Manx Millennium Chronicles

The content consists of seven volumes of original editions and eleven volumes of photocopied editions; arranged by geographical location. Contributed by Manx school children in the spring of 1999 for the Millennium celebration project organised by the Features Committee of Mann 2000.

To welcome in the new millennium the Isle of Man Government assembled the Features Committee of Mann 2000 (1997-2000) whose purpose was to encourage and support schemes that would celebrate the year 2000. The body was involved in two projects, namely the planting of the Millennium Oakwood at Ballafletcher, Braddan (on 9 March 2000) and the creation of the Manx Millennium Chronicles. The Chronicles project began in the spring of 1999 when the children of the Isle of Man were invited to write about their lives at the end of the twentieth century. They were also asked to predict what life would be like in the year 2020 and how their own lives may have changed. More than 1,000 primary and secondary school students took part in the project and produced handwritten, word processed and illustrated accounts on special archival paper. Imaginative contributions included predictions of a Manx team in the football World Cup, underwater cars, three-dimensional television and virtual reality travel. It was hoped that this snapshot of the views and thoughts of children would provide value for future generations and show the comparisons and contrasts of Manx society at the turn of the century. The contributions were bound into seven volumes and organized by their geographical location; Douglas, Northern, Southern and Western schools.

Entries were completed by the end of the summer term of 1999 and they were collated, read and judged in the autumn term. Prizes for the best entries ranged from £100 for the best in each year group (years three to thirteen) to £15 for specially commended entries with all participants receiving a special Manx Millennium Chronicles certificate. On 15 June 2000 members of the Mann 2000 Features Committee presented the bound volumes to the Trustees of Manx National Heritage. Committee chairman Noel Cringle (b.1937), the former President of Tynwald, was joined by fellow members David Callister, Marilynne Cannell, John Christal and Brian Rae for the presentation. The editions were enthusiastically accepted and arranged to be housed in the Manx National Heritage Library & Archives, where they are readily accessible for the public to use.

No regulations or restrictions are implemented on this material.

Advance notification of a research visit is advisable by emailing library@mnh.gov.im

Printed box list available

Eleven volumes of photocopies (comb bound) of the Manx Millennium Chronicles are stored within deposit MS 10301, Manx National Heritage Library & Archives.

The biographical information was gathered from MS 10301's deposit file and the Manx newspaper the Isle of Man Courier (22 June 2000).

Fonds-level description created by Eleanor Williams (MNH Project Archivist), December 2015.