Ramsey, Isle of Man
Encyclopedia
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man
. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas
. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census (7,322, 2001 census). It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier
, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of the main points of communication with Scotland
. Ramsey is also known as 'Royal Ramsey' due to royal visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
in 1847 followed by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1907.
and rises 45 feet (13.7 m) high, and stands as a landmark not only for the town of Ramsey, but also for the Isle of Man.
The name of the town derives from the Old Norse
for 'Garlic
River' or 'Garlic Island'. Despite the origins of the name, there is no island currently in the River Sulby
.
The town hosts the northern terminus
for the Manx Electric Railway
and is the start of the mountain section of the Snaefell Mountain Course
used for the Isle of Man TT
and Manx Grand Prix
motorcycle
races held annually on the island. A popular vantage point is Ramsey Hairpin
where many enthusiasts gather to watch the racers.
The Millennium Way
footpath ends a mile from the centre of the town on the A3 road at the foot of Sky Hill.
Mooragh Park, on the north side of the Sulby river from the town centre, is a large 19th century park with a boating lake where boats are available for hire. It was originally part of a salt marsh but was purchased and created by the town to encourage vistors.
The town boasts several sports clubs including Ramsey Rugby Club
, Ramsey Football Club
and Ramsey Youth Centre Football Club as well as a hockey team, a Gaelic football
team, Ramsey Ravens swimming team and a golf club. There is an active sailing club, the Manx Sailing and Cruising Club, which promotes an annual Round the Island sailing race as well as regularly scheduled dinghy and cruiser races.
A distinctive landmark of the town is the Queen's Pier, an iron pier which was built in 1886. It has been closed for many years due to health and safety issues (but subject to many re-opening appeals). It was served by its own tramway
. Queen Victoria landed here in 1847, when heavy seas made it impossible to enter Douglas Harbour
. Recovering from seasickness Victoria remained on the Royal Yacht
, leaving Prince Albert to venture ashore.
In 2007 the Council of Ministers Working Group, considering the future of Queen’s Pier, issued a questionnaire to the public as the first stage of its consultation on the issue of the future of the pier. The questionnaire was mailed to 3,200 randomly selected addresses, 1,800 in Ramsey and 1,400 in the rest of the island. It sought respondents’ views on a range of possible options, from doing nothing to restoration funded by commercial development. Analysis of the results is ongoing.
The local authority is the Ramsey Town Commissioners. Ramsey is also a House of Keys constituency
electing 2 MHK
s.
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census (7,322, 2001 census). It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of the main points of communication with Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Ramsey is also known as 'Royal Ramsey' due to royal visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
in 1847 followed by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1907.
History and features
The Albert Tower was built to commemorate the royal visit of Prince Albert on 20 September, 1847. Prince Albert climbed to the top of the hill where he viewed the surrounding town of Ramsey and the northern plain. The hill was renamed Albert Mount and a year later the tower's foundation was laid. The tower is made of graniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and rises 45 feet (13.7 m) high, and stands as a landmark not only for the town of Ramsey, but also for the Isle of Man.
The name of the town derives from the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
for 'Garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
River' or 'Garlic Island'. Despite the origins of the name, there is no island currently in the River Sulby
River Sulby
River Sulby can refer to one of two rivers on the Isle of Man:* The longest river on the Island, rising on Snaefell near the Sulby Reservoir and running north through Sulby Glen and then east for 18 kilometres before reaching the coast at Ramsey....
.
The town hosts the northern terminus
Ramsey (Plaza) tram station
Ramsey Station serves the town of Ramsey in the Isle of Man; it is the northern terminus of the Manx Electric Railway and gains its name from a nearby building, now demolished and turned into a car park...
for the Manx Electric Railway
Manx Electric Railway
The Manx Electric Railway is an electric inter-urban tramway connecting Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. It connects with the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway at its southern terminus at Derby Castle at the northern end of the promenade in Douglas, and with the Snaefell Mountain Railway at...
and is the start of the mountain section of the Snaefell Mountain Course
Snaefell mountain course
Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald...
used for the Isle of Man TT
Isle of Man TT
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...
and Manx Grand Prix
Manx Grand Prix
The Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races are held on the Isle of Man TT Course every year for a two-week period usually spanning the end of August and early September. The 'MGP' or 'Manx' is considered to be the amateur riders' alternative to the Isle of Man TT Races held in May and June...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
races held annually on the island. A popular vantage point is Ramsey Hairpin
Ramsey Hairpin
Ramsey Hairpin is situated between the 24th Milestone and 25th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road in the parish of Lezayre in the Isle of Man....
where many enthusiasts gather to watch the racers.
