Ann Clugston (1801 – 1896)

Anne Clugston (born Anne Garne) ran the Queen’s Arms – the original inn which predated the Castle Hotel and Falcon’s Nest Hotel.

She was one of the oldest living people on the Isle of Man, surviving many of the Falcon’s Nest’s future landlords.

She may have been quite a character. There is a wonderful sting in the last line of her will, where she expresses her hatred of football:

“If Wm Clugstone Junior during my lifetime join the football game he is to be deprived of my property that I have left him in my will. Anne Clugstone. Feb 6th 1891.”

Notable dates

1837 – Patrick Cringle recorded as Landlord (and keeper of post-horses) of the only inn in Port Erin – the ‘comfortable’ White Lion

1843 – Jas. Clogston Landlord of the Queen’s Arms

1851 – Ann Clugston is recorded as running the Queens Arms Inn

1858 – Queen’s Arms changed it’s name to The Falcon’s Nest

Leech’s guide of 1861 records Falcon’s Nest, and Port Erin Castle Hotel, Mrs. A. Clugston

Sources

Pigot’s Directory, 1837 – Manx Notebook

Pigot & Slater’s Directory, 1843 – Manx Notebook

Old Inns and Coffee-Houses of the Isle of Man, Neil Mathieson – Manx Notebook

Clugston family tree

Ann Clugston’s will, 1896

Leech’s Guide, 1861 – Manx Notebook

William Milner (c.1804 – 1974)

William Milner was a wealthy safe-maker from Liverpool who took his summer holidays, with his family, in Port Erin. He began spending more and more time here to recuperate after illness and eventually retired on the Island.

He owned land in Port Erin, and had his house ‘The Rest’ built next to the Queen’s Arms/Falcon’s Nest and was responsible for the building of Port Erin Castle Hotel.

He was a key player in the planning the high profile Port Erin built breakwater across the bay. It was part of a series of improvements for which Tynwald borrowed money from Westminster against future revenues of the Island.

Notable dates

1855 – Plans to build a breakwater began. Hoped to provide shelter and anchorage for 1,000 vessels.

1863 – The Port Erin Breakwater Railway and saw the first steam locomotive used on the Isle of Man

1864 – The foundation-stone of the Breakwater at Port Erin was laid about the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four. William Milner was the chief man in the cause.

Sources

Cooinaghtyn Manninagh Manx Reminiscences, Dr John Clague, 2005

Breakwater, Manx Postcards, 1907 – Manx Notebook

Port Erin Methodist Chapel – Manx Notebook

Land owned by Milner, Walking trails in Port Erin, Gov.im

Arthur Hill Holme (1814-1857)

Liverpool-based architect, son of a Liverpool builder and brother to the Mayor of Liverpool, Arthur Holme, designed several churches in Liverpool as well as The former Royal School for the Blind, and Liverpool Prison and collaborated on Lime Street Station.

Holme designed Port Erin Castle Hotel in 1857 – the year that he died.

The Falcon’s Nest/Port Erin Castle Hotel was erected by Mr R. Cain, of Castletown and included:

“Four noble Dining-rooms, with bay widows, and spacious Bedrooms”.

If you walk up the Promenade to the junction with Church Road, with the grass on your left, there is an upright standing stone inscribed “LAWN FALCON’S NEST” that marked the original boundary for the Port Erin Castle Hotel.

There is evidence from a bare patch of grass adjacent to the inscribed stone that there was another stone which suggests that this stone was a gatepost.

Notable dates

1857 – Port Erin Castle Hotel designed

1859/60 Hotel built

Sources

Architect Arthur Hill Holme – Manx Notebook

Cubbon, S, Manx Inns A Pub Crawl Through History, Amulree Publications, Isle of Man, 1998, Amazon

The Isle of Man Weekly Times, Douglas, Newspapers.com

Standing stone, Walking Trails in Port Erin, Gov.im

Falcon’s Nest Gatepost, Waymarking.com

John Geary (1821 – 1874)

John Geary set out to advertise the new hotel and attract guests. He commissioned some ‘tourist guides’ to attract well to do families from Lancashire, selling Port Erin as a more ‘genteel’ holiday location than the busy Douglas. In Edwin Waugh’s guide John Geary is described as;

“The landlord of the hotel – a very kind hearted and intelligent Englishman”

Notable dates

1861 – a partnership was entered into between Mrs Clugston and John Geary

1863 – both Falcon’s Nest and Castle Hotel were described as run by a Mr. John Geary

1871 Milner’s Tower is built on top of Bradda Head. It is said to resemble the key to one of his safes.

Sources

Clugston Family tree

Guide to Castletown, Port Erin, and adjacent parts of the Isle of Man by Edwin Waugh, 1869 – Manx Notebook

1869 notes – Manx Notebook

George Trustrum (1825 – 1878)

Following the death of John Geary, Ann Clugstone sold the hotel to George Trustrum (Snr.) who appeared to have been associated with the York Hotel in Douglas.

Following her husband’s death, Ellen and her son G.L. Trustrum took over the hotel, together with the lease to ‘The Rest’ the marine residence of the late W. Milner Esq. next door, and convert it into a family boarding house. It was renamed ‘York House’.

15 years after her husband, Ellen died leaving the Nest in the capable hands of her son GL Trustrum.

The young Mr. Trustrum begins to show he is a community man.

