More than 90 years ago car racing took place round the promenade and streets of central Douglas and Onchan during a number of events held between the two Great Wars and into the early 1950s.

Well-known former local advocate Neil Hanson, as well as being a clerk of the course for the TT and MGP, is extremely knowledgeable on motorsport in general. In 2015 he produced a comprehensive 200 page book tracing the history of car racing in the Isle of Man between 1904 and 1953 [published by Lily Publications].

As well as being a fascinating read, the book is an important part of Manx social history covering top international motor racing in the island for the first half of the 20th century.

The early events were the Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trials in 1904 and 1905 over a 52 mile course that stretched from Douglas to Castletown, then north to Ballaugh and Ramsey via the long Ballamoar straight through Sandygate and St Jude’s, returning to Douglas via the Mountain Road (no more than a dust track in those days).

The 1906-1907 course did not include the southern loop, but basically completed the current Snaefell course with an extended section to Peel and the coast road to Kirk Michael. In 1908 and 1914 the ‘Four Inch Course’ covered the TT course as we know it today, with a slight deviation for the next event in 1922 (through Onchan).

The international Mannin Beg and Mannin Moar races took place in 1933, 1934 and 1935 on two different courses when a technical section involving Finch Road, Buck’s and Woodbourne Road, St Ninian’s Road and upper Victoria Road was swapped for a less involved Broadway, York and Stoney Road segment. There was then a flat-out drag from the foot of Bray Hill to the heart of Onchan where cars turned sharp right (at Corkills Garage as we know it today) and went down Summerhill onto the promenade.

The Willaston Circuit (plus Nursery Bends into Onchan) was used in 1936 for the RAC International Light Car race, then an anti-clockwise route heading north from Central Promenade to Port Jack, up Royal Avenue into Onchan village and flat-out along Governor’s and Glencrutchery roads and left down Ballaquayle Road and Broadway to the prom.

The extended Willaston circuit, taking in Onchan, was then used from 1947 to the final BRDC British Empire Trophy Races in 1953.