Independent book and art shop on the Isle of Man with shops in Port Erin & Ramsey
ISLE OF MAN orders are delivered free if order is over £30, use code "MANXSHIP", ensuring country is set to Isle of Man
Our website is mainly for Manx Books, if not listed here you can order any book, art materials, vinyl and guitar strings from us by:
Phone : 01624 833376 (Port Erin) 01624 813374 (Ramsey)
Email : [email protected]
Use the CONTACT US form
Our website is mainly for Manx Books, if not listed here you can order any book, art materials, vinyl and guitar strings from us by:
Phone : 01624 833376 (Port Erin) 01624 813374 (Ramsey)
Email : [email protected]
Use the CONTACT US form
Or, to order books online from our Bookshop.org site for delivery anywhere...
A selection of new titles...
Steam Packet 195
£21.50
Only a few left!
Published Nov 2024
Authors : Miles Cowsill, Barry Edwards, Richard Kirkman
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is the oldest continually operating passenger shipping company in the world, having began operations in 1830. Today the company carry’s some 630,000 passengers annually, 196,000 cars and is the Island’s lifeline for freight. This book is an update on the history of the Isle of Man Steam Packet since our 190th Anniversary publication. The title includes a history of the company year by year, including the takeover over of the operation by the Isle of Man Government in 2019 and the introduction of the Manxman in 2023. The book includes a wealth of new photography since the last edition in 2019.
Paperback
52 Manx Things To Make And Do by Felicity Wood
£11.99
New activity book for the Isle of Man. Published Sept 2024
By Felicity Wood, local artist, writer and teacher.
"52 Manx Things to Make and Do" is perfect for anyone to engage their little ones with fun activities around the Isle of Man.
Parents and carers, your "What shall we do today?" problems are now solved. Things to find, to see, to visit and to make can be ticked off at the back of this handy book. Available in store now.
70 pages
A5 Spiral Bound
The True Story of Jinny the Witch by Felicity Wood
£9.99
New book. Published Oct 2024
By Felicity Wood, local artist, writer and teacher.
Who was Jinny the Witch?
The short answer is Joney Lowney.
But a question would be - Why was she a witch?
Paperback picture story book suitable for ages 3-7
32 pages
A Guide to the Folklore Sites of the Isle of Man by James Franklin, Sam Hudson & Katie Newton
£14.99
BACK IN STOCK (22/12/23)
New, published 5/12/23
Where is the Cursed Stone of Destiny?
Which holy well offers a cure for baldness?
What terrifying creature lurks on Ramsey promenade?
This is a guide to over 400 sites around the Isle of Man and the traditional folklore to be found there.
Gathered from thousands of sources across hundreds of years of folklore collecting, ranging from medieval stories of vengeful saints through to ghostly figures still being seen today, this book offers a comprehensive guide to the breadth and variety of the traditional folklore of the Isle of Man.
This collection will transform not just our knowledge of Manx folklore but also our relationship to the Isle of Man itself.
Strandings and Sinkings Shipwrecks in Manx Waters
£19.95
NEW book on Manx Shipwrecks, published Feb 2024
by Ray Stanfield and Sara Goodwin
In the scheme of things, wrecks are wrong.
Ships should be forging out exploring new lands. Or carrying cargo across the seas. or harvesting fish. At the very least they should be floating. Perhaps this is why so many of us find wrecks fascinating. It may be because they are mute witnesses to great heroism (and occasionally great idiocy), or provide an insight into the lives of those who crewed them.
Or perhaps we find the martime history fascinating, or like the fact that they can provide homes for marine life. Of course, not all ships which founder, stay down. Many are refloated to sail again.
The waters around the Isle of Man are notoriously tricky, so much so that what became the RNLI was founded here. A book of wrecks in Manx waters could never be comprehensive, but this provides an illustrated cross section of the tragedies and triumphs of riding the waves.