“In 1888 Mr. G L Trustrum, and many other gentlemen hurried to direct operations in the gallant endeavour to save the crew of the Lyra, wrecked at Port St. Mary.”

Notable dates

1874 – Both William Milner and John Geary die this year.

1876 – George Trustrum buys the Falcon’s Nest Hotel

1878 – George Trustrum Snr dies

1883 – Ellen Trustrum dies

1896 – Ann Clugston dies

1896 – Visit by W. Gladstone

Sources

Note – Manx Notebook

Lyra – Port St Mary Lifeboat

William Ewart Gladstone (1809 – 1898)

In 1886, perhaps the most distinguished statesman of the nineteenth century, W. E. Gladstone, came to the Island.

British statesman and politician, he served for twelve years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Gladstone was known affectionately by his supporters as the “G.O.M.” “Grand Old Man”. Historians often call him one of Britain’s greatest leaders.

There is a good story told in the Isle of Man of Mr Gladstone’s visit to Port Erin, at the Falcon’s Nest.

On one occasion, he ordered his breakfast very early in order that he might get down to the train to see some friend off to catch the morning boat in Douglas. The breakfast was a little too tardy in arriving, and Mr Gladstone took one cup of tea, and popped the teapot down in the corner of the hearth to keep it warm, intending to have some more on his return. The waiter thought he had gone away himself, and rushed to the manager, saying : ” Has he paid his bill ?” ” Who ?” asked the manager. ” ‘Im wot’s ad breakfast. Any’ow, ‘e’s been and took the silver teapot.” Ere long Mr Gladstone returned, and, quietly sauntering to the fire-place, took up the pot and renewed his seat at the table. “You ass,” said the manager to the waiter, ” that’s the G.O.M.”

The Falcon’s restaurant was renamed ‘The Gladstone’ in honour on his visit, until it’s name was changed to ‘Milner’s View Restaurant‘ in 2016.

Sources

Manx Notebook – Manx yarns

George Lucas Trustrum (1855 – 1939)

GL Trustrum took over and enlarged the Falcon’s Nest to it’s present size apart from the conservatory overlooking bay. Work was carried out by Castletown builder, James Costain.

Mr. Costain was identified with the growth of Port Erin as a holiday resort being involved in the building of the Belle Vue in 1885 and the altered Eagle Hotel.

George Trustrum bought ‘The Hut’, a thatched property on Bradda Head with grounds including ‘Castle Mona’ and cottages. He converted these into a café and entertainment, but ran into a series of difficulties. He sold them to the Collinson’s who later developed them into Collinson’s Holiday Camp.

George was also known as a keen sportsman. In 1897 he has one of the leading scores at Port Erin Golf Links and in 1905 was recorded as the clubs captain. Today, the Falcon’s Nest Hotel Sports Bar is named after him, which is quite fitting.

Notable dates

Before 1902 – Fire recorded at the hotel, possibly related to renovations.

1903 – New railway station building

1910- Choir stalls were installed in St Catherine’s Church, gift of G.L Trustrum in memory of his parents and little girl

Sources

IOM Firebrigade history, 1903 Firestylemagazine

Falcon Nest History, Port Erin Postcards and Pictures

James Costain, Manx Quarterly #18, Manx Notebook

Calf of Man Visitor Resort, Watterson Strand Bakery, Waymarking.com

Port Erin Golf Club, Bradda Head, Isle of Man. (1895 – 1950), Golf Missing Links

Centenary of church 1880 – 1980, Rushen Parish PDF

Arnold Bennett (1867 – 1931)

Arnold Bennett was an English writer. He is best known as a novelist, but he also worked in other fields such as the theatre, journalism, propaganda and films.

‘Anna of the Five Towns’ is a novel, first published in 1902 and one of his best-known works.

Chapter X in Anna of the Five Towns, ‘The Isle’, is really a completely self-contained episode. It contains a most detailed and accurate account of setting off for a holiday in the Isle of Man.

“You had better sleep at the Falcon’s Nest; it is the best hotel”, p285

It is reasonable to assume that Arnold Bennett visited here himself in the 1890’s in order to give such a detailed account of the Hotel and surroundings.

Sources

Anna of the Five Towns, Wikipedia

Newsletter, 2016, Arnold Bennett Society

Joseph and Mary Swinnerton were Landlord and Landlady of the Falcon’s Nest in 1917, when their son Private Frederick William Swinnerton of the 13th Cheshire Regiment was killed in action 7 June 1917, Ypres, aged 19 years.

The daughter of Joseph and Mary, Miss ‘Jo’ Swinnerton gave an interesting account of her career as Manageress at the Falcons Nest Hotel in 1924 where she stayed until she retired at 62.

“During the second world war Port Erin was turned into a camp for internees with barbed wire all round & I had ninety women at the Falcon. German, Austrian, Italian & all sorts: it is really surprising what one can do if one has to. Every hotel and boarding house in Port Erin was fUll of women and there was a Commandant from Scotland Yard in charge of the lot, & we could go to him if in trouble, but once I’d got things organised I was alright.”

Women interned at the Falcon included German and Austrian refugees, cooks, a housemaid, and a hairdresser.

Notable dates

1911 -Victoria Mary Swinnerton, 24 recorded as being Hotel Barmaid

First and Second World Wars

Sources

Family History Journal, 1986, Swinnerton Family

Falcon’s Nest staff 1911, IOM imuseum

Family History Journal, 1994, Swinnerton family

1911 Census data, IOM imuseum search