The Millennium Way
Millennium Way
The Millennium Way is a long distance footpath on the Isle of Man. The path is approximately 28 miles in length, stretching between Castletown and Ramsey.The footpath was opened in 1979 to mark the thousandth year of the parliament of the Island, Tynwald....
footpath ends a mile from the centre of the town on the A3 road at the foot of Sky Hill.
Mooragh Park, on the north side of the Sulby river from the town centre, is a large 19th century park with a boating lake where boats are available for hire. It was originally part of a salt marsh but was purchased and created by the town to encourage vistors.
The town boasts several sports clubs including Ramsey Rugby Club
Ramsey R.U.F.C.
Ramsey Rugby Club is a rugby union team based in Ramsey, Isle of Man. They compete in South Lancashire/Cheshire Division 3.-Club history:Ramsey RUFC was formed in the late 1970s by a group of old boys from the local comprehensive school, Ramsey Grammar School.The club was admitted to the Rugby...
, Ramsey Football Club
Ramsey F.C.
Ramsey A.F.C. is a football club from Ramsey on the Isle of Man. They compete in the Isle of Man Football League and they wear a blue and white kit, and a change strip of all red. They play their home games at the Ballacloan Stadium in Ramsey.-History:...
and Ramsey Youth Centre Football Club as well as a hockey team, a Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team, Ramsey Ravens swimming team and a golf club. There is an active sailing club, the Manx Sailing and Cruising Club, which promotes an annual Round the Island sailing race as well as regularly scheduled dinghy and cruiser races.
A distinctive landmark of the town is the Queen's Pier, an iron pier which was built in 1886. It has been closed for many years due to health and safety issues (but subject to many re-opening appeals). It was served by its own tramway
Queen's Pier Tramway
The Queen's Pier Tramway was a gauge line that once operated the entire length of the Queen's Pier in Ramsey on the Isle of Man.-Rolling stock:...
. Queen Victoria landed here in 1847, when heavy seas made it impossible to enter Douglas Harbour
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
. Recovering from seasickness Victoria remained on the Royal Yacht
HMY Victoria and Albert
HMY Victoria and Albert was a twin paddle steamer launched 25 April 1843. It functioned as a Royal Yacht of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, owned and operated by the Royal Navy. She laid down in 1842 at Pembroke Dock and was designed by Symonds...
, leaving Prince Albert to venture ashore.
In 2007 the Council of Ministers Working Group, considering the future of Queen’s Pier, issued a questionnaire to the public as the first stage of its consultation on the issue of the future of the pier. The questionnaire was mailed to 3,200 randomly selected addresses, 1,800 in Ramsey and 1,400 in the rest of the island. It sought respondents’ views on a range of possible options, from doing nothing to restoration funded by commercial development. Analysis of the results is ongoing.
The local authority is the Ramsey Town Commissioners. Ramsey is also a House of Keys constituency
House of Keys Constituencies
-Current constituencies:These were used for the 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 General Elections. The current electoral constituencies for the House of Keys are:-1986 changes:...
electing 2 MHK
Member of the House of Keys
Member of the House of Keys, or MHK is the title given to a person who has been elected into the House of Keys, the lower house of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man. There are twenty-four Members of the House of Keys. Elections are held every five years; the last election took place in...
s.
