We spoke to the chairman of the Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust, Andrew Scarffe.

Why / when did you form?

Following on from the success of the Isle of Man’s Year of Sport in 1985, 1986 was promoted as Heritage Year.

At that time, considerable work was taking place at the Laxey Wheel to create a mining trail in the adjacent Glen Mooar valley, reconnect the T Rocker and re-open a small section of the underground workings to the public. The intention was for visitors to stay longer at the Laxey Wheel and gain a greater understanding of the history of the mine.

Encouraged both by the success of this work and of Heritage Year, Speaker of the House of Keys and Garff MHK Sir Charles Kerruish realised that the same principle could be applied to the entire village.

Nowhere else in the island could boast such a rich industrial and mining heritage, together with unique vintage railways, all set against a backdrop of unsurpassed natural scenery.

Sir Charles concluded that if the local heritage was promoted properly, the number of visitors to the Laxey could be increased and they would be encouraged to stay longer in village. He thought that this would be more easily achieved by the formation of a dedicated local heritage trust.

The first meeting of the Laxey Heritage Trust was held on March 5, 1987, its stated aim being ‘to promote the knowledge relating to the history of Laxey and the mining industry in general on the Isle of Man and in particular the Great Laxey Mine in the parish of Lonan’.

Joining Sir Charles as the first trustees were Minister of Tourism Allan Bell MHK, Captain of Lonan Parish Jim Quilleash, and representatives from Laxey Village Commissioners and Lonan Parish Commissioners.

Sir Charles was appointed as first the chairman and the newly formed trust was registered as a charity.

The Trustees quickly set to work. The former fire station on Mines Road was converted into an information centre and a gift shop.

Heritage trails around the village were created, guided walks were held and an all over advertising bus promoting Laxey took to the roads.

Agreement was reached with the Manx Electric Railway to convert an old building in the former goods yard into a blacksmiths workshop and a visiting farrier gave demonstrations every weekend.

A woodcarver’s workshop was created in part of the adjacent goods shed and a display of farming machinery was created in the yard.

On Easter Monday 1988, the very first Great Laxey Duck Race was staged.

This event has been held every year since (except during the recent Covid lockdown) and remains a major fundraiser for the Trust.

The Duck Race was recently revitalised and this year will take place on August 21.

In 1990 a wooden statue of a Laxey Miner was unveiled at Mines Road by the Lt Governor Sir Laurence New.

Despite regular maintenance, the statue unfortunately decayed and was removed in 2008.

It was replaced in 2015 by a magnificent statue, carved by Onky Wijana of Indonesia, from a five ton block of Carlow Blue Limestone, the cost being funded by a gift from the estate of a former Laxey resident.

In July 1990, Sir Charles Kerruish was appointed to the role of President of Tynwald and stood down as Garff MHK and therefore as trust chairman.

Dr Edgar Mann was appointed chairman in his place and served until 1995, when Steve Rodan was elected as MHK for Garff.

One of Mr Rodan’s first tasks as chairman was to reform the Trust into the Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust and to open membership out to the general public to support the work of the trustees.

Towards the end of the 1990s, the Isle of Man Government set up Mann 2000 which invited submissions for ideas to celebrate the new millennium.

The Trust decided to recreate a section of the former mine tramway at the Valley Gardens consisting of a replica engine shed, track and wagons.

The tramway originally carried ore from the Great Laxey Mine using two tiny steam locomotives Ant and Bee. Sadly, everything had been scrapped when the mine closed.

Very quickly the concept of a cameo display evolved into a working railway. Significant donations from the estate of the late Lt Col R Glen funded replicas of the original locomotives.

The Great Laxey Mine Railway was formally opened in September 2004 during a weekend of celebrations, largely organised by the Trust, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Laxey Wheel.

Since then, a small team of volunteers have extended the railway and created a new station at the Valley Gardens. A carriage shed was constructed for the railway’s two tiny carriages.

The Mine Railway runs every Saturday from Easter to September and is operated and maintained entirely by volunteers.

Every October, the trains and railway tunnel are specially decorated for the annual Hop Tu Naa ghost trains, which is the railway’s major fund-raising event.

Volunteers from the railway are currently restoring the former and historic MER goods shed at Laxey, which is used as a base for the small group which carries out restoration work on items of MER rolling stock.

A small exhibition in the adjacent yard tells the story of the MER’s involvement with carrying mail for the Post Office.

During 2003, the Laxey Mines Research Group began the restoration of the former Snaefell Mine waterwheel on the Valley Gardens at Laxey. The Trust acted as the formal fund-raising body for the Research Group and the waterwheel.

A re-opening ceremony was held in August 2006 when the waterwheel was christened the Lady Evelyn.

The trust has recently published a new book recalling the full history of the Snaefell Mine and the disaster which took place there in 1897.

The Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust is now in its 35th year and remains one of the leading heritage organisations on the island.

The Trust is currently seeking volunteers to help with the operation of the Great Laxey Mine Railway. Please come along to the mine railway on any Saturday for an informal chat, phone us on 624007 or email us on [email protected]

If you would like to join us as a Friend of the Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust, please call into the Gift Shop and Information Centre on Mines Road (open daily 10.00am to 4.00pm every day until October, phone us on 624007 or email [email protected] . Friends enjoy regular talks, walks, a 48-page newsletter and free rides on the Mine Railway.

Similarly, if you would like to make a donation to the Trust’s funds or sponsor events or activities to help promote the history of Laxey and Lonan, we would be delighted to hear from you.