Knockaloe Internment Camp ornament
Date made: 1916
Description: A piece of coral-bearing limestone: mounted onto a piece of bog oak (also found at same place). The limestone and bog oak was found at Knockaloe Camp in 1916, when the internees were making a drain towards the sea, near old Magazine. The limestone is mounted on a bog oak stand by an Alien internee imprisoned there (Knockaloe Camp).
This item appears in the Museum Trustees report of 10 April 1930. There the findspot is described as 'west slope of the hill, near old magazine'.
Internees were held on the Isle of Man 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 the largest town.
Measurements: overall: 8 x 11 x 7.5 cm
Materials: stone: limestone, wood: mahogany
Object name: Ornament
Collection: Social History Collection
ID Number: 1954-2841
Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS