The Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society (IOMNHAS) will round off its winter lecture programme with a presentation exploring the evolving role of women in Manx politics.

Taking place on Saturday, March 29 at the Manx Museum Lecture Theatre in Douglas, the event will feature Dr Catriona Mackie of University College Isle of Man (UCM), who will deliver a talk titled Women in Manx Politics. It follows the society’s annual general meeting, with proceedings starting earlier than usual at 2pm to accommodate both events.

Dr Mackie, Programme Leader for the History & Heritage and Creative Visual Practice degrees at UCM, will present findings from an academic research project that charts the experiences of women elected to Tynwald from 1919, when women first became eligible to stand, through to March 2025.

To date, 26 women have been elected as Members of the House of Keys. The project, a collaboration between UCM and Oxford Brookes University, combines statistical analysis, documentary research, and qualitative insights from interviews and focus groups with former and current women MHKs.

Dr Mackie said: ‘The aim has been to identify trends over time in the number of women standing and being elected, women’s reasons for standing, their experiences on the campaign trail, and their experiences in Parliament.

‘This lecture will outline some of the findings of the project, exploring the way in which gender and politics intersect in a small democracy with no strong party system.’

The first half of the lecture will introduce some of the pioneering figures in Manx political history, including Louisa Nelson, the first woman to stand for election; Marion Shimmin, the first woman elected; and Jean Thornton-Duesbery, the first woman appointed to an executive role in Tynwald.

Attendees will learn about the platforms these women campaigned on, the social attitudes they faced, how the media portrayed them, and how they navigated a historically male-dominated political space.

The second part of the lecture focuses on the more recent experiences of women in Manx politics. Dr Mackie said the research highlights three key factors unique to the island’s political landscape: the absence of a party-political system; the close-knit nature of small-democracy politics; and the constraints of a limited national budget—all of which shape the experience of public office.

‘Although these factors affect all elected representatives,’ she said, ‘the evidence shows they have a specific and sometimes disproportionate impact on women.’

A former Trustee of Manx National Heritage and current Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Chester, Dr Mackie is widely respected for her work in heritage, Celtic studies, and cultural identity. She is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. Non-members will be invited to make a small donation. Tea and biscuits will be served following the lecture. Attendees are advised to arrive early to secure a seat.

IOMNHAS is expected to announce details of its spring and summer excursions shortly. For membership and programme information, visit www.manxantiquarians.com or follow the society on Facebook.