The Isle of Man is about half way between N. Ireland and the UK. I is a self governing Crown dependency which has never been part of Great Britain. They even have their own language, Manx. A little over 200 sq miles, it has a population of around 85,000.
Bobby
There have been "invented" countries which also issued stamps (usually referred to as Cinderellas). One of the strangest of these countries is "Sealand," which issues passporrts and its own stamps. Wikipedia says of Sealand:
"The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognised entity, located on HM Fort Roughs, a former World War II Maunsell Sea Fort in the North Sea 13 kilometres (7 nmi) off the coast of Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.
Since 1967 the facility has been occupied by family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates, who claim that it is an independent sovereign state. Bates seized it from a group of pirate radio broadcasters in 1967 with the intention of setting up his own station at the site. He established Sealand as a nation in 1975 with the writing of a constitution and establishment of other national symbols. Bates moved to mainland Essex when he became elderly, naming his son Michael regent. Bates died in 2012 at the age of 91.
While it has been described as the world's smallest nation, or a micronation, Sealand is not currently officially recognised by any established sovereign state. Although Roy Bates claimed it is de facto recognised by the United Kingdom (after an English court ruled it did not have jurisdiction over Sealand as territorial water limitations were defined at that time) this action does not constitute de jure recognition."
I didn't realize the Isle of Man was so large. It is almost 3x the size of the island (Salt Spring Island BC) that I live on and has a population of over 8x as many people as we do.
We issue our own currency 1:1 exchange rate to CDN$ that is legal tender only on Salt Spring Island as does the Isle of Man.
Isle of Man pound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Isle of Man issues its own pound notes and coins fixed at a 1:1 exchange rate to GBP (£ Sterling). The Isle of Man pound is not Sterling.
Liz
Many of the islands around Great Britain and Scotland have issued "stamps". On the inhabited islands, there is some local validity to the stamps, such as Lundy Island (very popular; the local stamps are used to pay postage for shipping mail from the island to the mainland. The mail still requires proper UK postage to be affixed to the mail piece for handling by the Royal Mail).
Other islands are uninhabited and are wildlife sanctuaries. They sell souvenir "stamps" to tourists to support the costs of maintaining and overseeing the wildlife refuges.
Liz,
How about a scan of one of your Salt Spring Island currency. I was just wondering if they were as beautiful as the Canadian bills were the last time that I saw them.
Bermuda just issued all new currency a couple of years ago and it was beautiful. The picture on the back ran the length of the bill, instead of the short heigth. Their currency and coins are also on a 1:1 par with the U. S., since they do such a tremendous amount of business here. At the cash registers, everywhere, you might get either back in change, but they usually try to give U. S. bills for U. S. bills, since they know their money is not redeemable here. You don't always get U. S. change though, so you might just come home with additional souvenirs, if you don't manage to spend them at the airport or dockyard, if you arrived by ship.
Mike
Mike: There's been several printings of the Salt Spring Island currency. I have a Limited Edition Collector's Set issued September 15th, 2001. The serial number on these bills are #4. I also have the set #5. There are also two $50.00 silver coins.
On the date of release of the $1, $2 and $5 notes there was also a picture postage stamp issued in commemoration of the release of our currency. I have a couple of these somewhere, but at the moment I've been unable to put my hands on them. Please do not misunderstand me regarding the picture postage stamp. These type of postage stamps are exactly the same design as those that Canada Post issues on a fairly regular basis and anyone can have almost anything printed in the middle of these postage stamps. They could be photographs of a person, scene, animal, company logo, etc.
The link below shows the current printings in circulation.
http://saltspringdollars.com/about-us/specimens.html
The $100.00 note is a painting by the wildlife artist Robert Bateman who lives here on Salt Spring Island.
Liz Jones
Liz, thanks for the link. Crafty how they back the Salt Springs Dollar, and treating the Salt Springs "money" like gift cards makes perfect sense. Too bad they couldn't figure how to get away from the sales taxes on the island.
Liz,
Thanks for those scans and the article. It is all very interesting reading. Has it really made any difference on the island, as intended with this project?
Mike
Mike - In my opinion - NO. I think the novelty has worn off.
Hi Liz,
This is great. I really think that you need to release your own stamps though.
Regards ... Tim
So, as it seems to me, Isle of Man prints MORE postage stamps than the U.S. For No matter where I look, search, or find, there are more Isle of Man stamps than from anywhere else...
Great money, can I buy some? Sorry, wait, have to go ask my wife for some money first.
Clayton:
Scott numbering for Isle of Man stamps has only reached 1,518 as of June 2012. Of those there were 11 Regional stamps plus 2 phosopher stamps issued from 1958 to 1969. The remaining stamps were issued from 1973 to present.
I think they have a long way to go to catch up to the number of stamps that the USA issues.
