[from Porter's Directory, 1889]

PORT ERIN,

IS A PRETTY romantic village in the parish of Castle Rushen, 14 miles from Douglas, 5 from Castletown, and 1 from Port St. Mary, is admitted to be one of the most charming, attractive, and yet secluded places in the island ; facing the south or south-west, the climate resembles that of Torquay, and is now regarded as one of the winter resorts of the immediate future ; the air is crisp and warm, and even in December contains but little moisture ; frost never penetrates and snow melts as it falls. The health-giving properties of this charming spot only require to be known to make it one of the most favoured watering places in the British Isles. The construction of a break-water, intending to make the bay a harbour of refuge, was almost completed when a violent storm arose and washed it away, breaking into atoms huge masses of concrete and throwing them up on the beach like pebbles, the cost of a sufficiently strong structure being so great that the project is now in abeyance. At the head of the bay is St. Catherine’s Well, at one time held in great medicinal repute, the curative properties of the water finding many believers in different parts of the island. At the northern limit of the bay is Brada Head, rising almost perpendicularly to a height of about 500 feet, on the summit of which is the Milner Tower, erected by public subscription in 1871, in memory of Mr. William Milner, a benevolent gentleman who resided for many years in this locality, and took an enthusiastic interest in the social welfare of the inhabitants generally, but especially of the fishermen. On the face of the cliff may be seen terraces, worked by the miners of bygone days in search of copper and lead ; the mines in the district extend for a considerable distance under the sea. Many delightful excursions may be arranged, starting from Port Erin as a centre. From Castle Mona may be seen Spanish Head and the Calf of Man with the Sound running between, being a narrow channel about 500 yards wide, dividing the small island known as the Calf of Man from Man itself. In the Sound, near Kitterland Isles, in 1852, the brig "Lilly," of Liverpool, exploded, after striking on the rocks, causing the death of 32 seamen, in memory of whom a monument has been erected in the parish churchyard. The currents of the channel are very dangerous, and vessels of large tonnage seldom venture the passage. The Calf of Man is an islet of about five miles in circumference, and was formerly considered a place of great importance and was garisoned, but is now partly appropriated as a grazing ground for sheep but the greater portion is a rabbit warren. In 1818 two lighthouses were erected to warn navigators against a dangerous reef, known the Chickens’ Rock. Traces of the foundation of an old Catholic church, built in the form of a cross, are found on the highest summit of the islet ; there are many other places of interest well worth, visit. Boating, yachting, fishing and bathing may be indulged with almost complete security. There are three excellent hotels where the accommodation is good and charges moderate ; the lodging houses are very comfortable and pleasantly situated. There is a post office, telegraph and money-order office ; Mr. William Turnb is postmaster.
The Town Commissioners are—Mr. Richard Barkhi chairman ; Mr. T. W. Barker, Mr. James Mylrea, Mr. Thos. Moor Mr. James Costain; E. Allen, clerk.
Waterworks Company: U. L. Tristram, chairman ; Mr. James Clague and Mr. John Clag
There is a very neat church, dedicated to St. Catherine, of which the Rev. Blundell Browne is vicar. There is also a place of worship for the Primitive Methodists and Wesleyans, and an elementary school of which Mr. Allen is head master. Population, about 600.

PORT ERIN
ALPHABETICAL DIRECTORY.

Edward, schoolmaster, 4 Glenview ter

Barkell Captain, manager of the Rushen Mining Co.
BARKER Mrs. T. W., select private apts, Busby.House, Bay View crescent
BARKER THOMAS WALMSLEY, station master and goods agent, Busby house, Bay View Crescent
Baron Harry, labourer
Bradshaw George, draper
Bridson John, labourer, Ballafurt rd

Caley Thomas, general smith, The Shore
Carine Robert, apts
CAUGHERTY Mrs. JOHN, private apts, Mount Pleasant house
Christian Joseph, fisherman, The Shore
Christian Wm., apts, 8 Glenview terrace
Clague Henry, builder, Eastfield villa
Clague James, car proprietor and farmer, Rowany
CLAGUE JOHN, family grocer and baker and provision merchant, The Shore
Clague Thomas, butcher
Clague Thomas, Bellevue hotel
Clucas Wm.
Clugstone Ann
COPPEY ELIZABETH, refreshment rooms, The Shore
Coffey Samuel, carter
Collister Wm , boatman and refreshment rooms, The Shore
Collister Wm., fleherman
Coole Henry, harbour master, Harbour office
Coole Isabella, Springfield house, Clarendon terrace
Coole James, mariner
Cornish Charles, labourer
Costain Edward, joiner and builder
COSTAIN Mrs JAMES, jun., private apts, 5 Glenview terrace
COSTAIN JAMES, jun., builder, 5 Glenview terrace ‘
Costain the Misses M. and J., Albion house, Clarendon terrace
Cowley Edward, bootmaker
Cowley Wm., railway porter, The Shore
Craine Philip, fisherman
Crebbin John, apta, Spaldrick
Crebbin Wm., fisherman
Cregeen Catherine, Shore rd
CREGEEN HENRY, boat proprietor and select private apts, 2 Glenview terrace
Cregeen John, mariner
Cregeen John, fisherman
CREGEEN ROBERT, select private apts, Clifton house, and pleasure boat proprietor, The Shore
Cregeen Thomas, fisherman, Shore rd
Cregeen Wm., fisherman
Cribbin Edward, lodging house, Spaldrick

