Article by kind reproduction from Bill Dale



The 24 members of the Keys represented the whole Island with four members coming from each sheading (a land division created by the Vikings).

THE exact origins of the name House of Keys are clouded in the mists of time. It is known that the lower house of the Manx parliament was referred to as the “24 Keys” when they met in Castle Rushen in the 1500s.

However, the widely accepted explanation is that the word “keys” originated from the Norse word ‘Kjosa’ meaning ‘chosen’. Another suggestion is that the Gaelic name kiare-as-feed (meaning ‘four and twenty’) was mispronounced.

During medieval times the ‘Keys’ were more commonly known as ‘the 24' or 'the 24 of the land'.

The earliest surviving record referring to the Keys dates from 1422, after the granting of the Island to the Stanley family, who became the self-styled Kings and Lords of Mann.

They met on an irregular basis and were not regarded as a permanent body but as a jury to be summoned when the Lord of Mann and his Deemsters required an opinion or help on matters such as law making and taxation.

Water Colour Tynwald Hill 1774

House of Keys and Tynwald - the Viking connection

 

One of the few written documents proving its existence comes from the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles for 1077, which says: “...a convention of all the Manx people took place at Tynwald.”

THE precise date of the first ever meeting of Tynwald, held by the Vikings in the 9th century, is not known, but it is generally believed to have been held annually in the summer months so that as many members of the public as possible were given the chance to attend.

The word “Tynwald” is Scandinavian – translated, it means “assembly place” or “parliament field”. All over the Isle of Man there are many examples of names with Norse origins – both place names and personal names.

The villages of Sulby and Laxey are both Norse, as are the surnames Corkill and Costain - which are widespread throughout the Isle of Man.

Tynwald pre-dates Westminster and all other forms of government in Europe by many centuries and is the longest continually running parliament on earth.

The Vikings established similar assemblies wherever they settled. For example, there is the town of Dingwall in Northern Scotland which has the same roots. There are also two towns called Tingwall - in both the Orkney and Shetland Isles - and, near Dumfries in the Scottish borders, there is actually a village called Tinwald.

Integration into the Isle of Man way of life is shown by Norse and Gaelic names appearing together on carved stone crosses at the many ancient monuments around the Island. Although the initial arrival of the Vikings was known to be a violent moment in the Island’s history, it is clear that the Norsemen were very happy living here and they eventually settled into a life of framing, fishing and trading.

Tynwald was originally an open air ceremony, held just once a year, when the laws were promulgated and read aloud to the assembled Manx public. It was also a time when punishments were handed down to those who broke the laws. Violent outbreaks at Tynwald were not uncommon.

However, very little is known of the early Tynwald ceremonies which were not held at St John’s, but at a number of other venues including Castle Rushen, Peel Castle, Kirk Michael and Baldwin. The remains of two tiered mounds similar in style to Tynwald Hill can be seen close to St Mark’s church in Baldwin and at Bishopscourt Glen, Kirk Michael.

Political Cartoon in Isle of Man Examiner 1911

MANX WOMEN WERE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO VOTE

THE Isle of Man was the first country in the world to give the vote to women in national elections, 37 years before the opportunity was given to women in the UK.

This is one of the facts contained in Manx National Heritage’s iMuseum which has launched a special news section on Isle of Man elections from 1866 to 1956.

In 1881 the right to vote was extended to unmarried women and widows who owned property in the Island, and as a result 700 women received the vote, comprising about 10% of the Manx electorate.

In England women had to wait until 1918 for the right to vote, and until 1928 for all women to be eligible to vote.

The original right to vote had been extended to a limited proportion of the Island's population and calls continued to be made for a greater number to be eligible to vote. In the 1870s, out of a population of 53,000, only 4,333 were eligible to vote in elections.