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© F.Coakley , 2026
[from A.M Harrision's Descriptive List of Insular Societies]
The Laxey Patriotic Society was instituted in 1825, but the earliest surviving Rules and Orders for the Observance of Members was published in 1847. Its introduction, on Man as a social being, which extols the virtues of social interdependence and the opportunities it affords to promote the happiness and comfort of the sick and the needy, appears, from its anachronistic appeal for the patriotic love of Queen and Country, to date from 1847 rather than the foundation date.
In spite of its title the recorded activities of the society seemed to have no particular bias to patriotism outside the boundaries of the village of Laxey and its home parish of Lonan.
Its main connection, certainly in its later period, appear to be with the Laxey mines, which were in the front rank of British producers in the 19th century and employed a large workforce. For its 1850 annual celebrations the Society, numbering 230, walked with the Vicar and the Mines Captain to the Church, (built by the mining company) and the main washing floors in the village and dined in the company's lead store on the beach.
Because of its industrial development Lonan supported several other Friendly Societies as well as the Patriotic Society - an early Friendly Society of Lonan, which appears to fail shortly after 1809, the Loyal North Star Lodge of Oddfellows, founded 1839, the Sons of Mona Tent of Rechabites, founded 1867, as well as the operation of a Laxey Miners sick club, with subscriptions paid by the Company. In spite of this competition and the fact that the the standard rate of 1 shilling for the monthly contribution of each member was operative as late as 1847, the Patriotic society survived to be registered in the 1879 commission as active.
Isle of Man newspapers ut supra et passim;
Rules and Orders to be observed by the members of the Laxey Patriotic Society,
instituted May 23, 1825, (Douglas, 1847)
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