Entrance to no. 1 Fort St, Douglas
Date(s): 1932-1934
Creator(s): Frowde, John James
Scope & Content: On the back of this photograph Frowde writes, 'The entrance to no 1 Fort St, long styled 'The Old Fort'. Doubtless it may have served the old Fortress on the Pollack Rocks in some capacity. It was the nearest building and on the shore. In the CR papers we have an inventory of the Fort's contents and armaments, about 1694. Then there are appended a list of the contents of the 'picket loft', the 'middle sellar', and 'the great sellar in ye towne'. The 'sellar' under no 1 is the greatest come upon during demolitions, it is, probably, the reason of no 1 paving so long been identified with the Douglas Fort, (Rampart only. Tower demolished 1818?) on the Pollock Rock. Actual Douglas Fort, and cellars, not Fort St items, later in this series, at end of Route." Additional note: "H Bailiff Harris said that he had attended school in this building among occupiers last century. Capt Corlett of the IOMSPCo. The mother of Mrs Tom Fleming, Butcher later, of Harcroft'.
NB the Old Fort tavern has been identified as the location of the Royal Navy Rendezvous - the headquarters of the press gang - during the Napoleonic Wars. It has been specualted that the unusually large cellar was the 'press room' used to hold unwilling recruits.
Language: eng
Extent: overall: 14 cm x 9 cm
Physical description: black & white print
Item name: photograph
Collection: Photographic Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: PG/8224/1/11