Laxey Mine ton, and this would be used to glaze lower end earthenware. During the height of prosperity of the Great Laxey Mine, the Laxey Wheel was erected. The wheel was named the Lady Isabella, after the wife of Sir Charles Hope, who at the time was the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. During its working life the wheel was capable of pumping 250 gallons of water a minute from a depth of 200 fathoms. By the beginning of the 20th Century the yield from the mine had begun to decline dramatically. During the first six months of 1900 the
SS Ellan Vannin (1854) the loss of life of one of the boat's occupants, Patrick Featherstone. Visibility on the night was said to be good. Four people had sailed in the boat in order to go fishing; Featherstone, two of his sons and another man, Daniel Cannon. Having anchored in the bay at approximately 19:30hrs they then moved to a position just off Port Skillion, Douglas Head, in order to be more protected should any steamer be making an approach to Douglas Harbour. At 22:00hrs the boat's occupants saw the "Ellan Vannin" steaming round Douglas Head and began to haul their anchor and get