Derby Castle - Douglas, Isle of Man
Posted by: 
Mike_bjm
N 54° 10.040 W 004° 27.619
30U E 404664 N 6003124
Today the MER wooden ticket office and Terminus Tavern still stand altough much else has chnage in the Derby Castle area of Douglas.
Waymark Code: WM146RZ
Location: Isle of Man
Date Posted: 05/01/2021
Views: 2
Today the MER wooden ticket office and Terminus Tavern still stand although much else has changed in the Derby Castle area of Douglas since the old photograph which was taken in 1904.
On the postcard is Manx Electric Railways Tram No.38 (Toast-rack with a toast-rack trailer)in the distance are The Derby Castle buildings, an entertainment complex, with an ornamental iron canopy was demolished in 1980.
In the latter years of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century ‘Derby Castle' was a large entertainment complex at the northern end of the Douglas Promenade.
The Derby Castle Ballroom which was part of the complex was the largest hall for gatherings on the Island until its closure in 1955
’By the 1960's the complex was outdated and run down - it was bought by Douglas Corporation in the late 1960's, demolished and the ill-fated Summerland complex built on the site (to a design by J.P. Lomas) which opened in 1972. This involved the use of much acrylic Plexiglas sheeting to provide insulation and natural lighting. It was this that caught fire resulting in the death of some 51 holiday makers - it was partially rebuilt but was finally demolished in 2007’. Visit Link
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Source of the postcard: 'The Isle of Man A Postcard Tour - Volume Two - Douglas and the East' by Steven Dearden and Ken Hassell (ISBN: 978-1-840335-27-9)