Records of the Trustees of the Common Lands: Minute Books

The series consists of 7 handwritten minute books which furnish an account of the meetings of the Trustees of the Common Lands. In effect, the minute books detail the decision making processes and actions undertaken by the Board in order to realise the body's statutory obligations.The earliest minuted meeting in the series - 11 Sep 1866 - occurs shortly after the elections of the Trustees and runs through to 1 Jul 1950. Activities detailed in the minutes include but are not limited to: the election of Trustees; the appointment of the Body's Secretary and Clerk; the appointment of Inspectors; the lease, sale and purchase of Common lands; and the day to day management of the Common lands.

The Trustees of the Common Land were established on foot of The Disafforesting (Commoners) Allotment Act, 1866. This legislation vested the management of the People's interest, or the commons, in the hands of trustees with one trustee representing each of the island's sheadings. The Trustees of the Common Lands were later restyled as the Common Lands Board in 1915. In 1950, the functions of this board were in turn vested in the newly formed Forestry, Mines and Lands Board .

Minute books are arranged chronologically within the series.

Part of this series is currently subject to a B2 closure period of 84 years under the Public Record Order 2015 due to statutory data protection restriction laid down in the Data Protection Act 2002.

Please contact the Isle of Man Public Record Office for further information: public.records@gov.im

For information on visiting the Isle of Man Public Record Office please see our website: www.gov.im/pro

Please see our website for catalogues: www.gov.im/pro

Series level description created by Gavin Rowan, IOMPRO, 13 Dec 2016.

Selected for permanent preservation in Nov 2015, Angela Skitt, IOMPRO.

Records in consignment C631 were transferred to the Isle of Man Public Record Office as a temporary consignment under section 3(8) of the Public Records Act, 1999 in Mar 2010 by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Forestry, Amenity and Lands division). The records were fully transferred to the Isle of Man Public Record Office under section 3(4) of the Public Records Act, 1999 in Jan 2016.

No accruals are expected.

Also held by the Isle of Man Public Record Office:

• S57 - Records of the Trustees of the Common Lands: Rent Book; and
• S58 - Records of the Trustees of the Common Lands: Account Book.