Notes on information contributed by Miss Beatrice Kneen, Ballamoar House, Ballaugh, aged 67, interviewed by Margaret Killip
Date(s): July 1964
Scope & Content: The document contains background notes by I M K, the interviewer, stating that Miss Kneen claims relationship with all the notable or wealthy families of Ballaugh. She is related to Edward Forbes, a cousin of Frank Taubman the sculptor. She has a collection of Taubman's work which is to come to the Museum eventually along with Miss Kneen's notebooks. She speaks of giving land to the Manx National Trust - a field with the ruins of Keeil Woirrey which she bought because the burial ground there contained 'the dust of her ancestors'. Miss Kneen describes an old ruinous thatched cottage near there house which were built about 1838 and was lived in by Loetitia Corlett, the aunt of Ellesworth Killip. There is also mention of houses in Glen Dhoo. She also referred to "Kewish who put the elk together" being an ingenious man, a stone cutter of grave stones and roofing slabs and stone used for other purposes. The Kewishes were also Parish clerks, one known as Thomas y Cleragh. Information about Hall Caine being descended from Caine the turf-cutter and his grandmother was a Clarke of Ballavolley who lived in a cottage at the corner known as Cape Horn on the main Ballaugh Road. There is also information about a chiollagh in the old house at Ballavolley. The contents also refer to a picture of Babban ny Mheillea, made in Ballaugh each year by Miss Kneen for the Liverpool Manx Society. It contained cuirn berries and hops and was pinched in at the top with sooty fingers to put in two eyes. She also had a picture by R Walker a Liverpool artist with Manx connections, of a house at Port Mooar, Maughold belonging to the folk dancer who gave Mona Douglas the Dirk Dance. Miss Kneen also had a dressed doll in the Northern Manx costume which is described. She also provided information about the Fort on Cronk Ould which was visited by Professor Bersu and Mr Megaw.
Language: English
Extent: 3 pages
Item name: typescript
Collection: Manuscript Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: FLS K/038-B