09 April 2018:

Knox’s 154th birthday was celebrated on 9th April and it was a beautiful sunny day on the Isle of Man.

We started at Braddan Church at 10am and then entered No. 40 Cronkbourne Village - where Knox was believed to have been born in 1864 (our thanks go to Braddan Parish Commissioners and the prospective buyers of the village for their permissions to do this).

Then to St George's Church in Douglas where we saw the wonderful St Barnabas War memorial plaque designed by Knox (the plaque was transferred to St George's in 1957 when St Barnabas Church, Douglas, was closed). The lives of 31 parishioners who died in WWI are listed in alphabetical order.

On to the Post Office headquarters at Spring Valley where Knox's memorial to those of the postal service who died and fought in WWI is located. It was so poignant to know that this, and the WWII plaques are side by side, are looked upon proudly by the members of the Isle of Man Postal Service and to learn that a ceremony is held each year in honour of the six men who died and the 100 others who served their country.

Marown new church cemetery has two gravestones either by Knox, or in the style of Knox, and these were visited.

A great lunch at The Hawthorn pub.

Then to the Cathedral in Peel. The three pieces of silver in the Cathedral that were designed by Knox (two commissioned by Canon John Quine) were on display and we were blessed with having 4 members of the Quine family with us. Julie Quine read out an account of the origins of the pieces and the history behind the Quine family gifting the pieces to the Cathedral.

Onchan cemetery was the next stop to see two Archibald Knox designed headstones from 1912 and 1920.

The final stop on the 7 hour journey was to All Saints' Church, Lonan. Talks were given by Tony Pass and Julie Quine regarding the history of the church, the Knox war memorials and the grave of Canon John Quine who was vicar of Lonan for 45 years.