Liz
" .... I think they have a long way to go to catch up to the number of stamps that the USA issues ...."
They're a-workin' on it, Liz, a-workin' on it night and day.
I like Mann and Channel Islands, despite the seemingly excessive production for a Royal "self governing" dependency of, all together, about a quarter million people.
The stamps have a bright look and usually commemorate something that relates to the islands.
I'll wake up the discussion on the ISLE of MAN since I collect their stamps...
When I was much younger, I thought that the Isle of Man was part of the Channel Islands, and I had heard the Isle of Man always grouped together with them, as they are all Crown Dependencies.
Now I know where the Isle of Man is, and I have to confess, my interest has waxed and waned over the years. The island has put out some very nice definitive sets of birds, trains, and ships, and I agree the stamps are very colorful.
I too have noticed that the IOM has been more aggressive in its stamp issuing policy, and I have simply decided I'll add the stamps I like and not worry too much for completeness.
The bugaboo of completeness drives many collectors to get hung up on filling "spaces" and subsequently spending a lot of money for inconsequential stamps that are little more than contrived souvenirs.
I enjoy collecting the world's stamps postally used, and soon after becoming active realized that not being a descendent of Count Ferrari or the illegitimate child of a Royal certain family (You know who I mean.) acquiring even a high percentage of the stamps then in existence 1960's was both far above my pay grade and probably physically impossible.
I think the Album advertizements of the day cited little more than 100,000 issues, or perhaps a little more and the usual minimum price was between 5¢ and 10¢ apiece.
So I decided to collect what crossed my path and enjoy a filled page when I achieved that goal but not to obsess over an elusive or overly expensive item. And if a mint example comes my way, sobeit.
Then I chose during the late '70s to just create my own pages for different countries, post 1975, as I received the needed stamps. Minkus and Scott Albums were producing pages and pages for stamps of countries that sometimes barely existed and when they did exist, were issuing what I refer to as Jam Jar Labels that were virtually never available for use in certain countries.
When it comes to the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, which I do enjoy I simply started with blank pages, one for each year and mounted sets or singles as I found them. Fill a page ? Just insert a new blank page and continue happily with the hobby. Sometimes that means redoing certain years to place some set together, but that is a labor of love of the stamps and usually I get a set assembled on a manila stock page before actually mounting it in one of the albums.
It is a simple system and to me rewarding. It is also surprising how many albums in loose leaf binders I have managed to stuff with stamps from different countries or areas.
" .... Happiness is the state on non-contradictory joy, joy with out fear or guilt. ...."
That is a part of my personal philosophy and applies to my hobby as well. It means to seek attainable goals and nether fear failure nor accept guilt of failure, especially if that failure is achieving at some arbitrary goal set by someone else.
Seeking to complete an album of pre-printed album pages of stamps is not a rational goal due to the sheer numbers of stamps now in existence, some estimates being well over 600,000 examples, ignoring minor varieties, and the unimaginable cost of even 75% completion.
A hobby is supposed to be fun and provide mental (or physical) stimulation.
Liz - Thank you for the insight into your local currency and the note that Robert Bateman lives there. I did not know that. Probably most do not even know who Robert Bateman is or what he did. He is a noted wildlife artist, who among with many other artworks, in 1985 had his Mallards Ducks selected for the image on the 1st Canadian Conservation Stamp. His artwork has been used on issues wildlife stamps around the world. A real talent. Congrats that you have him in your area. He is a real treasure in himself. - Dan
Going back to the Isle of Man - it is a political entity with it's own legislative assembly(The House of Keys , the equivalent of the House of Commons). The laws passed are promulgated publically once a year at Tynwald Hill. HM The Queen is ruler of the Isle of Man only by virtue of being "Lord of Mann".
It also has its own Judicial system, Taxation and of course post office. Only in Foreign Affairs and Defence is it subsidiary to the UK. In fact it is not a member of the the European Union - and is outside the UK and EU in respect of Customs and Excise. Citizens of the UK have an automatic right to visit, but DO NOT have right of residence, unless quite stringent ( usually financial) qualifications are met.
On that basis it is quite entitled to be considered a country,more so than many other postal entities are concerned.
Malcolm
A few things the Isle is famous for are its cats without tails, TT races, and being the home of the late Sir Norman Wisdom.
Other personages associated with Mann and of some philatelic interest are two of the H.M.S. Bounty mutineers: Fletcher Christian, who was Master's Mate and led the mutiny, and Peter Heywood. Christian's family were of the Manx gentry. After the mutiny, Christian, along with eight mutineers, six Polynesian men, twelve Tahitian women, and a baby girl (the daughter of one of the women) eventually settled on Pitcairn Island, where their descendents still live. Within four years, all but four males - all mutineers - had been murdered, including Fletcher Christian, and by 1800, 10 years after landing on Pitcairn, only one mutineer survived.
