E. Simpkins and G. Halliday near Arthur Faragher's shop on the junction of Bowring Road with North Shore Road, Ramsey

Date(s): c.1920

Creator(s): Southward, Francis

Scope & Content: The building on the right was later a motorcycle leathers shop but when photographed by Southward it was the shop of Mr Arthur Faragher. The street lamp is in the road rather than on the pavement (or parapet). The tapered and fluted lamp standard featured a lot in Ramsey and elsewhere.

These two young gentlemen may well be Edmund Smethurst (Teddy) Simpkins and James Glencairn (Glen) Halliday.

Teddy was born in Bury in 1885 but moved to the Isle of Man with his father who was a plumber with Lavery and Co. His mother was a teacher for 34 years at The Ramsey National School. Simpkins went to sea firstly on sailing ships and then with the Clan Line serving on the Clan MacIvor during a Mutiny (Isle of Man Times, 4 July 1913, p.5). He was commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve and served at Gallipoli and the Far East. He rejoined the Clan Line but later worked as a manager for Lever Brothers at the Port of Ayre gravel quarries and Ramsey Steam Ship Company. He married Maggie Carran and had one daughter, Margaret (Ramsey Courier, 28 March 1941. Teddy died in 1941 and is buried in Maughold.

Glen was also born in 1885 but in Scotland. He was baptised in Santon 30 July 1885 and his parents were James and Emily Elizabeth Airey, niece of General Farrant. In 1900 he is noted as finishing 3rd in a swimming race for under-16-year-old boys at the Aquatic Festival on the Mooragh Lake (Ramsey Weekly News, 21 July 1900). Glen also went to sea, but in the Merchant Navy and was awarded a medal for this service after the First World War. Glen died in 1930.

Language: eng

Extent: 8 x 10.5 cm

Item name: glass plate negative

Collection: Photographic Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: PG/7850/205

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