Spotlight on Manx National Heritage’s printed poetry resources

Posted on 19.09.2024

As we draw near to Manx Litfest 2024, it is timely to draw attention to the poetry resources cared for by Manx National Heritage Library and Archives. Based at the Manx Museum, Douglas, our library has been collecting Manx printed and manuscript resources for over a century. We hope the content is of help and interest to the poetical community and beyond and can be used to inspire and inform creative writing and research.

Firstly, a bit of admin. Our poetry resources are organised at class number J.8 within our printed collection. Our Library is one of very few, worldwide, still using James Duff Brown’s Adjustable Library Classification and Shelf Arrangement, first published in 1898. Printed items are classified by subject using a division letter, followed by a subdivision of letters or numbers. We are simplifying matters so that more and more of our class references are now using the first three letters of the author’s surname rather than sub-numbers.

Our collecting remit is to document the Isle of Man and people with strong Isle of Man associations. Classic Manx poetry is a notable facet in our printed resources. One such resource is this bound volume of nine of the works of poet Josephine Kermode, better known by her nom de plume Cushag. The set includes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions of many of her greatest works such as The Peel Plays or Sketches of Manx Life and Ellan Vannin to name but two.

Ref: M 01031 (J.8/KER)

Ref: PG/7681/2

During his time in the Royal Navy, poet William Kennish wrote of his nostalgic memories of the Isle of Man and its traditions. These were collected and became the anthology Mona’s Isle. This first edition of 1844 begins with a poem in three cantos entitled Mona’s Isle – one of his finest poems.

Ref: M 23263 (J.8/KEN)

Contemporary Manx poetry within our collections continues the poetical legacy of a proud Manx literary culture. Simon Maddrell is one such renowned contemporary Manx poet represented within our collection. Simon is a poet from the LGBT community and his limited-edition (red thread) anthology Isle of Sin illustrates thought provoking and unapologetic poems about the queer history of the island.

Ref: M 45739 (J.8/MAD)

In addition to a range of books and pamphlets, our resources include serials such as Manx Reflections, a serialised anthology from the Isle of Man Poetry Society, featuring a collection of poetry by writers with an island connection.

Ref: SL 639 (L.6/REF)

We also have its predecessor Under the Hill from 2007-2014.

For those poetically minded or simply curious, do drop into the library reading room during our opening hours (Wednesday to Saturday, 10-4.30pm) to find out more. We can produce content to you by request once you are registered as a library user (so remember some ID giving your home address).

In advance you are welcome to consult our online catalogue on imuseum.im. Using the turquoise library tag on imuseum, click the ‘advanced’ search button under the main search to reveal an advanced drop-down search. J.8 can be entered into the ‘classification’ box to narrow the search. The ‘title’ field will narrow the search by title, especially when used in combination with the classification box, or the ‘author’ search box. Hit the ‘advanced search’ button to start the search. This is the best way to find poetry resources within the library collections.

Suzi Heslan, Librarian, Manx National Heritage