The Castle Tap, Broadway, Douglas

Date(s): 1887

Scope & Content: On the back of this photograph Frowde writes, 'American Skittle Alley, where as a small boy, with others of equal age, I used to sit on the back benches (about 1877 to '79) watching the bowlers, until our numbers became a nuisance and we were all cleared out. We entered under the three legs in circle. Door walled up, and then only entrance via the bar. 'American Jack's,' small terrace of houses before they were fronted with shops. A well known builder in my early days, name John Kelly, the prefix being due to absence from the Island for some years in the States. I knew him. An unpleasant feature of those days was that few people escaped conferment of a nickname, particularly were they men much in the public eye, and a credit to their Country. In proportion to the greatness of his service to the community, so also was the greater amount of obloquy a man's meritorious efforts seemed to evoke. One rarely, these days (1932) can call to mind a nickname even applied to the humblest in the population. There still persists to a small degree, a tendency to enviously belittle, such as have by their own meritorious efforts even, achieved a competence, or more, or have received honourable appreciation for unselfish public service well and ably performed. But in Douglas anyhow, things are healthier in this regard today. In my earlier manhood it was a man with a hide like leather that could stand for any election - Keys or Town Commissioners. He was reckoned a fit target for insulting personal allusions and every other possible form of contumely, including derogatory allusions to ancestors of his, long deceased. At election times, whatever for, there were scenes, hard to credit today. Mr Thomas Cubbon, father of Mr W C Cubbon of Rushen Abbey Gardens, put up for Peel in the Keys. Going to Peel to address a meeting, his car was held up on the road near his destination. There was a shout, "Out knieves, cut sods to give Cubbon the devil" '. [More notes - rubbed out]

Language: eng

Physical description: black & white print

Item name: photograph

Collection: Photographic Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: PG/8224/18/91

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