On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) Isle of Man > Ramsey > Summerland > Semi-detached house for sale - 4 bedrooms . I was 5 at the time. You are in: Isle of Man > History > Where the sun always shines. 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. It was my last night on the IOM with my BB Company from N Ireland. Ramsey is one of the sunniest parts of the Isle of Man, offering walks, fishing, golf, cycling and swimming. The world's first offshore oil wells, drilled from piers in 1896. Gray 2017 Keystone Summerland 2980 BH with 1 miles for sale at public car auctions in Carville LA on 03-07-2023. 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. 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. 2. ws Summerland after fire - skeleton of building. Summerland complex, Isle of Man Isle of Man Tram and Summerland Leisure Centre. Located in the heart of Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, the complex was a landmark of the island, offering a wide range of attractions for both locals and visitors alike. 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. I was so sad when the tragedy happened and still feel sad when I drive past the now empty site. from when I was an infant until I was a teenager.Also my dad and his friend used to have such fun jumping on the beaded filled cushions in the solariumI also remember being at home in Liverpool watching the blaze on TV and crying becuase I would never be able to go there again. I dont remember the initial Summerlands complex, but I was in Summerlands in the mid 80's; after it was rebuilt and reopened in 1978; I was therer on annual camp with the scouts, that was the year I joined the scouts and that was the reason i joined, the trip to the Isle of Man.What a great time I had there using the swimming pool. Opened with much fanfare a little more than two years earlier on 25 May 1971, the 2m climate-controlled building boasted restaurants and bars, an indoor heated swimming pool, saunas, a children's theatre and an underground disco. Figure 2 shows where the fire initially started, and it spread quickly over the building faade. 420,000 Property details; Meanwhile a group of three school boys on holiday from Liverpool was hanging around at the back of the building next to a section of a dismantled fibre-glass kiosk. Majestic Apartments can be found a short distance along on the right hand side. This was on the 2nd floor. 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. Marketed by Chrystals, Isle of Man William LeedsI remember going there as a 6 year old. The building's exterior and the interior were designed by two different architectsthey did not coordinate their planning with each other and thereby created a venue with significant fire risks that were to become apparent only later. These proposals will necessitate significant investment but will enable us to rectify core issues that have compromised the integrity of the building in recent years, such . 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! [13] The inscription on the 1998 disaster memorial did not give a death toll; its 2013 replacement lists all 50 names. 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. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. The site was acquired by Douglas Corporation in 1964 and The average house price in Summerland, Ramsey, Isle of Man IM8 is . 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!) Most of week had been spent at the evening disco and I still have photos and the weekly ticket from our good times there. It was a strange building, influenced by the geodesic structure of Buckminster Fuller's American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Isle of Man: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399644 at the best online prices at eBay! Julie was 14, and identified by her jewellery. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. Location Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland Geographic coordinates 54 15 N, 4 30 W Map references Europe Area total: 572 sq km land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km country comparison to the world: 193 Area - comparative slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries total: 0 km Coastline ! JaxuttonOK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! Property reference . Summerland was a high tech leisure centre that was built in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, and opened in 1971. (The comedian/presenter on stage made a remark about there being "a chip pan on fire"). See where they filmed this movie from 2020 starring Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Lucas Bond. VillaGaiety is the Isle of Man's premier ENTERTAINMENT venue. I had the best holidays ever as a kid in IOM , it is a magical place. I decided to throw a wobbly and asked for a toy as I didn't want to go to the show - overtired! 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. mike howarthI was at summerland in august 1973,and went to the groovey disco underneath,but it seemed a bit lacking in atmosphere compared to the clubs in Manchester.I was also in Douglas when Summerland set on fire and joined the long queue of people donating blood for the victims. 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. My legs went like jelly and the next thing I knew, flames shot up the sides of the windows. