Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service fire brigades. The Peel commissioners did so in 1884, followed by Port Erin in 1903 and Laxey in 1920. Some larger settlements, such as Ramsey and Douglas, had entered into local arrangements with the military or with the privately owned insurance company fire brigades, for local fire cover. The outbreak of war brought calls for a unified fire brigade. In February 1940 the Local Government (Fires) Act was implemented, establishing a single Isle of Man Fire Brigade, with seven fire areas - Douglas, Laxey, Ramsey, Kirk Michael, Peel, Port Erin and Castletown. These fire areas are the same today. The
Ballabeg Ballabeg derives from the Manx which means small homestead; although the spelling is different, it is pronounced approximately the same as the English name. Nearby is the "Ball and Bag", a free house which was built by Sir David Mark Jordan, a Victorian army captain who settled there upon his retirement. It also has Arbory Primary School, serving the villages of Ballabeg and Colby, as well as the outlying areas. The parish church has a large churchyard with many graves dating back at least to the mid-18th century, although there has been a church on the site for much longer.