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The
Manx
Who are
we?
The Manx are
people who were born on the Isle of Man, an island of 588 square kilometres in
the Irish Sea between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Although it is a
Crown Possession, with the Governor appointed by the English Crown, the Isle of
Man is self governing with its own parliament called Tynwald which is the oldest
democratic parliament in the world, having had over 1000 years of continuous
service to the Island.
The capital of
the Isle of Man is Douglas and the population of the Island is over 75,000. With
a favourable tax system, the finance sector represents a large portion of the
Island’s industry although tourism is still an important
aspect.
The Manx are
predominately Protestants and are derived ethnically from the Celts and the
Norse. They have their own Celtic language that is closely related to the Gaelic
of Western Scotland and the Northern part of Ireland with evidence of some
Scandinavian.
The ancient
traditions of the Manx differ greatly from those people living in other parts of
the British Isles but they are fiercely proud of their heritage and
independence.
Considerable
interest in emigration to Australia by the Manx was generated by the gold rush
in Victoria, so much so, that by 1891 there were about 1300 Isle of Man born
people in Australia. This population started to decline so that by 1947 there
were only about 700. During this time, a small number of Manx came to colonial
Queensland as assisted migrants. Statistics indicate that by 1991 there were 117
Manx born people in Queensland, a figure that dropped to 86 in
1996.
Pick up any
Queensland telephone book and you will find many typical Manx names such as
Caine, Faragher, Kermode, Quayle, Quine, Quilliam, Corlett and Cowle sometimes
with a slight variation in spelling. The Manx also carry British and Irish
family names.
The Queensland
Manx Society was established on 22nd August 1914 and is one of the
oldest ethnic organisations in Queensland. The objectives of the society were,
and are still today, to maintain a social fellowship and foster an interest in
all things Manx.
The first
function undertaken by the Queensland Manx Society was a picnic to Seventeen
Mile Rocks in the Western area of Brisbane. On 14th November 1914,
the steamer Vera Veg Veen with 93
members on board and flying the Isle of Man flag (a red ensign with the three
legs of Man) set sail up the Brisbane River to the picnic
spot.
Many of the Manx
who came to colonial Queensland, followed careers in mining, farming or in
occupations linked to transportation or the sea. Some of the new arrivals had
already worked as miners in America or other parts of Australia. Their
descendants own small businesses or have entered the professions of doctors,
engineers, bankers and teachers. Others are engaged in the trades or have
remained on the land.
Some past
notable Manx Queenslanders were George William Cowin. He arrived in Australia in
1881 aged 17 and bought a farm at Grandchester 1886. He returned to Brisbane in
1887 and bought a draughthorse and established a carrying business. In 1893, won
a contract to deliver refined sugar for the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. (Now
known as CSR) and in 1913 he bought a petrol-engined, solid tyre truck and
became the first master carrier to use motorised transport in
Brisbane.
Edna Maud
Coulson nee Mylchreest, came to Australia from the Isle of Man as a child in
1908 and during World War II undertook volunteer work. After the war, she was
actively involved in on-arrival migrant welfare services and in 1988 was awarded
for this.
Other Manx
settlers were Alexander James Quayle who became the Mayor of Gayndah: Joseph
Forster who came via the goldfields in America and Thomas Moore who bought his
coachwork talents to the new country.
Although the
first and subsequent generations of Manx share a yearning for their homeland,
they are well integrated and loyal Australians renowned for their hard work and
devotion to their families.
Member's stories are taken from Gems of God's Earth,
2004, compiled by Les Witherington.
Click on the name below for this member's
story:
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