A walk to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of Port Erin benefactor William Milner will take place next week.
Rushen Heritage Trust’s walk will take place on Monday (September 30) starting at 10:30am at Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street.
The walk will be guided by Kathy Potter and will take in the Milner Towers plaque, St Catherine’s Church, St Catherine’s Terrace, and (weather permitting) Milner Tower on Bradda Head.
Memorial Walk
If the weather isn’t on the trusts side, it will visit Milner’s gravestone at Rushen Parish Church.
After the walk, it’s back to the heritage centre for tea/coffee and biscuits.
The walk is free, but space is limited — to reserve your place, contact Kathy on 330584.
William Milner
The world-renowned safe maker, Wiliam Milner was born in Sheffield but moved to the Isle of Man in 1860, where he lived at ‘The Rest’.
The Rest was located on the corner site opposite the Falcon’s Nest Hotel, currently home to the Milner Towers apartment block.
Milner suffered from poor health throughout this life and had visited Port Erin for many years before retiring to the Island, a move which followed a tragedy, when a young boy was killed during a competition between Milner’s firm and a rival to test each other’s safes.
Milner became heavily involved in life within Port Erin, building the cottages on St Catherine’s Terrace to house poor fishermen, along with the Falcon’s Nest.
He was instrumental in the building of the new breakwater, which was completed in 1864, but was destroyed by storms two decades later.
After his death on 30th September 1874, Milner’s estate funded the building of St Catherine’s Church in Port Erin, in memory of his wife, Jane.
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