Public Drinking Fountain - Douglas,Isle of Man - Converted Fountains on Waymarking.com

This Public Drinking Fountain was installed in 1858 next to Finch Well. Today the Fountain is on a gatepost at the top of Well Hill Road on Finch Road.

The Fountain is of polished Aberdeen Granite and when first installed had a 'bronze head and ladles'. Both the head and ladles are sadly no longer present and there is no water supply to the fountain.

The Fountian was given to the town of Douglas by a Liverpool merchant.

There follow two newspaper articles from August and September 1858 which refer to the Fountain.

First from the Isle of Man Weekly Advertising Circular, Thursday, August 05, 1858

C. P. Melly, Esq., of Riversley, Liverpool, the originator of the Drinking Fountains, which now abound in that town, has generously offered to present a beautifully polished Aberdeen Granite Fountain to the town of Douglas, on condition that it be placed in a thoroughfare, and have a constant supply of water. Our respected High Bailiff, Senhouse Wilson, Esq., has given consent to its erection at the Finch Road Well, and kindly offered to aid in the expense of fitting. We are indebted to the Rev. J. H. Gray, Incumbent of St. Barnabas, for this movement, and we hope ere long, that not only Finch Road will adorned with one of these beautiful and useful ornaments, but our Market-place and Pier, and other parts of the town, may thro’ the generosity of individuals, or the interposition of future commissioners, be supplied with Drinking Fountains.

and second from the Mona’s Herald, Wednesday, September 08, 1858

WATER FOR THE PEOPLE – It affords us much pleasure to record the bestowal on this town by C. P. Melly, Esq., merchant, Liverpool, of a handsome Public Drinking Fountain, with complete. It has been erected by the subscription of a few residents, in the wall adjacent to Finch well, where there is a constant spring of excellent water, and from which the supply is derived. Mr. Melly (we are informed by the editor of the British Workman), has erected a large number of fountains, and during one of the hot days last summer, upwards of thirty thousand persons partook of the refreshing liquid at those in Liverpool alone. Judging from the number of wayfarers of all classes of society, from the pedestrian visitor returning from a walk in the country after his morning constitutional walk, to the wearied labourer coming to town after his day’s toil, whom we have seen partaking of the waters of Finch Well, we are persuaded that Mr. Melly’s munificent gift will prove a boon to generations to come. And if the remark be not out of place, we trust that no acts of vandalism akin to the disgraceful breaking of taps, &c., at Finch Well during the last few years, may be re-enacted in connection with Mr. Melly’s fountain. The drinking cups are of substantial metal, securely attached by chains; and as it will require considerable effort to break them, or to deface the polished Aberdeen Granite, of which the fountain is made , let it not be reserved to the town of Douglas to do dishonour to the generous feelings of a gentleman comparatively a stranger to us.

Setting: Outside Place: Gatepost to a commercial prpoerty Use: Historical Memorial

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