Are There Any Native Manx People Who Have Dark/olive Skin?

[GilbertGrape 0]

I ask this because, my Grandmothers family originally came from there, and that family has dark skin. It's been a mystery, as from what I can tell from the research I've done is that most natives of the island are of Celtic and or Viking descent.

 

I have found one article of how comparisons were made of dark and light skinned island inhabitants faces and skull shape, but nothing was suggested of where the dark blood came from. I've not read anything else other than this one article which suggests there being dark skinned people living there.

 

Thanks.

Edited November 9, 2011 by GilbertGrape

[Lagman 665]

Well there is this,make what you will of it - http://www.isleofman.com/heritage/ePedia/Geography/Hills/spanish-head.aspx

 

Plus random people have turned up here from everywhere over the centuries and people from here have always been involved with the British navy and went everywhere there was to go.

[GD4ELI 2,754]

Also gypsies from Spain

[Declan 7,289]

Called Juan?

 

 

[GilbertGrape 0]

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate them. :-)

 

I've often wondered if the dark skin came from gypsies. Is the island known for having gypsies visiting/living there way back when...?

[spermann 146]

I ask this because, my Grandmothers family originally came from there, and that family has dark skin. It's been a mystery, as from what I can tell from the research I've done is that most natives of the island are of Celtic and or Viking descent.

 

I have found one article of how comparisons were made of dark and light skinned island inhabitants faces and skull shape, but nothing was suggested of where the dark blood came from. I've not read anything else other than this one article which suggests there being dark skinned people living there.

 

Thanks.

 

I noticed in the George Formby film 'No Limit' there was a dark guy singing on Douglas prom.

 

He seemed like a nice chap. Dont know if he was local though.

[Albert Tatlock 11,538]

Look here also. I heard too that similar testing found a few from Portugal had migrated this way to become Manx, you will have to dig that out off the web. Don't forget that hundreds of years ago, slaves of all nationalities, settled in all all sorts of countries too.

[GD4ELI 2,754]

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate them. :-)

 

I've often wondered if the dark skin came from gypsies. Is the island known for having gypsies visiting/living there way back when...?

Known for gypsies - I don't know, but some did come to the island, I know this first hand. As for when - would be over 100 years ago.

 

Where did your grandmother come from - any family names?

[%age 1]

There's probably some fact in the Spanish Head thing although some local historians (such as Frank Cowin, I think) reckon all the Spanish Armada were accounted for and none landed here. Some ships landed up the Irish coast but not Isle of Man they reckon.

 

It is probably more difficult to notice these days, but 40 years and more ago there were definitely folk in Port St Mary who were more than a little Spanish looking.

[The Old Git 790]

How are you defining "native Manx"?

 

I know people / have relations who have dark or olive skin but when you look at their parents or grandparents then the answer is obvious.

[Chinahand 3,285]

For me, assumptions about Celtic and Viking Heritage show how modern Nationalism has simplified our history.

 

These two historical periods ended something like 800 to 1000 years ago - sure we can quibble about the exact dates, but the heritage of your great³⁰ grand parent verses your great⁴⁰ grand parent isn't that important - who were your great, great, great, great grand parents? - most people haven't got a clue (don't forget there were 64 of them!).

 

My family know very little back beyond my great great grand parents - illiteracy and church records are the lot of most geneologies earlier than the Victorian era.

 

The Island has something like 600 years of maritime history - Peninsular wars, the triangular trade, bringing breadfruit back from the pacific (or was it taking it there?). As well as the far more mundane fact of trade with the Med, and ships sheltering off our shores before heading in to Liverpool.

 

Given genetics for a blendable trait like skin colour to persist in an otherwise homogenous population it can only be a few generations old.

 

The Island isn't some isolated Celtic or Viking idyll. Over the last 300 or so years it's had continual mixing of its population with a hetrodox maritime world - prodominantly via Liverpool, but also from whoever pitched up by luck or ill fortune in our numerous ports and thought it was worth staying around.

 

Manx people born to a parent with olive skin and darker - over the last 200 years there will have been 1000s of them - and their genes will be a far bigger percentage than any Vikings in their descendents genetics.

Edited November 9, 2011 by Chinahand

[Alias 12]

These two historical periods ended something like 800 to 1000 years ago - sure we can quibble about the exact dates, but the heritage of your great³⁰ grand parent verses your great⁴⁰ grand parent isn't that important - who were your great, great, great, great grand parents? - most people haven't got a clue (don't forget there were 64 of them!).

At most.. perhaps not over here!

[Declan 7,289]

I've often thought that the inbred jibe is rather misplaced where the Manx are concerned. For much of our history intermingling has been easier for our forebares than for those living in-land.

 

A day's travel for inlanders was as far as you could walk. A Manxman could be in England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland.

[La_Dolce_Vita 754]

My ancestors came from Dalby, so the inbred jibe is absolutely valid in my case.

[Merkin 1,051]

The Isle of Man was used by the British for internment of foreign PoWs during both world wars. I also understand that more than a few ex prisoners stayed on at the end of the war becasue they were treated well and had grown fond of the place. There were a few camps dotted round although I don't know their exact locations, i'm sure someone on here will.