South Quay, Douglas, Isle of Man, 1932 (b/w photo)

On the back of this photograph John James Frowde writes, "Holmes Bros. Bank the house on left. Moses Hampton's grocery on R. He bought it for £300. (Robertson 1794). These back to back houses on the S. Quay appear in an engraving on Fannin's Map (1789) in the Museum: 'View from the residence of His Grace the Duke of Atholl' - then - what is now the Douglas Hotel. In the 1789 Fannin Map engraving, there would seem to be a ship-building yard E. of these houses. There is shewn a highly pooped vessel, of an archaic type, ready for launching. The figure paid (£300 of the money of that period) is soberly recorded by Robertson. It would be interesting to know what that colossal building cost the opulent smuggler who had it built for him. At the time of the Revestment, he evidently 'got the wind up' & got it off his hands for a 'mere song', which the then Duke of Athol was willing, and able, to sing."