David ButteryI was 16 at the time of the fire, like many teeagers in Douglas we spent most of our evenings and many a wet day at Summerland.We could occasionally get served in the bars and if not we roller skated on the big rink downstairs.The night of the fire we had left Summerland to go to the stock cars at Onchan stadium, we got as far as the Catholic church in Oncan park when we saw a thin column of black smoke and people began to gather at the cliff top overlooking the site.We ran across the golf course watching the smoke grow, by the time we reached the cliff, half of the seaward wall of Summerland was blazing with a thick sheet of jet black smoke rising hundreds of feet.From our viewpoint we watched the fire spread over the huge oroglas canopy and saw thousands of people pouring out of the doors.When the events of 9/11 were shown on tv it reminded me of Douglas prom that night, teeming with shocked people and emergency vehicles flying up and down.We ended up in the Granada hotel trying to phone our parents to tell them we were ok but the phones were busy.The next morning the whole town stank of burnt plastic and vans instead of ambulannces ferried the dead to a makeshift mortuary.I didn't loose anyone and I dont have nightmares, but it was a dark part of my childhood and a memory that is still often in my thoughts. ISLE OF MAN: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399665 - 12.48. Just then I distinctly remember seeing a small flicker of light at the base of the building on the West side thinking it was someone with a torch or something, as it was getting dusky. Just a stump of a diving board and the deep end of the Aquadrome pool, now home to about twenty billion pigeons The Brutalist concrete exterior concealed a range of sports and leisure facilities, all very wholesome and family-oriented. Now it's completely gone & it is a shame but they will hopefully put something back there for the manx & visitors to enjoy & make their amemories last a lifetime too. Condition is excellent. Location: Isle of Man Date Posted: 4/5/2017 2:49:35 PM Waymark Code: WMVDNA Summerland hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Only three Solaria existed at the time: Chicago, Japan and Switzerland. If you like to see Seven Sisters - view in Seaford, United Kingdom or any other wonderful filming locations from Summerland, start scrolling. The Summerland site is to be put on the market - BBC News Bob EmeryWhen Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. We hadn't had decent swimming baths for a long time in Douglas and for that reason alone I couldn't wait to get in and have a look. We stayed for a week and on all of the 4 nights preceding the evening of the disaster I had been to the complex for a swim and play around with new-found friends. While children were entertained in the theatre, parents could relax upstairs. My mum eventually took me and my sisters and I couldn't believe how new and lovely everything was. I was one of the worst things that has ever happened on our small Island and none of us will ever forget the event. . A couple of the girls had been at the afternoon disco but were on their way back to the digs when the fire must have taken hold. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. Tehachapi, CA, US. Having met with Mr Gawne MHK to discuss my proposal for a commemorative space prior to his unsuccessful re-election, then continued with Ray Harmer MHK the newly . Summerland was rebuilt, but staff and visitors to the site reported the sounds of screaming, hearing footsteps along empty passages, and occasionally seeing ghostly people wandering around the area. Site Status - Summerland Site [12] The fire brigade's provisional total of 51 deaths at the scene was subsequently revised down to 48, and two others died in hospital, one in Douglas on 11 August and the other in Scotland on 29 September; the latter is excluded from the Isle of Man coroner's list of 49 deaths. The End Of An Era: The Closure Of Summerland Leisure Complex In 2018 [9] The centre was seriously damaged by the fire. ISLE OF MAN: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph Outside its raining yet here you are relaxed in your shirt sleeves, gently perspiring in a tropical 80 degrees.. In June of 1832, Cholera arrived on the Isle of Man. Summerland complex, Isle of Man Isle of Man Tram and Summerland Leisure Centre. Jumping and diving from the boards was also fun with us all playing dead mans fall from the different boards, but I never did manage to dive or even jump from the top board. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. I do recall entering a talent competition and singing 'I'm a little teapot'. