The Isle of Man in the Age of Sail and Musket by Matthew Richardson

The Isle of Man in the Age of Sail and Musket: 1750 to 1815

The years 1750 to 1815 were among the most turbulent in the history of the Isle of Man. Manx soldiers and sailors found themselves caught up in numerous wars and foreign adventures.

The Running Trade was in decline, yet the hardy seafarers brought up on Manx coasts found other employment as slave traders or privateers. Others found their way into the Royal Navy, either willingly or unwillingly, for this was the age of the Press Gang. As the tide of war drew ever closer, new regiments were raised for defence of the Island, and young Manx men travelled to far flung battlefields.

The Age of Sail and Musket captures the spirit of those times, in the words of those who were there.