In support of this month’s Manx National Heritage open day programme Douglas Borough Council has taken ‘Yesterday and Today’ as its theme when it opens its doors to the public on Friday October 7 and Saturday October 8.

 Douglas Town Hall

2016 marks the fifth year the Council has supported the open day programme and new for this year will be a collection of archive photographs of Strand Street taken in the late 19th century displayed against present-day images of the street. An original hand-drawn map of Douglas from the same period will also be exhibited along with details researched by the Council of some of the shops, services and proprietors’ names of the time.

In addition, a selection of some of the unique aerial photographs of Douglas in 1935 which made their debut in 2015 will be on display but - again new for 2016 - shown side by side against aerial photographs of the same views taken 81 years later, in mid-summer 2016. Supplementing these will be some ‘Douglas from the Sky’ video footage which includes scenes of this year’s Douglas Carnival.

The ‘yesterday’ theme continues with a recreation of a working admin office dating from long before the dawn of technology, the centrepiece of which is an original 1920s Dictaphone machine that recorded to wax cylinders, while a children’s dressing-up area with clothing from the early part of the 20th century is set to offer some inspired photo opportunities.

All this along with opportunities to visit the Town Hall’s Council Chamber with its imposing barrel-vaulted ceiling, the Mayor’s Parlour and the Committee Room, view notable paintings, artefacts and memorabilia, and learn something of the history of the building which has served as the ‘home’ of Douglas Borough Council since it was officially opened on May 10, 1900.

Discover ‘Yesterday and Today’ this week at Douglas Town Hall.

Open days Friday October 7 and Saturday October 8 from 11am to 2pm. Entrance free.