The Ramsey Photographs

Stunning images from the Isle of Man in the 1890s

REUNITED

Among around 200 glass negatives acquired from a charity shop, around 12 were taken in or around Ramsey on the Isle of Man during, we believe, the 1890s. As far as we know the stunning and historically important images on these negatives have not been seen in public… until now. It is highly likely the photographs were taken by British pharmaceutical chemist William Maskew or his business partner and fellow chemist Marmaduke Richards. For more on William and Marmaduke see The Paris Photographs.

The box of 4¼” x 3¼” quarter plate glass negatives that included the Ramsay photographs.

What do we know about the photographs?

While more research might provide a little more certainty, it is possibly more likely that chemist William Maskew took the images rather than chemist Marmaduke Richards. Both were accomplished photographers, but it is the fact that one of the images is of the shop front of Laughlin Brothers chemist on Parliament Street – something Maskew regularly phtographed on his travels and reports for The Chemist & Druggist magazine.

We don’t have a lot of information on the images below, but we’re hoping local history experts in Ramsey will be able to add some colour and context. High resolution digital images have now been provided to Manx National Heritage and will be displayed on imuseum.im as soon as they are catalogued and fully researched.

The Ramsey photographs

Alfred and Edwin Laughlin’s chemists at 12 Parliament Street, Ramsey, Isle of Man. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Opposite Laughlin’s chemists is the Court House on Parliament Street. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Fishing boats at West Quay, Ramsey. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Fish market in Market Place, Ramsey. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Flooded Market Place, Ramsey. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Ramsey-based fishing boat 80.RY. We’re hoping the Ramsey Fishing Boat Register of 1891 might provide the name of the owner. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Found in the Paris Albums this photograph is of the Tower of Refuge, St. Mary’s Isle, Douglas Bay, Isle of Man. This image may well have been taken the same trip as the Ramsay photographs, but possible not with the same camera. © historyreunited.org / Hunter Gatherer Ltd.

Help reunite history

As part of History Reunited’s repatriation programme we will be providing these images to Manx National Heritage Museum and Library collections. Please let us know if you can contribute to this story and provide more details on the images, particularly with dating and the subjects captured. We love a rabbit hole too, so we’re very happy to include links to sites that relate to this story.