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Knockaloe Camp bone tallies

Date made: 1914-1918

Description: A collection of small bone discs, made by internees in Knockaloe Camp for Mr Cowley, the Knockaloe Camp pharmacist, chemist and later used by him in his chemist shop in Peel. Mr Cowley apparently used the discs as price tags in his shop (some still have price details on them in shillings and pence). Ten in total.

Background:
During the First World War (1914-1918) the Isle of Man was used as an internment base for civilian ‘enemy aliens’. They were held in two camps, a requisitioned holiday camp in Douglas and a purpose built camp located at Knockaloe near Peel on the west coast of the Island. These held at their peaks over 4,000 and 23,000 men in some cases for nearly five years between opening in 1914 and final closure in 1919. Over 30,000 men passed through Knockaloe between 1914 and 1917, more than the population of Douglas.

Measurements: overall: x 1.7 cm

Materials: mammal bone

Object name: tally

Collection: Social History Collection

ID Number: 2006-0016/2

Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS

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