MHKs & Elections
| Year | Election | Turnout | Candidates | Elected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867 | General Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1875 |
General Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1881 |
General Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1901 |
By Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1903 |
General Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1929 |
General Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1934 |
General Election |
? |
|
|
|
| 1946 |
General Election |
? |
? |
|
|
| 1951 |
General Election |
? |
? |
|
|
| 1956 |
General Election |
? |
? |
|
2 MHKs now elected for Ramsey. Had been 1 since first election in 1867. |
| 1962 | General Election |
? |
? |
|
|
| 1981 |
General Election |
? |
? |
|
|
| 1984 |
By Election |
? |
? |
|
|
| 1986 |
General Election |
66% |
|
Allan Bell The Honourable Allan Robert Bell MHK is a Manx politician, who is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on October 11, 2011. He was formerly the Minister for Economic Development of the Isle of Man Government and is Member of the House of Keys for... Brigadier Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general.... Norman Butler |
|
| 1991 |
General Election |
70.6% |
|
Allan Bell The Honourable Allan Robert Bell MHK is a Manx politician, who is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on October 11, 2011. He was formerly the Minister for Economic Development of the Isle of Man Government and is Member of the House of Keys for... Terry Groves Terence Randolph Alexander Groves was a Member of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man and Government Minister.He was born in 1946 in Douglas, Isle of Man and educated at Shrewsbury School. His career was in Real Estate and he was also a director of an insurance company, Royal Skandia, and a... |
|
| 1996 |
General Election |
66.5% |
|
Leonard Singer Leonard Ian Singer MHK MR Pharm S is a British pharmacist and politician based in Ramsey, Isle of Man.-Career:Singer was born in Manchester on 27 January 1943, he has resided in Portugal and Tenerife. He moved to the island in 1989 and set up Singer's Pharmacy in Ramsey having qualified as a... Allan Bell The Honourable Allan Robert Bell MHK is a Manx politician, who is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on October 11, 2011. He was formerly the Minister for Economic Development of the Isle of Man Government and is Member of the House of Keys for... |
|
| 2001 |
General Election |
66% |
|
Allan Bell The Honourable Allan Robert Bell MHK is a Manx politician, who is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on October 11, 2011. He was formerly the Minister for Economic Development of the Isle of Man Government and is Member of the House of Keys for... Leonard Singer Leonard Ian Singer MHK MR Pharm S is a British pharmacist and politician based in Ramsey, Isle of Man.-Career:Singer was born in Manchester on 27 January 1943, he has resided in Portugal and Tenerife. He moved to the island in 1989 and set up Singer's Pharmacy in Ramsey having qualified as a... |
The two sitting MHK's held their seats. |
| 2003 |
By Election |
66.5% |
|
Annie Craine Anne Valerie Craine JP MHK was the Minister for the Treasury for the Isle of Man between 2010 and 2011 and Member of the House of Keys for Ramsey. Before that, she was previously the Minister of Education between 2006 and 2010. She was elected at the 2003 by-election... |
Following the elevation to the Council of Leonard Singer Leonard Singer Leonard Ian Singer MHK MR Pharm S is a British pharmacist and politician based in Ramsey, Isle of Man.-Career:Singer was born in Manchester on 27 January 1943, he has resided in Portugal and Tenerife. He moved to the island in 1989 and set up Singer's Pharmacy in Ramsey having qualified as a... . |
| 2006 | General Election |
|
Allan Bell The Honourable Allan Robert Bell MHK is a Manx politician, who is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on October 11, 2011. He was formerly the Minister for Economic Development of the Isle of Man Government and is Member of the House of Keys for... Annie Craine Anne Valerie Craine JP MHK was the Minister for the Treasury for the Isle of Man between 2010 and 2011 and Member of the House of Keys for Ramsey. Before that, she was previously the Minister of Education between 2006 and 2010. She was elected at the 2003 by-election... |
The two sitting MHK's held their seats. |
External links
- Information about Ramsey
- Isle of Man Census Report 2006
- Albert Tower
- The Friends of Queen's Pier, Ramsey
- Ramsey Isle of Man
- IOM Govt Council of Ministers Working Group
- BBC Domesday ReloadedBBC Domesday ReloadedBBC Domesday Reloaded is a local history web site for the digitised content of the 1986 BBC Domesday Project. It was launched in May 2011 and includes some updates contributed by users during 2011.-History:...
- Domesday Reloaded - Overview of Ramsey.