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. My dad played a lot of squash so I was always there watching him, well trying.. it took me years to be tall enough to see over from the spectators gallery properly.Every weekend it would either be rollerskating, swimming or the play area in the day and at night we would come back for the cabaret and more time in the play area.Through the week I would be in Summerland for 5-a-side football and swimming lessons with my school.For years I knew nothing about the fire but was told by my parents at a sensible age, from this moment on I wanted to know what the place looked like as their description made it sound out of this world and it was!I have spent many an hour researching everything Summerland.I have to admit I did feel very sad when I saw this place coming down.A newer more aesthetically pleasing version needs to be built, we need a more resourceful entertainment complex on the Island, everthing under one roof.. like Summerland! I WILL RETURN AS THERE IS A KIND OF MAGIC ATTRACTION ABOUT THE ISLAND,I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER 'THE GEM IN THE IRISH SEA' WAYNE FORD, Moonwalk,rollerskating & swimming, just 3 of the things that kept myself, my brother & cousins entertained for hours. A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street. I made lots of friends both from the island and liverpool. Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. After another few minutes the flames had spread over the top of the building and were beginning to engulf the whole place, it was horrible to see. Following many goes on the slide (the attendant was very friendly and let me have many free rides!) When we noticed the black smoke to one end of the building - and the crowds looking in that direction - we started to move towards the exit. Find average house prices, current average values, other historic property data & request a valuation from an estate agent. We came back to the island the year after the fire and we stayed in Oncan. Kayti Summerland signed up 2022-08-04 22:08:04 -0400. When we noticed the black smoke to one end of the building - and the crowds looking in that direction - we started to move towards the exit. I'll never forget the tragedy and the emptiness we felt after that horrific day. Summerland was a high tech leisure centre that was built in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, and opened in 1971. At first we thought it was only a small fire but we soon became aware that it was a lot more serious. We went to a show to see the Black and White Minstrels, that's when I smelt smoke. 4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Seacroft, 3 Summerland The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world and its state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. I lost a couple of pals in the fire. There's not much left of the place. See more ideas about summerland, isle of man, brutalist architecture. ISLE OF MAN SUMMERLAND FIRE | AP Archive Seconds later the light grew to a flame a few feet high, then within no time at all there were large flames extending the whole height of the side of the building I was frozen in shock watching what was kicking off. After another few minutes the flames had spread over the top of the building and were beginning to engulf the whole place, it was horrible to see. 14a Majestic Apartments King Edward Road Onchan IM3 2BD. The whole thing ended so tragically but it's important to remember the good times too. We would spend alot of time up there because of the pool and because they could keep and eye on us and have a drink at the same time. I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. Jade Harbour Restaurant. The first occupants were hunter-gatherers and fishermen. Brings back great memories of times spent on the island. Summerland , Douglas, Isle of Man. Original early 1970s Flyer. 7. vox pop older man re. I remember hearing a woman shouting "My God, my children are in there", which I still find a bone-chilling thought. I was 17 and was working there at the time of the fire, it was total panic, the fire spread so fast and no body could get out due to the doors being locked, I managed to get my friend away safely but with all the panic going on around I ended up in a daze, I dont know how I got out but remember someone pulling me, I got out befor the first explosion went off. Noel Skillicorn, LiverpoolSummerland for me, like many others who grew up on the Island was one of the main places that you could find entertainment of all forms from Rollerskating through to catching a afternoon film in the cinema. We were first alerted to it by the noise from the fire engines.Looking out the window of the boarding house we saw the flames. Brings back great memories of times spent on the island. After a geotechnical team determined that the blocks could not be safely stabilised or removed, and that there was a risk they would fall into the buildings below, the site was scheduled for demolition. Isle of Man: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph SUMMERLAND, DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. Locations. The acrylic material melted, allowing more oxygen to enter, and dropping burning molten material, both starting other fires and injuring those trying to escape. Phase II I decided to throw a wobbly and asked for a toy as I didn't want to go to the show - overtired! House Sitting in Mission Canyon, California, US | TrustedHousesitters.com Lomas wanted to create the illusion of being outside and to this end he planned to cover exposed cliff faces with tropical plants while allowing wild birds to live and fly throughout the building. My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. (The comedian/presenter on stage made a remark about there being "a chip pan on fire"). I decided to throw a wobbly and asked for a toy as I didn't want to go to the show - overtired! [14] No specific individuals or groups were blamed and the deaths were attributed to