Ramsey’s civic service on Sunday October 18 commemorated the 150th anniversary of the town and provided an opportunity for Ramsey Town Commissioners’ chairman Richard Radcliffe to welcome Elaine Semanik, the great, great, great-granddaughter of Robert Oates Christian, the Commission’s first chairman.

Mrs Semanik had travelled from her home in Michigan to be part of the town’s 150th anniversary celebrations, walk in the footsteps of her ancestors of The Flatt, Ramsey and visit some of the island’s 26 Dark Sky sites, of which Ramsey’s Mooragh promenade holds the highest classification, grade two.

Held at Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Maughold Church in Ramsey the civic service was attended by His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Mr Adam Wood and distinguished by a number of musical interludes: pupils of Bunscoill Rhumsaa folk group Share na Veg with Michael Boulton; Celebration March written by Frank Woolley and arranged for brass band by Robert and Iliam Quane; A Time for Peace by Voirrey Baker from Ramsey Grammar School; and songs from Marlene Hendy and Dilys Sowrey.

In his sermon, the chairman’s chaplain the Rev Brian O’Mahony urged the people of Ramsey to continue to work together to realise ‘greater things’ yet for the town.

The service concluded, a reception was held at Ramsey town hall when Mr Radcliffe presented His Excellency with a framed photograph of the northern plains taken by Mr Radcliffe himself, a respected and published motorsports photographer.

Photo - Elaine Semanik, the great, great, great-granddaughter of Robert Oates Christian, first chairman of Ramsey Town Commissioners, with current chairman Richard Radcliffe and the Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood. Picture Andrew Barton.