Military Garrisons 1670-1765

After the restoration of the Stanleys, they reduced the high civil war forces of two 60-strong battalions to an approximately 20-strong garrison at Castle Rushen and at Derby Fort (Derbyhaven), a smaller garrison at Peel, a few at Douglas Fort (mainly to support the gathering of Customs revenue) , and a token presence at Ramsey.

The following notes are based on examination of the Disbusement Accounts which name all those receiving a salary or pension; they run from 1670 to 1765 but with a gap 1674-1682. The strength of the various garrisons remained fairly constant up to the revestment of 1765. The Constables also had the duty to keep civil order in the various towns (a role taken over by the High Bailiffs from 1777), the soldiers also had a police role in supporting both civil and ecclesiatical courts.

Castle Rushen Garrison,

1670 annual salaries are shown, consisted of:

• Constable (or Commander)- £13 6 8
• Gunner - £8
• Porter - £8
• Drummer £2 (as drummer + £3 as wright)
• Ensign £6 10s
• Sergeant - £5
• 16 soldiers £5
• 2 Watchmen £5
• Postman or Runner 15s

to which are sometimes added a gunsmith (£10) and apprentice (£2). Several of the soldiers are also shown as doubling up on other jobs - wright (blacksmith), saddler, glazier. A servant is also shown against the Castle Rushen accounts.

The Soldiers salaries both here and at other outposts remained the same until 1765.

The Peel Garrison

This had a similar setup to Castle Rushen, with similar rates of pay

• Constable
• Lieutenant
• Gunner
• Porter
• Ensign
• Drum
• Sergeant
• 9-10 Soldiers
• 2 watchmen
• 4 boatmen (needed until the breakwater connecting St Patrick's Isle with Peel hill was constructed in 1730s)
• A Customer (i.e. one who collects the Customs revenue) was added from the 1680s though he was not shown as a soldier.

Douglas Fort

This appeared to have more of a Customs collection role

• Constable (with additional pay to look after My Lord's concerns there) - £10
• Gunner - £8
• 5 Soldiers - one of whom was Customer (ie collector of Customs) - £4

Derby Fort

This was the Round fort built by Earl James in 1643 to safeguard Derbyhaven - it appears to have been staffed from November 1670. The garrison consisted of

• Commander (a Captain) - £8
• 4 Soldiers - £3

Ramsey

This appeared to have a token presence of two

• Captain - £10
• 1 Soldier - £5

Soldiers

The following tables give the names and approximate dates for the various soldiers - note that the list is currently provisional as research in progress - see extracts from Lib Irrotulamentorum for dates of warrants

Where appropriate names have been standardised to modern spellings (spellings could differ from one quarter to the next), first names have been expanded

Note '(' used to indicate earliest date found, '[' definite start date (ie not in previous year), ')' last found, ']' death or later appearance as pensioner.

Castle Rushen + Derby Fort

Peel Garrison

Douglas

Ramsey TBA though numbers are considerably smaller

References

A.W.Moore Military Organisation of the Isle of Man YLM i pp141/153

A W. Moore Book 3 Chap 2 pt 5 of History 1900.