misadventure, although the delay in evacuation and the flammable building materials were condemned. Isle of Man community commemorate 49th anniversary of Summerland - ITVX It was a lovely place but it's so sad the way it all ended. Instead the first call came from a passing taxi driver, while another came from the captain of a ship 2 miles (3.2km) offshore who radioed HM Coastguard and said, "It looks as if the whole of the Isle of Man is on fire". My parents had gone for a drink and I was looking after myself on my own in the safety that was 1973 in the fantastic Isle of Man. 30 Mar 2023 - 05 Apr 2023 +. The water in the pool was lovely and hot and we used to go out and stand in a cold shower and the cold foot bath then dive into the pool to get that even warmer feeling. There were 7 floors in total and the building had a capacity for 5 thousand people. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. Summerland Comes Down Fast! - Page 2 - Manx Forums In the summer everyone enjoyed the talent competitions which were great fun. [17], In October 2002, torrential rain caused damage to several structures, as well as two landslides behind Summerland which dislodged two 50-tonne concrete blocks that had once supported the roof of the original building, but had not been removed in the wake of the fire. Isle of Man > Ramsey > Summerland > Semi-detached house for sale - 4 bedrooms . Property description & features. The fire started at around 7:30p.m. on 2 August 1973 when approximately 3,000 people were inside,[5] and was caused by three boys who were smoking in a small disused kiosk,[6] on the centre's miniature golf course[7] and who told police it was likely started by a carelessly discarded match or stub. We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. It was a strange building, influenced by the geodesic structure of Buckminster Fuller's American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Douglas Corporation, aided by grants from the Isle of Man Government, spent 1.5 million on the building and more cash was provided by The International Trust House Forte group who had taken Summerland LTD on as a subsidiary. I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. In the summer everyone enjoyed the talent competitions which were great fun. Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey IM8, 4 bedroom semi-detached house for I was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. The fire exits - clear glass ones, all in a row - were locked which I guessed afterwards was to prevent people paying for access to one area and then going to the other as well. While many escaped the inferno unharmed, the incident claimed 50 lives and seriously injured 80. 05 Apr 2023 - 16 Apr 2023. Now I have my own kids of my age at the time of the disaster, I know why. This devastating fire ripped through a leisure centre in the Isle of Man, killing 50 people and seriously injuring a further 80. I remember seeing below us musicians from the group who had been on stage swimming across the learner pool, one of them with his guitar. Such a happy reunion but such a terribly sad sad time. House prices in Summerland, Ramsey, Isle of Man IM8 - Zoopla I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. Examples of their tools are kept at the Manx Museum. carol burnsI survived that terrible disaster. His solution was to design an artificial centre of sunshine and it had to be spectacular enough to compete with the growing threat of cheap foreign holidays. I was told that the drummer from the show we had been watching did not make it. Everthing about that place was magical, everyone had a smile on their face & the atmosphere was exciting. Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) My dad raised the alarm after I smelt smoke coming from a slot machine. On August 2, 1973, at about 20.00, a fire in a kiosk close to Summerland, Isle of Man, started a conflagration and caused the death of 50 people. We found them distraught watching the flames as they thought we were in the building. I had a great time. We never knew if she saved our lives. We spent alot of time in Summerland it was a great venue for all the family. Summerland - filming locations - SCEEN IT I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) Such a happy reunion but such a terribly sad sad time. This button displays the currently selected search type. There is also significant attic. The end of a holiday dream The first drawings materialised in 1965 but hundreds were drafted out before building work actually started. The complex It was indeed quite glamorous and I know for a fact my mum and dad spent more than a few romantic evenings there, (We kids got packed off to our grandparents house!) The decor made it look like a tropical fairyland in places with the waterfall which looked like it was tumbling into the building from where the cliff-face was at the rear of the building. Humans colonised it by travelling by sea some time before 6500 BC. BBC - The Summerland building disaster - BBC News panels dropping in flames onto the ground and I guess, people below. JacquiI remember winning a talent contest at Summerland when I was 6 years old.We went to the IOM every year for our summer holidays. Ramsey is one of the sunniest parts of the Isle of Man, offering walks, fishing, golf, cycling and swimming. 