Aliens' Camp, Douglas
Date made: 1914
Description: Sketch by an internee at Douglas Internment Camp 1914-1917. Entitled: 'Aliens' Camp, Douglas IOM The night after Dec. 2nd. For pleasant memories (1914)'. Artists name recorded as G.S.I. in bottom left hand corner. It shows the aftermath of the storm which struck Douglas Camp in which numbers of tents were blown down, as internees, some apparently in their night shirts, struggle to re-erect tents. Meanwhile, a guard looks on impassively, whilst what appears to be a Manx Cat patrols the barbed wire fence. This was one of the events which increased the imperative to move more men from the overcrowded Douglas Camp to the new site at Knockaloe.
Internees were held on the Isle of Man in two camps, a requisitioned holiday camp in Douglas and a purpose built camp located at Knockaloe near Peel on the west coast of the Island. These held at their peaks over 4,000 and 23,000 men in some cases for nearly five years between opening in 1914 and final closure in 1919. Over 30,000 men passed through Knockaloe between 1914 and 1917 more than the population of Douglas the largest town.
Measurements: h 3 1/2 in w 5 1/2 in
Materials: card & blue : pen & ink
Object name: drawing
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 1954-6978/3
Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS