Frederic Smagg's outside staircase, Douglas, Isle of Man, 1932-34 (b/w photo)

On the back of this photograph John James Frowde writes, "Here follow several different views of Frederic Smagg's quaint outside staircase. In this view, the innermost cottage of Spittal's Court is seen at the top of the rise. On the left No. 7 Seneschal Lane, residence of Halsall, in later life a tobacco spinner, but earlier, one of the solidly constructed type of the local constabulary. He stuttered badly, but evolved a form of speech that evaded the risky letters. Sensing a chimney on fire, he would say 'Me mell mook', and that was his soubriquet for the rest of his life." Additional notes: "Halsall at a Thomas St. prayer meeting. Text & sermon re the prodigal son. It was expected of the prayer leaders to refer to the discourse: ('pizen long & tiresome', as also in Huck Finn's statement of his sundial experiences). Halsall, stuttering painfully, described the lads' trip into a far country, where he spent his money on harlots - (vehemently); and though he filled his belly with the husks, the same did eat ('ait'), yet was he not satisfied. Whether because there was a shortage of the diet, or that he was unduly fastidious, Halsall failed to make clear. Circa 1886 or 87 when I was organist there and, when not on duty at Breaneys, I would leave the choir when the gallery lights were turned off at the meter and sit inthe dark at the top of the gallery stairs, revelling in the quaint efforts, down below, of Halsall and his congeners. Tommy Corlett, the shoemaker in Lay's, Duke St., was the star turn. Nearly stone deaf, when he rose, he could hear none of his co-starters & carried on triumphantly, while they, perhaps half a dozen of them, subsided miserably into their seats. Quaint characters, but good, earnest men. Happy days in spacious times, gone, never to return."