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. The burning kiosk collapsed against the exterior of the building. Map. From Wonderful California, published 1915. I am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. For me, Summerland was the hub of all my childhood memories, I would be there at least 4 times a week. I was told that the drummer from the show we had been watching did not make it. ISLE OF MAN: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399665 - 12.48. My Mum and I started to go towards a spiral staircase which led towards the main entrance but my uncle steered us further along the gallery to where there were fire exits leading to the swimming pool area. I used to love walking round the place & everytime it was just as amazing as the first time.Then in my teens & 20's & 30's going to the cave & upstairs for the TT events from TT supporters club meetings,to gigs & tyre balancing. [10], Because of the locked fire doors, many people headed to the main entrance, which caused a crush.[9]. IMS VINTAGE PHOTOS IMS VINTAGE PHOTOS THIS IS AN ORIGINAL VINTAGE 394351480931 The lower floors were geared towards children and teenagers, with a disco, fairground. 1. When Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. The fire quickly spread across the sheeting on the leisure centre walls and roof, and through vents which were not properly fireproofed. 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. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. Such a happy reunion but such a terribly sad sad time. I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) 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! Two years after its completion in 1971 the high tech promenade venue was the scene of devastation after a fire ripped through the building killing 50 people. (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.) 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. Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. Summerlands bed and breakfast (B&B) is a charming and unique house in Ramsey, which has recently been refurbished throughout to a very high standard. I went to the Isle of Man after the fire and never heard of the fire until recently. It is a British Crown dependency (and therefore not part of the United Kingdom itself); the UK is responsible for defence and foreign affairs. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. The transparent roof was composed of 6 ft acrylic bronze-tinted sheets so that the natural light filtering through would appear like golden rays. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. While many escaped the inferno unharmed, the incident claimed 50 lives and seriously injured 80. 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. The year before the fire we were taken to Summerland to watch a syncronised swimming display. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. LizAlthough I remember when the fire happened (as a relative was working there that evening and thankfully survived), my happy memories are also quite vivid as I used to go there many times, especially during school holidays. We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. "Good crispy duck and great main dishes.". We went to a show to see the Black and White Minstrels, that's when I smelt smoke. [1] [2] [3] I stood on the prom looking over at the Summerland complex contemplating whether to give it a go or not. The Summerland fire, according to the independent report into the blaze, will remain a permanent scar in the minds of Manxmen.. Most of week had been spent at the evening disco and I still have photos and the weekly ticket from our good times there. 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. Experts searching the wreckage. 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. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. 4 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey, IM8 for 420,000. 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 remember walking past Summerland and seeing a rocking horse from a ride stood on its own. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. [11] Around 80 people were seriously injured in the resulting crush and fire and received physical and mental scars. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. The Majestic. The island was cut off from the surrounding islands around 8000 BC as sea levels rose following the end of the ice age. 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. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. When we finally reached the bottom the firemen were there to guide us out and just as we got outside, the whole place was engulfed by fire. [4], Summerland was designed to accommodate up to 10,000 tourists and consisted of a dance hall, five floors of holiday games, a rollerskating rink, restaurants and public bars. from when I was an infant until I was a teenager.Also my dad and his friend used to have such fun jumping on the beaded filled cushions in the solariumI also remember being at home in Liverpool watching the blaze on TV and crying becuase I would never be able to go there again. The acrylic material melted, allowing more oxygen to enter, and dropping burning molten material, both starting other fires and injuring those trying to escape. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. August ISLE of MAN "SUMMERLANDS DOUGLAS" DESTROYED BY FIRE 2nd AUGUST 1973 POSTED 1974 Street Cars Derby Vehicles Swiss Derby Castle before Summerland was demolished J Judith B summerland isle of man August 2013 My Heritage 40th Anniversary Birth Gem Sidewalk Memories I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. A Cafe. 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. But the dream was short lived. I still remember the screams and panic, they haunt me to this day. It took me a long time to go on holiday again. Location. My parents had been to the site of the fire thinking I was in there as I had been all week. Bit by bit over the years things would start to disappear, until by the end there was only "Manxland" left, my son really enjoyed palying there with all his cousins & it was a great place for Mums to meet on a Saturday & have a coffee while the kids played, we did that for a lot of years.