THE former Quayle's Hall in Ramsey has been transformed
into Ramsey Heritage Centre. People who have used the hall in the past
for coffee mornings and jumble sales will barely
recognise the previously gloomy-looking hall. The Jane Quayle trustees
own the hall and three adjoining cottages. The trustees are chairman Robert
Jelski, John Richmond, Tony Kennish and David Craine.The
trust owned eight cottages in Tower Road which were sold in about 2002
and raised £400,000, and the search started for a project. In 2005, Ramsey
Rotary Club decided to make providing a heritage centre for Ramsey a goal.
The transformation has been carried out by Mark Smith of Osborne Joiners,
with support from local tradesmen. On entering the hall visitors will
be faced with a spectacular oak staircase leading either side to a balcony.
Downstairs are several display cabinets kindly donated to the trustees
by Sean Corlett son of the late Bill Corlett who, with his wife Joan,
owned Celtic Jewellers in Parliament Street.
The aim of the trustees is to provide special features
and the first will be in TT fortnight, with lots of memorabilia including
two bikes lent by Glenn Kinrade and Darren Slous. Two screens are in place
to enable DVDs to be played and, during TT week, there will be an especially
interesting one of the late Dr Tom Groves with the first rescue helicopter.
Several people in the town have promised to lend items to the trustees
who stress that there is the very latest security system in place. They
would be grateful to anyone who feels they might have something to show
how Ramsey and surrounding areas were in days gone by. They will also
welcome the offer of help to staff the hall when open. New toilets including
one for the disabled have been installed along with an office and there
is new central heating in place.
Chairman Mr Jelski says that Ramsey Heritage Centre has
become a charitable company comprising the Jane Quayle Trustees, Ramsey
Rotary Club and Ramsey Heritage Trust. Quayle's Hall was built in around
1837 as the first Presbyterian Church of Scotland and in later years became
part of the Presbyterian Church of England. It was sold for £300 after
a new church was required, renamed and opened as the new Temperance Hall
on February 26, 1886. It was subsequently bequeathed by Jane Quayle and
served the town well until it became unviable to run. Thanks to the hard
work and effort put in by many people, Ramsey, has a Heritage Centre of
which they can be proud and the trustees hope the younger generation will
visit the centre to see how their town was in days gone by. Later in the
year there will be an official opening. Esther
Richmond IOM Independent: 10 May 2007
Reprinted with permission from Isle of Man Newspapers
The Centre was opened for TT practice Week and for TT
Week for the display of a Motorcycle Exhibition to celebrate 100 years
of the TT
TWO RACING BIKES WHICH HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE MANX GRAND PRIX