'I need to speak to the three Liverpool friends who started the My dad raised the alarm after I smelt smoke coming from a slot machine. My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street. The state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map as one of the most important tourist destinations in. VillaGaiety is the Isle of Man's premier ENTERTAINMENT venue. On the night of the fire my Mum and Dad were taking me to see the Black & White minstrels, my much older brother and sister didn't want to go and went on the prom. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. The Summerland site today is in the ownership of the Isle of Man Government, derelict for 12 years and for sale for 10 years until January 2018 when it was taken off the market. My legs went like jelly and the next thing I knew, flames shot up the sides of the windows. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. My uncle saw someone he knew from our home town (Widnes) whose hotel was closer than ours, and he was able to phone family at home to say we were OK just as the story was coming on the news.We were all OK, apart from my uncle's cracked ribs from charging at the fire door, but the horror of the evening is still with me such that even lighting a candle is something I struggle to do and I always check out fire exits when I'm somewhere new. We saw the fire take hold and like many others my parents were shocked and crying at the horror of the tragic loss of life. John McGimpseyI was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. You are in: Isle of Man > History > Where the sun always shines. I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. My parents had been to the site of the fire thinking I was in there as I had been all week. [13] The inscription on the 1998 disaster memorial did not give a death toll; its 2013 replacement lists all 50 names. The worst thing was I could hear screams even from that distance, this has haunted me to this day. RM R8WF63 - Oil wells drilled into the bed of the Pacific ocean at Summerland, between Santa Barbara and Los Angleles, California, United States of America, c. 1915. on the night of the summerland fire,my wife and mother and father inlaw (in there late seventies) plus myself with a wife who was expecting a child,were due to have a drink in the top bar as a fairwell to there holls before returning to liverpool next day, due to a strange event my wife hair rollers broke down so delaying by half an hour our departure.we stoped at the laxey filling station only to be told the complex was on fire!! Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 2SE Registered in the Isle of Man No. 420,000 Property details; I hope you'll find it a useful means of info as to the current status of the site; my hopes for the Isle of Man Government to develop a memorial space there dedicated to the 50 killed in the fire of 2nd August 1973; the one minute's silence I organise on the anniversary of the fire; the Summerland Memorial Concert held each year; together with links and blogs. Those were the days. I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) Now it's completely gone & it is a shame but they will hopefully put something back there for the manx & visitors to enjoy & make their amemories last a lifetime too. xx. After a couple of hours frozen to the spot I remember seeing my Mum running towards me and picking me up, crying and hugging me as if she hadnt seen me in years or something. A girl I met that night but got separated from in the panic died. Looking at the picture of the pool makes me sad!! I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. Then with my children to manxland,their first birthday parties, my sisters-in-laws fashion shows & watching cousin's children do ballroom dancing & they're just a handfull of memories!Summerland was a one off & while the Villa Marina is a part of our islands history & heritage, there will never be another place like Summerland - it's in a league of it's own. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) Feb 22, 2021 - Manx Electric Railway 26 a 1898 GF Milnes crossbench tram at Derby Castle terminus in Douglas about to push crossbench trailer 56 back to the depot past the rebuilt Summerland on 14 July 1978. Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. LIGHTHOUSE DOUGLAS - ISLE OF MAN ( T30 ) | eBay (en) dbo:thumbnail 6. vox pops boys re. My legs went like jelly and the next thing I knew, flames shot up the sides of the windows. The plans took years to finalise. A lot of people on the Island will never forget what happened on 2nd August 1973. i remembr 1968-69 , I worked at White City on the Isle of Man , they were the eight best years of my life. We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. Summerland was such a great place to hang out and I would guess that most of the Isle of Man population that was around at the time of the fire is still in shock. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. 7. Majestic Apartments can be found a short distance along on the right hand side. My Uncle and several other "big chaps" hurled themselves against the fire doors to break them down. But I was young and my family did not let me know about it. The ghost walk at Castle Rushen is said to be one of the best on the island and can be booked here.
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