40 films: From the Aquadrome to Manx Airlines

40 films: From the Aquadrome to Manx Airlines

Mon, 30 May 2022

A collection of 40 historical films has been released online covering important buildings, events and services now gone or changed entirely.

These films released by Culture Vannin range from a 2003 tour of the Summerland building before its demolition to the final Manx Airlines flight in 2002.

The films were captured between 2001, with the IRIS sewage network construction, and 2006, with the demolition of Summerland. They have been edited together and released for free online as a part of Culture Vannin’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

James Franklin, Online & Educational Resources Officer, Culture Vannin, says:

“The Isle of Man never stands still, but it is only when we look back that we realise just how momentous some of these changes are. It is wonderful that my predecessors here at Culture Vannin had the foresight to capture some of these changes before they were lost forever.”

The forty films include: a tour around the Aquadrome and Summerland sites in 2003, the final flight of Manx Airlines on 31 August 2002, the funeral of Sir Charles Kerruish in 2003, a tour around the old Noble’s Hospital shortly after its closure in 2003, protests around the plan to demolish St. Jude’s church in 2002, regeneration work in the House of Keys in 2005, IRIS Sewage Network construction, the Festival of Arts in 2001, the work to lay a MEA National Grid cable in 2003, a tour of the RAF Jurby firing range and more.

The films were captured during Charles Guard’s time working for Culture Vannin. They were created as a part of the organisation’s pioneering work to document the changing face of the Isle of Man through oral history, photography and film.

The films have been edited together and are being released now as a part of the cultural charity’s 40th anniversary celebrations, having been founded in 1982 after a Tynwald petition from Sheila Tarr.

Dr Breesha Maddrell, Director of Culture Vannin, says:

“These films show the importance of our shared history and of what shapes us as an Island and as a nation. It is wonderful to have such archives to release now in our 40th year.”

The films are a part of Culture Vannin’s online collection of over 1,000 films, freely available on the Culture Vannin website or on their YouTube channel.

The full list of films is as follows:

• Demolition of Summerland (2006)
• Tynwald Regeneration (2005)
• Summerland tour (2003)
• Aquadrome tour (2003) (x2)
• Noble’s Hospital (2003) (x3)
• RAF Jurby firing range (2003)
• Ballure Church (2003)
• Sir Charles Kerruish funeral (2003)
• Corlett’s Warehouse, Peel (2003)
• Onchan Barn (2003)
• MEA National Grid Cable (2003) (x11)
• St. Jude’s demolition protest (2002)
• Manx Airlines' final flight (2002)
• Manx Gas Plant, South Quay (2002) (x4)
• IRIS Sewage Network (2001) (x6)
• Festival of Visual Arts (2001)