Christian is depicted on the 1d. and 2/6 values of Pitcairn's first issue in 1940, and I think I remember seeing him depicted in Mutiny Bicentennial sets from both Pitcairn and the Isle of Man in 1989, but I can't lay my hands on the stamps right now.
Peter Heywood's family were also prominent Manxmen. Heywood's part in the mutiny is the subject of some debate, but he remained on HMS Bounty afterward until its return to Tahiti, when he and 15 others left the ship, intending to settle there. All were captured in 1791 and taken aboard HMS Pandora for return to England, but that unfortunate ship ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef. Thirty-one crew members and four mutineers were lost in the wreck, and more were to die of disease before they could be returned to England. On their eventual return, Heywood and the nine surviving prisoners were court-martialed. Four were acquitted, having been forced to remain aboard HMS Bounty by the lack of space in the longboat to which Bligh and others had been consigned by the mutineers. One was freed on a technicality. Five, including Heywood, were convicted and sentenced to hang. Heywood and one other received royal pardons, and the remaining three were hanged.
I don't know if Heywood ever made it onto a stamp. He might also be on a Mutiny Bicentennial issue from 1989.
Couple more facts about the Isle of Man -
Tynwald is the oldest legislative assembly in the world ( vigorously disputed by Iceland).It dates from at least the 10th century. ( www.tynwald.org.im )
Probably the most famous Manxman of all time was Sir William Hillary, the founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - the mainly volunteer sea rescue service ( www.rnli.org).
Malcolm
Some intriguing commentary here, for which I thank contributors.
My Isle of Man stamps have been hibernating in an envelope gathering dust
for years, patiently waiting to be disappeared.
I've now relocated that envelope a little closer to the action centre of my hobby table.
John Derry
I keep the Isle of Mann in a binder along with th Channel islands but do not hold "completeness to be sine qua non.
As to it catching up to the US in number of stamps produced, at one point that was inevitable. I remember when the Chinese friendship stamp (Blueish, featuring Sun Yat Sen.) which was given a Scott number close to 1,000. It took the USPS (and USPO) almost 100 years to issue 1,000 stamps and from Liz's number last year IOM had exceeded that rate reaching 1,600 in about 55 years. Surely they would catch the US and probably Canada by 2057.
But no, the USA may have been derelict in fleecing collectors then but the rate of ten or so new issues a year has been set aside and the presses no longer shut down at night or religious holidays.
Tough luck for the Isle of Mann, they'll never catch us now.
Yes- I realize "Mann" is a real place, but...
As having spent only the past seven month in the stamp collecting arena, I seem to be wondering if there truly is a country called "isle of man," or if it is just some one who invented their own country, just for producing stamps,to sell.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
The Isle of Man is about half way between N. Ireland and the UK. I is a self governing Crown dependency which has never been part of Great Britain. They even have their own language, Manx. A little over 200 sq miles, it has a population of around 85,000.
Bobby
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
There have been "invented" countries which also issued stamps (usually referred to as Cinderellas). One of the strangest of these countries is "Sealand," which issues passporrts and its own stamps. Wikipedia says of Sealand:
"The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognised entity, located on HM Fort Roughs, a former World War II Maunsell Sea Fort in the North Sea 13 kilometres (7 nmi) off the coast of Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.
Since 1967 the facility has been occupied by family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates, who claim that it is an independent sovereign state. Bates seized it from a group of pirate radio broadcasters in 1967 with the intention of setting up his own station at the site. He established Sealand as a nation in 1975 with the writing of a constitution and establishment of other national symbols. Bates moved to mainland Essex when he became elderly, naming his son Michael regent. Bates died in 2012 at the age of 91.
While it has been described as the world's smallest nation, or a micronation, Sealand is not currently officially recognised by any established sovereign state. Although Roy Bates claimed it is de facto recognised by the United Kingdom (after an English court ruled it did not have jurisdiction over Sealand as territorial water limitations were defined at that time) this action does not constitute de jure recognition."
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
I didn't realize the Isle of Man was so large. It is almost 3x the size of the island (Salt Spring Island BC) that I live on and has a population of over 8x as many people as we do.
We issue our own currency 1:1 exchange rate to CDN$ that is legal tender only on Salt Spring Island as does the Isle of Man.
Isle of Man pound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Isle of Man issues its own pound notes and coins fixed at a 1:1 exchange rate to GBP (£ Sterling). The Isle of Man pound is not Sterling.
Liz
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Many of the islands around Great Britain and Scotland have issued "stamps". On the inhabited islands, there is some local validity to the stamps, such as Lundy Island (very popular; the local stamps are used to pay postage for shipping mail from the island to the mainland. The mail still requires proper UK postage to be affixed to the mail piece for handling by the Royal Mail).
