Foxdale Heritage welcomed members of the Quayle family from America to its Heritage Centre on Tynwald Day.

The group of 14, mainly from the extended family of Paul Peterson, travelled to the island to coincide with the Isle of Man’s national day, which is held on July 5 every year and features the annual outdoor sitting of the island’s parliament at St John’s.

Mr Peterson, who is a member of Foxdale Heritage, lives in the United States with his family.

During their six-day visit, the group attended the Tynwald ceremony in St John’s before travelling to Foxdale, where they toured the Heritage Centre. They also planned to visit the graves of relatives in Foxdale and St Mark’s.

The family’s ancestors emigrated from Foxdale in the mid-19th century. Many worked as miners, continuing their trade in coal or copper mines in the United States.

Members of the Peterson family are now based in Illinois, California and England. They were joined in Foxdale by some of their Manx relatives, including Mrs Elaine Christian MBE, her daughter Rachel, and her son Neil, who lives in Chester.

Mrs Christian, who recalled her early years living at the Eairy, said she was fascinated to find references to those times preserved in the centre’s collection.

Mr Peterson expressed his gratitude for the welcome the family received. Writing on Facebook, he said: ‘I had dreamt of visiting the Heritage Centre for many years and your kindness and generosity made this visit far better than I could have ever imagined.’

Trustees of Foxdale Heritage said they were pleased to host the group and to help connect them with their family’s history in the village.

The centre, run by volunteers, records and shares the history of the Foxdale area, which has strong links with the Isle of Man’s mining heritage.