Talk by Geoff Corkish MBE MHK, 'From Steam to Hot Air', about his career with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and later as a Member of the House of Keys in Tywnald
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Date(s): 5 May 2010
Creator(s): Peel Heritage Trust
Scope & Content: Bill Quine of Peel Heritage Trust introduces this talk recorded at the Peel Centenary Centre, Peel, Isle of Man.
Track 1: Geoff Corkish talks about his career with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. He talks about leaving school and joining the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company; working in the Parcels Office; dealing with lost property found on-board the ships; types of deck cargo; using a telex machine; dealing with new cars which were shipped over; how drugs for chemists were shipped over; the current problem of drugs coming over on ships; types and amount of passengers on the ships; porters who used handcarts to deliver and collect goods; cranes used to lift vehicles off ships; why ships are always a ‘she’; the interiors of the old Manxman class ships; silver service restaurants; people shooting rabbits and shipping them across; coffins being shipped across for cremations; how ships used to stop for passengers if they were late; ships diverted to Peel in bad weather; working in the Booking Box; Engineering Shop on Fort Street; jokes played on junior employees; scattering of ashes at sea; history of the company during the First World War and Second World War; planting trees at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire; role as Sales Manager; travel throughout Ireland; role as Communications Manager for Public Relations; meeting famous people; arranging PR trips on the new fast crafts; Women’s Institute trip around the island; and being involved with the launch of the new 'Ben My Chree'.
Track 2: Geoff Corkish talks about his career as a Member of the House of Keys (MHK). He talks about his long held ambition to join Manx politics; standing for election within Douglas West constituency; Tynwald swearing-in ceremony; big issues of the time when standing for election; helping constituents; the process of being appointed as a Member of the Department of Tourism and a Member of the Department of Trade and Industry; remit of the Department of Trade and Industry; remit of the Department of Tourism; being taken off the Department of Trade and Industry and being made a Member of the Manx Electricity Authority; need for the Department of Tourism to generate money; role as a Member of the Department of Economic Development; being a member of various committees; Summerland site; need for tourism to attract tourists and also enhance life for locals; problems for Isle of Man Government going forward; openness and transparency of Isle of Man Government and Parliament; what the Isle of Man has given to the world; recites a poem by Vera Martin, ‘A Kind of Loving’.
Language: English
Extent: 1 hr. 53 min. 26 sec.
Item name: compact disc
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: SA 2014-0030
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