owned brewery for abt 1 yr between bankruptcy of one owner and the next owner
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The Isle of Man Times and General Advertiser (Douglas, England), Saturday, May 05, 1883
Application for a dog licence.
John Woolff , Castle Hill Brewery . Onchan.
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The Isle of Man Times and General Advertiser (Douglas, England), Saturday, May 05, 1883
Application for a dog licence.
John Woolff , Castle Hill Brewery . Onchan.
What?! ;D
Has Douglas, Isle of Man been moved to England?! :o ;D
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Just checked and the newpaper title is the Isle of Man Times, and General Advertizer,
The ( Douglas England) come from the list of publications available on the newspaper site.
I`ve just copied and pasted the title, and it seems the extra area coverage info appears on all newspaper results, whatever the area. ;)
Just a coincidence I`m sure, but the paper was run by a James Brown and his son :)
The first Isle of Man Times was launched by William Shirrefs in 1847. He had established other newspapers at his company, the Manx Steam Press, during the 1840s, exploiting the extension of postal privilege to send newspapers free to mainland Britain. The imposition of a standard letter postage to the mainland in April 1849 resulted in the winding up of Shirrefs' business in July 1849.
James Brown re-launched the title on 4 May 1861. He had moved to the Isle of Man in 1846, and set up his own printing office. By 1854, he was the printer/publisher of the Isle of Man Advertising Circular . Brown used the Isle of Man Times to campaign for the reform of the House of Keys (similar to the House of Commons), which was self-elected and unrepresentative. In 1864, the Keys summoned Brown for libel and contempt, and he was sentenced to six months in prison. Brown continued to run the Isle of Man Times , writing editorials in support of freedom of the press. The newspaper expanded its content over the years, from four pages (twenty-four columns) in 1861 to eight pages (forty-eight columns) in 1867, with sixty-four columns being achieved in 1875. In 1888, a second weekly issue was begun, on Tuesdays.
In 1870, Mitchell's Press Directory wrote of the paper: "Advocates the rights of all parties without favour or affection. The local news of the island is given at length, with full reports of public meetings, general intelligence, etc." The price of the Isle of Man Times was 2d. Also published in competition were the Manx Sun , a Conservative newspaper (Saturdays, price 3d), and Mona's Herald , a Liberal paper (Wednesdays, price 2d).
James Brown died in 1881 and his son, John Archibald Brown, took over the running of the family business. The Isle of Man Times continued to be critical of authority, but became one of the dominant newspapers on the island. It remained in the hands of the family until 1958, and continued publication until 1987.
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On doing my family tree i came across this as we are Udall relations .
Charles Udall (c1839-1896), had perhaps the most remarkable life of all the siblings. At first he became well established, like his oldest brother, as a plumber in North Wingfield, Derbyshire - where he can be found at the time of the 1871 census living an apparently settled life with his wife - he had married Sarah Holloway in 1860 - and three sons. and with a resident domestic servant 13. However, things were not as straightforward as they appear as, in 1868, he had bought the Castle Hill Brewery in Douglas, Isle of Man. 1873 was the year that saw the opening of the railway line from Douglas to Peel, followed the next year by the line from Douglas to Port Erin. Seeing the opportunity, Udall built and opened the Railway Hotel in Douglas, a speculation that proved to be highly successful as, it is said, he recouped half his investment within four years. He also owned the Douglas Hotel. In 1879, he sold the brewery and acquired an interest in the Villiers Hotel (the largest hotel in Douglas - see image) which he enlarged 14. However, no doubt encouraged by this hugely successful experience, Udall used his interest in the Railway and Villiers Hotels to speculate in a London hotel - the Mona Hotel - which proved a venture too far as he was declared bankrupt in 1892. His wife and most of his family had remained in Douglas and he returned to them, dying there in 1896
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Pretty much the same story in "A Time of Manx Cheer" (Crumplin &Rawcliffe, 2002), which is a History of the licensed trade in the Isle of Man.
The Railway Hotel is still going, as is the Isle of Man Steam Railway to Port Erin!
Sadly, The Douglas Hotel is no more (although the building still stands) and the Villiers has been demolished within the past 25 years.
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Sad times to take history away pretty much the same too in Nottingham all the old building have gone making way for the ugly new ones thank you for your reply x
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Apologies!
The building with "The Douglas Hotel" embossed on the upper reaches still stands!
It is now "The Barbary Coast" restaurant - kind of a Manx Nando's with extras on the menu?! ;D