Notes on Nutcracker
For fans of vintage TV, there is a dearth of supporting material, from which more details can be gleaned. It’s one area where contemporary television has it so much better. Behind-the-scenes documentaries, cast and crew blogs, even the social media chatter of spoilers, if such activity doesn’t make you apoplectic with fury. It’s all there,…
Stay In Your Lane
Lately, I’ve got back into the habit of trying to walk ten thousand steps a day. Whether that number really does any good or not, I don’t know, but it’s certainly better than none, and does at least leave me feeling as if I’ve done some healthy activity, without that ‘summon next-of-kin’ sensation some gym…
100 Years of Nigel Kneale
On the 28th April, it will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nigel Kneale. He’s one of the finest writers the Isle of Man has ever produced, with an influence still felt in work being produced today. However, his chosen genre means he hasn’t always received the acclaim he deserves. I’ve tried to…
Visions of Baths
A while ago, I had an article published by the excellent Manx website Gef. The piece was all about a trip I’d taken around the Isle of Man, photographing derelict abandoned open-air swimming baths from the heyday of tourism. If you’d like to read the article, here’s a link: https://gef.im/2021/04/17/taking-a-dive-into-open-air-pools/ If you’re not familiar with…
Peel 1965
Algorithms are funny things. Sometimes they’re belly-shakingly hilarious in their misfires. But generally, they’re quite cute in the way they stalk your every online movement to serve up some digital sweetmeat that they think you might like. They’re often correct. Because I read and write a fair bit about Manx culture and history, a site…
The loss of the Ellan Vannin
I’ve written a piece for Gef to mark the anniversary of the loss of the Ellan Vannin. It’s one of the saddest tales in the history of the Isle of Man, but one worth knowing about. Here’s a link to the article:
Pacino Boats
I’ve just found this photo, that I took a few years ago. It was the first in a series of pictures that I called Manx Fishing Boats That Share Their Name With An Al Pacino Movie. And indeed, the last. I’m very happy to be proved wrong on this. If you know anything about a…
The Godfather of Manx Democracy
To mark Black History Month, I was commissioned to write this piece about James Brown (no, not that one) for gef.im Our James Brown is one of the most remarkable characters in the history of the Isle of Man, and his influence is still felt in how the place is run today. Here’s a link…
More Manx Women
A little while back, I wrote a piece for International Women’s Day, celebrating some of the most notable women in Manx history. Here’s a link to it: It’s by no means a complaint, but there are so many of them, I ran out of space in the article . So here’s another assortment. Sophia Morrison…
The Picture House
100 years ago, the fondly remembered Isle of Man cinema, The Picture House, opened. To mark the anniversary, I’ve written this piece for Gef. Read all about my encounter with Dracula in the Manx Museum, the timing issues of Movietone Follies, and why Audrey Hepburn just wouldn’t go away.
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Mark Trevor Owen 