A museum curator has been recognised for services to Manx heritage and tourism.

Ivor Ramsden is to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his ’outstanding contribution’ to the social and military history of the Manx people by setting up the Manx Aviation and Military Museum in Ballasalla.

For more than 25 years, Mr Ramsden has catalogued over 9,000 items in the museum and created a set of personal histories and records in his spare time.

’I was surprised and really pleased,’ he told the Examiner.

’My partner, Elaine, and I were away on holiday in the Hebrides when I got the call out of the blue from the Lieutenant Governor. He told me and I sort of fell over in surprise.’

Government House’s announcement stated that Mr Ramsden used his collections ’freely to help others, including visitors, schools, community groups, families and individuals from across the island and beyond’.

’The exemplary levels of conservation, display and customer service have helped tourism on the Isle of Man and to establish useful links with UK museums,’ it continued.

It was Mr Ramsden’s interest in Airfix models as a child that led to his fascination in the subject.

’It’s an interest that’s taken over my life,’ he said. ’When I moved to the island I realised they didn’t have anything about those who took part in the wars and thought that a museum would be a good idea.

’I really believe these people should be commemorated as we owe them a massive debt. It’s not just a museum about stuff, but a museum about people. That’s what makes it so popular.’

His work has led to a number of people discovering information about their relatives who joined the war efforts.

One woman in her 70s was able to see what her father looked like for the first time when she travelled to the museum from London to look at a photograph of him. Her father had been fighting in the Manx Regiment in North Africa and died in the Second World War.

’She grew up never knowing what he looked like,’ he said. ’It brings the hairs on the back of my neck up just talking about it. You do get emotionally involved with the people here.’

He added that getting those reactions and now an MBE ’really makes all the work worthwhile’.