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Thomas Cowley, the Water Engineer at Knockaloe Camp

Date made: 1915-1918

Description: Colour pastel drawing of Thomas Cowley of 9 Fort William, Douglas, the Water Engineer at Knockaloe Camp. Drawn by one of the internees and presented to him. Dressed in blue staff uniform of a civilian worker (one of the 'Blue Staff'). Produced by a civilian internee. Thomas Cowley of 9 Fort William appears on the 1911 Census as a Boarding House Keeper, aged 49.

Background:
During the First World War (1914-1918) the Isle of Man was used as an internment base for civilian ‘enemy aliens’. They were held 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.

Materials: paper

Object name: drawing

Collection: Art Collection

ID number: 1994-0007

Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS

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