Entrance to the cellar beneath no. 11 Seneschal Lane, Douglas, Isle of Man, 1932-34 (b/w...

On the back of this photograph John James Frowde writes, "Entrance to the vast cellar beneath No.11 Seneschal Lane: it extended the whole length and breadth of this, possibly the oldest building in this vicinity." Additional notes: "'The commercial importance of Douglas dates only from the beginning of the 18th Century, (about the time of the Consecration of old St. Matthew's Church in 1708,) and owes its origin to the great smuggling trade which then engaged all classes of the Manx community. Traces of this period remain still in the narrow winding streets of the old town with their abrupt and innumerable openings and passages, and the great rambling houses, with their vast storage spaces, which lower up in these narrow lanes: all constructed to facilitate the landing and storing of goods intended to be smuggled across the Channel.' (Brown's 1880 Directory)." : "For many years, the stallholders in the old open-air market, were wont to store their boards etc. in this vast cellar from Saturday to Saturday. Some, of course, would leave their stall in situ all the week."