Narration by John Watterson about his memories of Port St Mary
Audio Player:
Date(s): 1992
Scope & Content: Track 1: John Watterson talks about his schooldays and teachers; the 'Lady Plymouth' that ran aground near the pier in the First World War; war bulletins; Armistice celebrations in the village; teacher Miss Gell and headmasters Mr Place, Mr Wilkinson and Mr Corlett; bodies of sailors washed-up on the shores during the First World War; fishing and digging-up worms for fishing; playing with a hoop and hook; Mr Costain, the smith and John Crowe; herring fleet; poet Ambrose Maddrell and his poems about fishing boats; Willie Radcliffe, fisherman; Scottish drifters visiting Port St Mary; Qualtroughs Yard; playing football on the Cronk or Chapel Beach; men with ponies and carts called cadgers; housewives preparing herrings; lifeboat launches and Lifeboat Day; wrecking of the 'Clan McMaster' at the Sound; religious meetings in the winter; magic lantern shows; Hop Tu Naa songs; accidental shooting of a boy in Fistard; sailing around the shores near Port St Mary; playing ‘kick the tin’ on the pier; ways of making money; the first golf course in Port St Mary at Ballacreggan; Steam Packet vessels 'Tyrconnell' and 'Cushag'; being a message-boy; funeral traditions.
Track 2: He continues to talk about funeral traditions and then talks about meetings in the Sunday school; visits of Robert Matteson and his memorial; comparison of the village then and now. John recites poems about a little cottage at the Lhargan; about Kitterland and gull eggs; and about two men going to Port Verk to collect lobster pots. He reads humorous Manx dialect poems by Kathleen Faragher ‘At The Fair’, recounting drunken escapades on Tynwald Hill; ‘Putting A Sight On Betsy Next Door’; ‘The Manx Afternoon’, adventures preparing bonnag for a Women’s Institute tea; ‘The Stranger’, about belonging to the Isle of Man; and one beginning 'Hi Lizzie', relating gossip about mishaps on the way to the mart. John talks about the shops in Port St Mary now and in the 1920s; demise of the High Street.
Language: English
Extent: 57 min. 40 sec.
Item name: cassette tape
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: SA 0380
Access conditions: All reasonable attempt has been made by Manx National Heritage to trace and request permission (where needed) from the copyright holder(s) in this sound recording. If however you think you are a rights holder then please contact Manx National Heritage.
Subject tags : #UOSH