Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
The Editor
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© F.Coakley , 2026
[from A.M Harrision's Descriptive List of Insular Societies]
The main aim of the chamber was 'To promote the trade, commerce, agriculture, fishing,navigation, and general prosperity of the Island' with a non-political clause, 'To rigidly preserve the Chamber a non-political organisation by eliminating politics from the scope of its work and discussions.'
The informative report of its work for the period 8 May 1912 to 28 February 1913 suggested that 'there is already abundant evidence of its prosperity and usefulness'. The responsibilities of an Island Chamber were extensive and the total membership in February 1913 was 261. The main and most pressing concern was the promotion of the Island as a pleasure and health resort and the improvement of its organisation of holiday transport. A positive working relationship with the Douglas Trades and Labour Council promised joint action on many matters of employment, and other important initiatives, the foundation of an agricultural college and experimental farm and the wholesale marketing of Island produce were both in the process of examination.
The president was B.E.Sargeaunt, Vice-president John A. Brown and the secretary Robert G. Shannon, civil servant, newspaper editor and accountant, respectively. Bertram Sergeaunt, scholar and English civil servant, was appointed Government Secretary and Treasurer of the Isle of Man in 1910. The most senior civil servant on the Island, he was, presumably, allowed to take the presidency of the Isle of Man Chamber as part of the Government's policy for economic survival. Certainly most of the commercial issues of the 1912-13 report were later developed by Government.
This quasi-official leadership of a normally independent association must have been recorded in the Government Office files and a closer look at this interesting political initiative will be of great interest. Sargeaunt retired from the Government Secretaryship in 1943. The length of the active life of the 1912 Chamber is not yet known. The current Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce was founded in the 1950's.
MNHL.. Rules of the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce, St. George's Chambers
Douglas (Douglas 1912),
Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce, First Annual Report (Douglas, 1913) ;
Public Records Office, General Registry, Government Office Files:
Isle of Man newspapers, passim.
...
described as 'defunct' in 1924 (IoM Examiner Annual see account of Mr T.H. Cowin);
There was an earlier IoM Chamber of Commerce founded 1899 promoted by Mr Briscoe from May 1899 [see Mona's Herald 10th May 1899] which "languished and died a natural death" as mentioned in the 1915 obituary of Wm John Corlett a member of both the earlier and the 1912 chamber.
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Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received
The Editor |
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