24-Oct-2023
We've been into Peel several times during this visit.
This was the windy-and-rainy day (not cold, though, thank goodness):
Tons of seaweed on the beach, courtesy of Storm Babet
So true...
Peel's old streets are attractive, whatever the weather
But even picturesque and familiar places can harbour a dark past. Our visit to Liverpool's International Slavery Museum had made it clear that the Isle of Man was not exempt from slaving links.
And, last year, Manx National Heritage announced the publication of a trail around Peel, which aimed to illustrate the city's connections with the transatlantic slave trade.
The route and accompanying notes can be found here, and today we followed the little circuit.
A key area was the trade in "Guinea goods". These consisted of the kind of items demanded by African merchants and kings in exchange for slaves. Included on the list of Guinea goods were beads, fabrics, mirrors, cowrie shells, weapons, brass pans, and iron bars.
The Island's connection worked like this: "The East Indies supplied both the cloths and beads which formed a major and essential part of the Guinea cargoes. The English East India Company supplies were high-priced. It was possible to import the less expensive Dutch East India Company goods into the Isle of Man from Holland. Between 1718 and 1764 slaving vessels called at the Island to collect these goods en route for Africa."
But involvement stretched into other areas too, including "financial partnerships in slaving voyages, the presence of slave trading vessels in Manx waters, Manx captains and crews on these vessels and Manx people living on or supplying the plantations in the Americas".
Back in Peel, you can see a number of places that recall this unfortunate history.
The big corner residence and the two buildings beyond are the former house of Sir George Moore. He had "Guinea" contacts both in Liverpool and on the Island, and campaigned, albeit unsuccessfully, for Peel harbour to be enlarged to make more room for the big Guinea vessels. Together with his brother Philip, he also ran a brisk business smuggling brandy, rum, wine, tea, and tobacco
Castle Street houses that were reputed to have had busy smuggling cellars
It's undeniably, however, a picturesque area these days
7 Michael Street was the residence of Manx slave captain George Cannon (1766-1811). He became a "Guinea Captain" on his first slaving voyage on the Iris when the original captain drowned in 1798. The plaque on the front commemorates his grandson, also called George
The Mathematical School was founded in 1763, using money left by Reverend James Moore, brother of Sir George Moore. Its purpose was to teach navigation skills: "Records show that many of the pupils went on to become ship carpenters, chief mates and other seafaring occupations. It is known that at least four Mathematical scholars, including George Cannon..., became captains of Liverpool-based Guinea vessels. The school later became a regular school and finally closed in 1892"
This building used to house the Salvation Army, and I came here regularly when I lived in Peel. Never did I take any notice of the plaque on the gable...
Meanwhile, on another historical note, we've been treated to some rare herring. Here's the story:
"A group of Manx fishermen who have begun to catch herring around the Isle of Man, the first to do so for 25 years, have said it feels 'amazing'... The Manx herring fleet had existed for centuries, with as many as 350 boats at sea and thousands of people employed during the late 18th century. A quota-system was introduced in the 1980s under the EU Common Fisheries Policy when stocks had depleted, and many turned their efforts to scallops. The UK gained a bigger portion of Irish herring quotas following Brexit, part of which was then shared with the Isle of Man."
Fresh herring, coated with oats, and pan-fried in a little butter. Delicious...