h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi, ecotype!

I've been starting to plan out an entry on Camera Obscuras, and I've been having problems getting information about the one in Douglas. Have you any idea if it is still closed for restoration, or what is happening to it? I never actually got inside when I was on my childhood holiday so many years ago, but I understand it's an interesting example. Any scraps of information will be gratefully received!

I hope you survived the recent storms - the ground is still very waterlogged here but I'm hoping to get moving on my gardening again this weekend (a bank holiday here for St. Patrick's Day )

Azara

Hello there Azara! Nice to hear from you... Yes, I survived the storms and managed to avoid yet another house flood. It was pretty dramatic though.

The Douglas camera obscura is still just about intact, and still owned by the government, and still not open to the public. As far as I know, it's still in the hands of Manx National Heritage, and the cross mutterings rumble on in the Manx press as to why it hasn't yet been renovated. MNH have quite a good website. If the mod squad object to the following link, it's just gov.im/mnh etc.
http://www.gov.im/mnh/CameraObscura.asp
Incidentally, there used to be another one in the Victoria Tower, a nineteenth century construction which disappeared quite a while ago.

I've just had a look and there's a surprising number of websites about British camera obscura and associated buildings. I searched Google on "Isle of Man" Douglas "camera obscura" (IoM searches are a nightmare without the quotes: you get loads of stuff about men called Douglas The Manx Electric Railway website is particularly detailed. It says this about the camera obscura, which I didn't previously know:
QUOTEMany of the most popular attractions and facilities not unnaturally were centred on Douglas. Douglas Head itself became a heavily-patronised entertainment area in its own right. Served by the cross-harbour boats of the Douglas Steam Ferry Co Ltd and the "Penny Bridge" (built in 1895) and the Douglas Head Incline Railway, the area boasted many features of contemporary entertainment including an open air theatre with pierrots, innumerable side shows including a "climbing monkey game" a large photographic studio, the Warwick Tower, which featured a platform lift 200 ft high (and which, together with its pavilion and waxworks was burned out on August 28, 1900) and a Camera Obscura. This was originally sited on the Iron Pier but was removed and rebuilt on Douglas Head by a Mr Hicks about 1898; it was subsequently damaged by fire and rebuilt to its present design by the Fielding family. It subsequently remained in the hands of the Heaton family for four generations, until recently purchased by the Government. UNQUOTE

One thing: if you wanted to contact anyone, I noticed several sites list a contact at the Dept Local Govt & Environment; this is out of date. Best to contact Manx National Heritage.

Mucho excitement on the plant-watching front. I've just booked a holiday with my aunt & uncle in Finland, and they're arranging to take us up to Lapland, as far north as there's time for... My aunt is a keen mushroom-hunter (they're very keen over there) so I'm swotting up on Finnish names for fungi.

I don't recommend this as the most accessible way of trying to learn a language

and by the way: we have Tynwald Day bank holiday and Seniors Day (TT races)