Holiday Isle

The Golden Era of the Manx Boarding House from the 1870s to the 1970s. This colourful book overflows with life and fascinating old photographs. It tells the story of how the Isle of Man developed from a quiet retreat into 'the playground of Lancashire' in the late Victorian era. To cater for the needs of tourists, Manx entrepreneurs quickly created hundreds of hotels and boarding houses to provide for every taste and pocket. From the elegant to the humble, their legacy lives on in the remarkable stuccoed buildings which still grace the Island's promenades and seaside streets. In this intriguing book the joys, sorrows and secrets of the boarding houses live again. Staff and proprietors tell their stories and reflect on summers past when the Isle of Man danced to the beat of the holiday crowds. The secrets of kitchens and dining-rooms are revealed and the menus of the past tempt the palate in a tantalising history of food. Nor is drink forgotten, for the scandal over alcohol in boarding houses which brought down a Government and caused a general election is remembered, along with the hard times of both world wars. The fascinating story of the seaside architecture of the Isle of Man is illustrated with unique plans and photographs of boarding houses, which have never before been published. Finally, the years of decline and renewal are remembered in a chapter which brings the story up to date.