This 'You Are Here Map' can be found at the eastern end of North Quay in Douglas.
Alongside the map is displayed the following information:
"North Quay
Keiy Twoaie
The North Quay is where once stooed the Coffee Palace which, along with many of the harbourside inns and taverns in the warren of streets behind this stretch of quay, was demolished in the clearances that took place in the 1930s to rid Douglas of squalid near-derelict properties. The Coffee Place represented a beacon of temperance among the many public houses in this area close by the market. At least 14 drinking establishments are recorded as having been demolished in the clearance scheme, including the Criterion Hotel, the latter home to one Nessie Heywood, famous for having travelled to London in 1792 to plead the cause of her son Peter who was standing trial for his part in the Bounty mutiny. The Coffee Palace may be long gone,but 'the Coffee Palace berth' remains alongside the lifting bridge that spans the harbour and links the North to the South Quay.
1930s were not the only years when the area was tranformed in more recent times the North Quay has been upgraded to include public art design elements that reference Douglas's unique maritime heritage. These include the stainless steel Prow sculpture, based on the ceremonial prow of a Viking ship, and four specially commissioned sculptural seating untis created by local artists and each designed to give a differenet view of the harbour.
Maritime trading was a major activity in the Island, as was smuggling, or 'the running trade' as it was known. This was big business on the island' although illegal in the 18th century, where goods legally imported into the Island attracted a small duty payable to the Lord of Mann.These were goods either forbidden or subject to high duty when imported into England, Scotland or Ireland, leading to many Manx merchants making their fortunes from the running trade. Such was the extent of the losses of customs duties that under the 1765 Act of Revestment the British Government forced the sale of the Island, owned then by Athol family, back to the English Crown."
The Douglas Harbour has changed a great deal through it history most recently with the development of the inner harbour into a marine following the installation of the Millennium Bridge. (
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Prior to this development the entrance to the inner harbour was widened and the berthing facilities at the 'Coffee House Berth' were improved to provide for larger vessels was undertaken in the late 1950's.
The following is an extract from an article in the Isle of Man Times on Friday, January 20, 1956:
'This scheme embraces widening the berthage at present approached by the 'dog's leg' immediately past the swing bridge (where the modern lifting bridge is located), by taking down the existing wall and setting back the existing road way to the line of the Douglas and Clarendon hotels thus creating sufficient berthage to enable vessels to turn inside the bridge and enable two boats along (bow to stern) the newly erected quay wall'.
and in a later article on Friday, May 24, 1957 the Isle of Man Times reported the following:
'Harbour Board Ceremonies
The winds howled round the sea front. The rain lashed all and sundry.
It was typical ceremonial weather on Monday morning when the Governor and Lady Dundas braved the elements to lay a foundation stone and unveil two plaques on behalf of the Harbour Board.
After the being introduced by Board chairman, Mr. A. S. Kelly, His Excellency did a workman-like job as he spread cement on the Coffee Palace berth buttress wall with a silver trowel and then the taut gaunt crane lowered the inscribed inaugural stone into position to receive a firm tap with the mallet.'
and
'The widening scheme is expected to be completed by next season and to allow berthage for an extra tow vessels'
The name of this berthage 'The Coffee House Berth' is derived from the building which previously stood where the Manx Legion Club and the Douglas Hotel building now stand.
The Coffee Palace was opened on Wednesday 4 July 1877 by the then Lieutenant-Governor. The Coffee House was founded to provide an alternative to the numerous public houses on North Quay. It sold only non-intoxicating beverages.
Sources: various Isle of Man newspapers including Mona's Herald, Isle of Man Times and Manx Sun.
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