Seat of the Isle of Man's Parliament since 1894 the Tynwald Building contains chambers for all the branches of the Parliament.
The Tynwald Chamber was designed by James Cowle and was built between 1891 and 1894. The Bank of Mona ('Wedding Cake') section was designed by J H Robinson the architect of the Old Courthouse (Oddfellows Hall). Ellis Brown was the architect who oversaw the refurbishment and new lobby, stairs and offices in 2004.
The Tynwald Chamber was first used on 20th December 1894 and is where the Court of Tynwald is held.
The House of Keys Chamber is situated in what was the main banking hall of the Bank of Mona section of the building. This chamber is directly below the Legislative Council Chamber. The rest of the 'Wedding Cake' is part of Governemnt Offices.
The following are contemporary newspaper reports of the first sittings of the Tynwald Court in the new Legislative Building:
Manx Sun, Saturday, December 22, 1894.
The Tynwald Court was held for the first time in the new Legislature Buildings yesterday (Thursday). There were present the Lieutenant-Governor, the Lord Bishop, Deemster Drinkwater, Deemster Gill, the Attorney-General, the Receiver-General, and the Vicar-General in the Council; and in the Keys the Speaker (Major Taubman), Messrs J. Joughin, T. Kneen, T. Fisher, D Cormode, R. Williamson, T. Corlett, A. Penketh, R. Corlett, J. C. Crellin, D. Maitland, A. W. Moore, J. R. Cowell, J. T. Cowell, Joseph Mylchreest, James Mylchreest, J. J. Goldsmith, R. S. Stephen, W. A. Stevenson, E. Martin and W. Quine. The accommodation in the new buildings so far as the press are concerned is altogether inadequate, and unless better provision is made for the reporters the members of Tynwald Court will not have their utterances reproduced in future with the completeness and truthfulness which has characterised them in the past. The accommodation for the members of the Court is luxurious. The members of the Council occupying a raised bench, and at right angles, in four rows of six seats each, sit the members of the Keys. The gallery for strangers is at the back of the House. The advocates have seats on the floor, at the back.
The President [Lieutenant-Governor] said: My Lord Bishop, gentlemen of the Council, Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the House of Keys, as this is the first time we have assembled in this hall, I may perhaps be allowed to congratulate you on the possession of so handsome a building, and my appreciation of the skill and ability shown by the architect, and also the efficiency of the builder (hear, hear). This legislature has of late been furnished with a habitation worthy of its ancient lineage, and I am sure that the dignity and decorum which have always characterised its proceedings will remain unimpaired in the future (hear, hear).
and Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, December 22, 1894.
The Lieut-Governor, Deemsters, Council, and Keys, met in Tynwald at Douglas to-day. For the first time the court assembled in the new Legislative Buildings. There were present: The Lieut-Governor (Sir J. West Ridgeway, K.C.B., K.C.S.I), Deemster Drinkwater, Deemster Gill, the Bishop (Dr. Straton), the Attorney-General (Sir James Gell), the Receiver-General (Col. Anderson), and the Vicar-General (Mr. S. Harris), in the Council; the Speaker (Major J. S. Goldie-Taubman), and Messrs J. Joughin, T. Fisher, T. Kneen, J. Kelly, J. C. Crellin, R. Corlett, D. Cormode, R. Williamson, T. Corlett, R. Penketh, A. W. Moore, D. Maitland, E. Martin, W. Quine, W. A. Stevenson, Joseph Mylchreest, J. R. Cowell, J. T. Cowell, J. J. Goldsmith, R. S. Stephen, and Jas. Mylchreest in the Keys.
The Governor: as this is the first time that we have assembled in this hall, I may perhaps be allowed to congratulate this Court upon the possession of such a handsome building, and to express my appreciation of the skill and ability shown by the architect, and of the efficiency of the builder (hear, hear). This legislature has at length been furnished with a habitation worthy of its ancient lineage, and I am sure that the dignity of debate which has always characterised its proceedings will remain unimpaired in the future (hear, hear).
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An Introduction to the Architecture of the Isle of Man by Patricia Tutt (ISBN:978-907945-10-6)