A4 Paperback
84 pages, colour and b&w photos throughout
Pleasure Domes and Picture Palaces – The Story of Seaside Entertainments on the Isle of Man by John Manley
£19.99
NEW : Published March 2024
Author : John Manley
Most Manx people had few entertainments before the late eighteenth century. Merry making was confined to dancing to the music of the fiddle. Then an eighteenth-century fashion for sea-bathing saw many wealthy ‘strangers’ visit Manx shores, and, as the century ended, traditional British Grand Tours of Europe became impossible because of continental wars. Further affluent English visitors travelled to the island seeking an alternative experience. The numerous new arrivals attracted musical and theatrical camp followers, who considerably broadened the available range of island entertainments. The nineteenth century Industrial Revolution expanded the island’s visitor base further by providing the British working-class with sufficient funds to afford annual holidays. As a result, island visitor numbers increased rapidly, and eager entrepreneurs quickly seized on new opportunities for profit-making. Huge entertainment halls opened, and the best of British music-hall entertainers appeared on Manx stages to entertain the visiting throng. Douglas became a premier European holiday resort, overflowing with theatres, dance halls, and cinemas. This book traces that story from start to finish.
A5 Paperback, 292 Pages
Island Kitchen NEW EDITION
£22.95
NEW EDITION published 1/2/2024
The new 2024 edition of the Island Kitchen illustrates the continued high standard of cuisine that can be found on the Island, showcasing signature dishes from the Isle of Man’s finest chefs and restaurants, using the abundant, high-quality produce that the Island is renowned for. From succulent starters to delicious desserts, you are sure to find a favourite and keep coming back for more. The book also includes some traditional recipes like Manx Bonnag and Bay ny Carrickey Chowder. The recipes are varied, imaginative and delicious, whether you are enjoying them at home or eating out, where they will be lovingly created by our Island’s skilled chefs.
Edited by Miles Cowsill and Sara Donaldson
254 Pages
Hardback
Please note, the price includes a supplement of £3 towards the cost of shipping this item due to weight.
From Pirate to Pilot by Capt. Stephen Carter CP
£18.95
New, published Nov 2023
Stephen Carter has enjoyed a maritime career spanning over 50 years, building a knowledge of the Island Ports and Irish Sea that is second to none. Stephen was Chief Pilot for many years and Captain of the Parish of Lonan. Stephen recalls his childhood days growing up in Douglas, describing some of the pranks that he and others used to get up to. Many buildings long since demolished are mentioned.
The formation of his Laxey Towing Company is told in this fascinating book. Many of the tasks undertaken are described in considerable detail within these pages, from his younger days with rowing boats in Douglas Bay, through to towing barges across to both adjacent Islands, rescues at sea and on Island work with a fleet of heavy haulage trucks and cranes. There are many stories of Piloting vessels of all sizes into and out of the Island harbours, some highlighting the dire consequences of getting it wrong!
In telling these stories, many local names are recorded, those who worked for the Laxey Towing Company, some that still do, Harbours staff, Captains of the vessels piloted, even the local landlords get mentioned. Plenty of vessel names are included making this book a valuable resource.
Format
Softback, A5
Pages
318
Revisiting the Mona's Queen III by Dr Michelle Heywood
£15.00
New - published Nov 2023
As an island of seafarers, the Isle of Man and its Steam Packet Company vessels were destined to play a significant part in World War II. At the outbreak of war, 10 vessels were requisitioned and adapted for war purposes.
Tragedy struck in May 1940, when in the space of 24 hours, three Manx vessels, Mona's Queen, Fenella and King Orry, were lost during the chaotic evacuation of Dunkirk. The Island mourned the lost sailors at the same time as it was preparing to host thousands of foreign national internees being brought from the UK.
The Island never forgot its Dunkirk losses and the families held onto precious keepsakes. 70 years later the anchor from the Mona's Queen was recovered and restored. It returned to the Island to form the centrepiece of the Dunkirk memorial. The anchor inspired a team of Manx divers to return to the Mona's Queen, and to tell the story for the next generation.
"Manx men who sailed to Dunkirk, many of whom were very young, were civilians and had never been in combat. They were incredibly brave, knowingly sailing towards the danger and into harm's way. Some of them, of course, paid the ultimate sacrifice and we should remember them, as well as all their Isle of Man Steam Packet comrades who served at Dunkirk and elsewhere during World War II." Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Lorimer, 2023
A4 Paperback
The Magic of the Manx Glens by Susan Jellis
£10.00
From Victorian pleasure grounds to treasured green spaces, the Manx glens have enchanted generations of visitors.
The Magic of the Manx Glens reflects their varying character and amenities, and highlights the continuing appeal of the semi-wild seclusion to be found in many of them. The National Glens are in the care of the Isle of Man Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, which preserves their now semi-natural character and maintains the paths and bridges with accessible access where possible in mind.
Published April 2023
Paperback 20cm x 20 cm
96 pages
New Isle of Man leisure maps...
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Use code : MANXSHIP
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