Listed 'the proposing the American Tax, and the purchase of the Isle of Man' as twin achievements of the Grenville ministry. Parliament was asserting its authority over its dependencies, and the Island and the American colonies were processed together, in the same session, by the same ministry.
Issued orders on 4 June 1765 for deployment of troops from Ireland to the Isle of Man. By 28 June, Hale's Light Dragoons had reached the Island. The 2nd Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot followed.
A soldier in the Lord of Mann's garrison and also the slater who kept Castle Rushen in repair. The whole establishment across the entire Island numbered perhaps fifty men. A garrison made of neighbours — tradesmen who happened to draw garrison pay.
Offered the verdict on Wilson's achievement that placed the Island's ecclesiastical life in a larger context: 'If the ancient discipline of the church was lost elsewhere, it might be found in all its pomp in the Isle of Man.'
Of Kirk Braddan. Petitioned Bishop Wilson within two months of his arrival in 1698. Hampton's wife had been convicted of lamb stealing and sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. Hampton asked for a licence for a second marriage 'in consideration of his motherless children.' Wilson gave him 'liberty to make such a choice as may be most for your support and comfort.' Wilson's first case — pastoral, practical, humane.
Governor who heard the petition of the Grand Jurors fined for improperly acquitting George Wilks. He reduced the fines from twenty shillings to five shillings and sixpence, ruling their error was 'the effects of ignorance & misunderstanding the law, and not willfull error.' The system was merciful enough to forgive them.
Coroner of Rushen Sheading who discovered George Wilks's counterfeit pennies in a house search. Reported the matter because he was 'sworn to my Lord' and 'obliged to make a discovery.' Note the family name — Tubman/Taubman — which would appear in the Island's affairs for generations.
Man of Ballasalla accused of counterfeiting Manx copper pence in 1723. Thomas Tubman the Coroner discovered the counterfeits. Wilks admitted making a penny 'to try the mettal.' The Grand Jury acquitted to avoid sending a neighbour to his death. The Keys found the proceedings illegal. Governor Lloyd reduced the fines. The case demonstrated every layer of the Manx constitution functioning: Coroner, petty jury, Grand Jury, Keys exercising judicial review, and Governor tempering justice with mercy.
Assistant revenue officer at Douglas, paid three pounds Manx per year — the same as his superior Paul Bridson. These were the men responsible for collecting six or seven thousand pounds annually.
Principal revenue officer at Douglas — 'which always has been, and will probably continue to be, the first port of the island.' Paid three pounds Manx per year. Also the largest importer of Guinea goods on the Island — gunpowder and trade goods for the slave trade supply chain, stored in Douglas warehouses 'for their African trade.'
Searcher at Peel who arrested crew members from a King's barge that chased a wherry into the harbour at midnight in July 1752 and seized casks of tobacco.
Headed a mob at Peel when a Royal Navy tender's longboat landed in October 1758 and seized a boat. The garrison soldier sent to restore order, James Clarke, 'seeing so great a mob with the said Gordon, thought it not safe to dispute there, and so retired home.'
Jewish trader in Douglas whose goods were seized in the ordinary course of the Duke's customs enforcement. One of the foreign merchants drawn to the Island because the commercial opportunity was real enough to be worth the risk.
Ramsey fisherman, the third named petitioner in the November 1765 seizure of a fishing boat in Ramsey Bay. Three men, named in the archive, whose boat was taken by the new regime within months of the Revestment.
Ramsey fisherman whose boat was seized alongside John Sayle and John Wattleworth in November 1765. The petition regarding the illegal seizure of a fishing boat in Ramsey Bay was filed 21 November 1765 — barely five months into Crown administration.
Ramsey fisherman whose boat was illegally seized in November 1765 — six months after the Revestment. He petitioned alongside John Kneene and John Wattleworth. Named fishermen, having their livelihoods destroyed. This is the human cost with names attached.
Chief Constable of Douglas who testified to the 1792 Commissioners that the prison was 'in a very ruinous condition, and insufficient for the purpose of confining offenders, without having a guard set over them.' Twenty-six years the Crown had been responsible for this building.
A poor labourer of Garff who won his case in the Manx courts — because the Deemster heard the case and the evidence was on his side. Then he lost, because the new system allowed his opponent to appeal to a jurisdiction in London that knew nothing about him, nothing about Garff, nothing about the Island. The appeal cost money John Tear did not have. The system that had worked — imperfect but accessible — had been replaced by something that served lawyers rather than litigants.
Clergyman whose appointment as Vicar of Kirk German was blocked by George Moore in 1754. Moore wrote to John Quayle asking him to involve the Deputy Governors because Gell's 'Behaviour in all Instances and upon all occasions has shewn his Disposition to prejudice the trade in this Isle.' The Governor shared their view. Mr Gell did not become Vicar of Kirk German. The trading interest reached into Church patronage as easily as it reached into the customs house.
Post-Revestment figure whose correspondence from the 1780s reports on revenue reform and patronage disputes, and on Lutwidge's continued influence over patronage twenty years after the Revestment. Reports on the new Receiver General replacing Lutwidge (30 September 1786). The Heywood chain shows the Lutwidge dynasty finally ending.
Wealthy Douglas merchant who bought Bemahague from Edward Christian in 1789 — the Christian family home from at least 1600, sold because the Revestment's economic consequences had ruined the family. Part of the interconnected web of Manx families. The Manx Government purchased the property in 1904 and turned it into Government House.
German archaeologist interned on the Isle of Man as an enemy alien during the Second World War. After his release, he excavated Viking graves on the Island — contributing to Manx history while having been held prisoner on Manx soil. The man who was imprisoned on the Island ended up illuminating its past.
The Dadaist artist, interned at Hutchinson Square in Douglas during the Second World War. Hutchinson Square is still there. People walk through it every day.
Wrote home from Ohio in 1827. His letter, published in the Manx Sun on 18 March 1828, was both an invitation and an indictment. 'A laboring man can earn as much in 2 days that will keep a family of 7 or 8 persons a week.' 'The girls here do not work in dunghills like slaves as they do on the Island.' 'No Mc Crone, Sandy or Lambie.' 'You do not want to put your hand in your hat and humble yourself to the dust when you spake to a gentleman here like you do on the Island.' He dropped into Manx twice in the letter. He reported: 'This first night we were here there were 33 Manx people in our house at a time. Manx is spoken here in plenty.'