Elliott Wm., master mariner

Gale Mrs., Ballafurt rd
Gale Andrew, fisherman, Spaldrick
Gibb Sarah A., 7 Glenview terrace
GILL JAMES M., select private apts, Stuart house
GORRY ROBERT, grocer farmer, and refreshment rooms, The Shore

HARRISON Mrs. JAMES, Belmont house, Ballafurt rd

Harrison Richard, refreshment rooms, The Shore
HARRISON Mrs. WILLIAM, lodging house, Thornciffe house,Ballafurt rd
HODGE JOSEPH, Optic house, priate boarding establishment, Bay view crescent
HOLMES and WATTERSON, Jubilee refreshment rooms, The Shore
Holmes Robert, baker, The Shore
HUDSON Mrs. WILLIAM, private lodging house, Seaforth house, Ballafurt rd

Keggan John, mariner
Keggan Margaret
Keig Bros., coal merchants, The Rest, and at Port St. Mary
KEIG Mrs. JOHN, select private apts, The Rest, Promenade
KELLY ALBERT ED., boarding house, 2 Rowany terrace
KELLY Mrs. STEPHEN THOS., private apts, 6 Glenview terrace
Kelly Stephen Thomas—Agent for the Prudential Assurance Co., 6 Glenview ter
KELLY Mrs. WM. private apts, Shore house,
KELLY WM., farmer and car proprietor, Shore house, Shore rd
Kermode Mrs., sailmaker, Spaidrick
KERMODE Mrs., select private apts, Castle Mona, Port Erin
Kermode Thos. Richard, draper and fancy goods dealer, The Shore

Lindsay Joseph, mariner, The Shore

Maddrell John, fisherman
MADDEELL Mr. THOMAS E., Seacombe house, Clarendon ter
Maddrell Edward bootmaker, Ballafurt rd
Maddrill Mrs., Spaldrick
McARD JOSEPH, builder, West Cliff villa
McARD Mrs. JOSEPH, select private apts, West Cliff
McCOMBE MATILDA, privatc apts, Glenview house
McGain Thomas, railway guard, 3 Glen view terrace
McMILLAN JOHN, ropemaker, refreshment rooms, The Shore
MOORE Mrs. THOMAS, Sea view house, private apts
MOORE Mrs. WM., refreshment rooms, The Coffee Palace, The Shore
Moore Wm., greengrocer
Murdoch David, plasterer, Ballafurt rd
Murphey Patrick, engine driver
MYLREA JAMES, Bay View house, private apts, Bay View crescent

NELSON Mrs. THOMAS, select private apartments, Peveril house, Clarendon terrace

Qualtrough Richard, builder, and at Colby
Qualtrough Thomas, family butcher
Quilliam Thomas, dining and refreshment rooms, The Shore

Ross James, fisherman

Shimmin Henry, labourer
Shimmin Mrs. Wm.
Stephens Thomas, labourer

Thorpe James B., gentleman, The Hut
TRISTRAM GEORGE L., Falcon’s Nest, family & commercial hotel
TURNBULL Mrs. ELIZABETH, board & lodging house, Sea View cottage
Turnbull Wm., grocer, wine and spirit merchant and postmaster, the postoffice

UDALL PRESTWOOD JOHN, Villa Marina, family and commercial hotel, The :Promnade

Watt Philip, fisherman
WATTERSON and HOLMES, refreshment rooms, The Shore
Watterson.Mrs., Harper cottage
Watterson. Mrs., Ballafurt rd
Watterson. Ann, Shore rd
Watterson. Edward, fisherman
Watterson. James, joiner, &c.
Watterson. John, sen., fisherman
Watterson. John, fisherman
WATTERSON, Mrs. WILLIAM, select private apts, Beach house, The Shore
Wilkinson Eli, private apts, Nottage house, Bay View crescent
WOODS Mrs. THOMAS, private lodging house, Melrose house, Ballafurt rd