MOTORISTS could be forgiven for driving past the former wool control centre in Peel Road, Douglas, without noticing the premises.
But what many people don’t realise is the building, near the Brown Bobby petrol station, was a very important Manx military building.
You have a chance to own a slice of history – the government has put the premises on the market for £345,000 through estate agents Black Grace Cowley.
Major Robert Swan Stephen, commander of the Second Douglas Volunteer Rifles bought the Heritage from the Goldie family in 1895 with the intention of building a drill shed for the Isle of Man Volunteers.
It was opened in June 1896 and became the Corps Headquarters.
In March 1915, officers and enlisted men who had volunteered for service overseas as members of the First Manx Service Company in the First World War used the drill hall. And it was in constant use during the war.
In 1938, when The Manx Regiment was formed, it again became the main recruiting office and headquarters.
On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the unit was mobilised and sent to the UK for defensive duties. By May 1940, the L.D.V. (later re-named the Home Guard) had been formed in readiness for the possible invasion of the British Isles and the drill hall was manned by D Company, 1st Battalion.
D Company’s task was to guard Douglas Railway Station, which was classed as a vulnerable site which might be attacked. They continued to man the drill hall until they were stood down in November 1944.
After the war, Sea Cadets used it until it was taken over by the government for use as a wool control centre, to sort and grade wool.
In 2008, the Department of Agriculture announced it would no longer use the premises as the wool control centre and was looking for new premises.
In the description, it says: ‘The building is substantially stone built under a pitched corrugated roof with a large sliding door providing access into the main warehouse area. There is an adjoining building to the rear of the warehouse and former shooting range to the lower ground floor.’
It says the property offers open-plan light industrial accommodation of about 3,386sq/ft with an additional usable space of some 580sq/ft in the adjoining building to the south elevation. The lower ground floor former shooting range provides about 1,362 sq/ft of usable space.
