What did the Victorians and Edwardians ever do for us?

Well, in reality, quite a lot. In particular, some of the most important aspects of our unique tourist offering have their roots in those far-off times.

I thought this week I would have a look and share a couple of them. Some may say there are other examples of the things I’m going to mention, but I think the really special feature of these examples of Victorian ingenuity is that on our little island, there are so many different attractions to enjoy.

Of course, over the years many have been ‘lost to progress’, but we still have much to treasure…

Let’s start with the dark chamber… What is that, you may ask? Well, translated from Latin, it is Camera Obscura.

Have you ever paid a visit to the ‘Great Union Camera Obscura’ on Douglas Head?

A camera obscura is a device that projects an image of the outside world onto a surface inside a darkened room.

It works by allowing light from an outside scene to enter through a small hole, which then creates an upside-down image on the opposite side. This early method of capturing images is considered a predecessor of modern cameras.

The Great Union Camera Obscura is unique among such curiosities in the world, as it has 11 lenses.

The masterpiece works by using a series of mirrors and lenses located around the roofline above a darkened room.

Views of the surrounding area are then projected onto a circular table, which has been separated by partitions to give 11 moving colour pictures of the 360-degree view.

This includes Douglas Harbour, the lighthouse, and the horizon. Unlike other structures, which were built for astronomical purposes, the Isle of Man’s Camera Obscura was built in 1891 purely as an attraction for the flourishing Manx tourist industry.

It was invented, patented, and originally operated by John Richard Fielding, originally of Rochdale.

The original entrance fee was 2d—the equivalent today of about £1.10.

This Victorian gem has entertained visitors for many years, offering a unique way to see the surrounding area. It is rumoured that, as well as observing movements around the bay and seagulls flying overhead, occasionally a couple enjoying each other's company - as well as their surroundings - can be observed.

The Camera Obscura was one of the attractions located in my former constituency and was placed on the Registered Buildings Register on March 29, 1985.

After Mr Fielding’s ownership, the Camera Obscura was sold to Mr Heaton, whose family operated the attraction until the 1990s, when it passed to the Isle of Man Government. For some years it was covered to protect its structure until restoration by the Department of Local Government and the Environment.

In 2005, it was officially handed to my then department (Tourism and Leisure). Fortunately, we were able to negotiate with the Isle of Man Victorian Society, whose dedicated volunteers continue to show off this marvel to this day.

The second unique attraction is the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway.

Special for many reasons, but in particular because it is the only such system in the world which forms part of the public transport system of Douglas and our island. The tramway was built and initially operated by Thomas Lightfoot, a retired civil engineer from Sheffield.

His service was introduced in 1876 between the bottom of Summer Hill and the bottom of Broadway, in the centre of the promenade adjacent to the Villa Marina.

So, before those who want to keep the operation as the ‘halfway horse tram’ jump in, it must be made clear that, in his wisdom, Mr Lightfoot oversaw an expansion of the service.

Passing loops and long crossovers were added so that by 1891, the line ran double track along the entire length of the promenade. Here I must correct Wikipedia, which suggests - and I quote - ‘much as it does today…’ No, sadly not!

From its opening, the tramway has operated every year, other than during the Second World War and during the promenade refurbishment.

In 1882, Lightfoot sold the line to Isle of Man Tramways Ltd, later the Isle of Man Tramways & Electric Power Co. Ltd, which also owned the Manx Electric Railway.

The company went into liquidation in 1900 as a consequence of the Dumbell’s Bank collapse - known as Black Saturday - which resulted in a run on the bank, with many individuals losing their life savings, as well as having a severe impact on a number of businesses.

The tramway was sold by the liquidator to Douglas Corporation in 1902. Since 1927, the tramway has operated during the summer season only.

I said earlier that we are fortunate to have a number of unique heritage attractions. How about this?

Despite being the last remaining 19th-century original horse-drawn tramway in the world - and the second-oldest operational rail system on the island - the future of the tramway has been brought into question in recent years. In 2016, Douglas Corporation announced that the tram service had run for the last time the previous September and had closed, stating it was not financially viable.

An online petition attracted more than 2,000 signatures, and the House of Keys established a committee to look at ways of retaining the iconic horse trams. The Heritage Railway division of the Department of Infrastructure took over and continued the service for the 2016, 2017, and 2018 seasons.

There was some debate during the promenade redevelopment as to whether the tramway would move to the seaside of the promenade in single-line formation, including on the promenade walkway.

This was opposed by a group of local residents, and this led to the tracks being re-laid in their previous alignment along the centre of the promenade. Trams recommenced operation on Friday, July 29 2022, although sadly not for the full distance as had been agreed.

The most important thing, though, is the recognition that - like the Villa Marina complex - the trams constitute an ‘all-island’ facility and are now operated through all-island taxes rather than only Douglas rates.

The tramway is a 3ft narrow gauge double track and the service is provided by 23 tramcars and some 45 beautiful, gentle horses, who can be seen enjoying the fields and relaxing adjacent to the Clypse and Kerroodhoo reservoirs.

There have been several types of tramcar, and at least one of each type is retained.

Most services are maintained by ‘closed toast racks’, with winter saloons and open toast racks also in semi-regular service. In the summer, trams are stabled overnight adjacent to the Terminus Tavern, and there is a purpose-built tram shed where they are stored in winter.

Finally, may I add my congratulations to Peter Cannon, who joined the horse tram service as a conductor on July 6, 1975 before moving on to take on the role of driver the following year, during the centenary of the operation.

Who remembers the grand parade of horses and tramcars at the time? Well done, Peter, on your 50 years of service.

He is the son of a former colleague of mine - Danny Cannon, Mayor of Douglas, 1982–1983.

Remembering also Alderman Fred Griffin, another big supporter of this unique operation.