Other islands are uninhabited and are wildlife sanctuaries. They sell souvenir "stamps" to tourists to support the costs of maintaining and overseeing the wildlife refuges.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Liz,
How about a scan of one of your Salt Spring Island currency. I was just wondering if they were as beautiful as the Canadian bills were the last time that I saw them.
Bermuda just issued all new currency a couple of years ago and it was beautiful. The picture on the back ran the length of the bill, instead of the short heigth. Their currency and coins are also on a 1:1 par with the U. S., since they do such a tremendous amount of business here. At the cash registers, everywhere, you might get either back in change, but they usually try to give U. S. bills for U. S. bills, since they know their money is not redeemable here. You don't always get U. S. change though, so you might just come home with additional souvenirs, if you don't manage to spend them at the airport or dockyard, if you arrived by ship.
Mike
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Mike: There's been several printings of the Salt Spring Island currency. I have a Limited Edition Collector's Set issued September 15th, 2001. The serial number on these bills are #4. I also have the set #5. There are also two $50.00 silver coins.
On the date of release of the $1, $2 and $5 notes there was also a picture postage stamp issued in commemoration of the release of our currency. I have a couple of these somewhere, but at the moment I've been unable to put my hands on them. Please do not misunderstand me regarding the picture postage stamp. These type of postage stamps are exactly the same design as those that Canada Post issues on a fairly regular basis and anyone can have almost anything printed in the middle of these postage stamps. They could be photographs of a person, scene, animal, company logo, etc.
The link below shows the current printings in circulation.
http://saltspringdollars.com/about-us/specimens.html
The $100.00 note is a painting by the wildlife artist Robert Bateman who lives here on Salt Spring Island.
Liz Jones
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Liz, thanks for the link. Crafty how they back the Salt Springs Dollar, and treating the Salt Springs "money" like gift cards makes perfect sense. Too bad they couldn't figure how to get away from the sales taxes on the island.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Liz,
Thanks for those scans and the article. It is all very interesting reading. Has it really made any difference on the island, as intended with this project?
Mike
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Mike - In my opinion - NO. I think the novelty has worn off.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Hi Liz,
This is great. I really think that you need to release your own stamps though.
Regards ... Tim
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
So, as it seems to me, Isle of Man prints MORE postage stamps than the U.S. For No matter where I look, search, or find, there are more Isle of Man stamps than from anywhere else...
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Great money, can I buy some? Sorry, wait, have to go ask my wife for some money first.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Clayton:
Scott numbering for Isle of Man stamps has only reached 1,518 as of June 2012. Of those there were 11 Regional stamps plus 2 phosopher stamps issued from 1958 to 1969. The remaining stamps were issued from 1973 to present.
I think they have a long way to go to catch up to the number of stamps that the USA issues.
Liz
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
" .... I think they have a long way to go to catch up to the number of stamps that the USA issues ...."
They're a-workin' on it, Liz, a-workin' on it night and day.
I like Mann and Channel Islands, despite the seemingly excessive production for a Royal "self governing" dependency of, all together, about a quarter million people.
The stamps have a bright look and usually commemorate something that relates to the islands.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
I'll wake up the discussion on the ISLE of MAN since I collect their stamps...
When I was much younger, I thought that the Isle of Man was part of the Channel Islands, and I had heard the Isle of Man always grouped together with them, as they are all Crown Dependencies.
Now I know where the Isle of Man is, and I have to confess, my interest has waxed and waned over the years. The island has put out some very nice definitive sets of birds, trains, and ships, and I agree the stamps are very colorful.
I too have noticed that the IOM has been more aggressive in its stamp issuing policy, and I have simply decided I'll add the stamps I like and not worry too much for completeness.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
The bugaboo of completeness drives many collectors to get hung up on filling "spaces" and subsequently spending a lot of money for inconsequential stamps that are little more than contrived souvenirs.
I enjoy collecting the world's stamps postally used, and soon after becoming active realized that not being a descendent of Count Ferrari or the illegitimate child of a Royal certain family (You know who I mean.) acquiring even a high percentage of the stamps then in existence 1960's was both far above my pay grade and probably physically impossible.
I think the Album advertizements of the day cited little more than 100,000 issues, or perhaps a little more and the usual minimum price was between 5¢ and 10¢ apiece.
So I decided to collect what crossed my path and enjoy a filled page when I achieved that goal but not to obsess over an elusive or overly expensive item. And if a mint example comes my way, sobeit.
Then I chose during the late '70s to just create my own pages for different countries, post 1975, as I received the needed stamps. Minkus and Scott Albums were producing pages and pages for stamps of countries that sometimes barely existed and when they did exist, were issuing what I refer to as Jam Jar Labels that were virtually never available for use in certain countries.
When it comes to the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, which I do enjoy I simply started with blank pages, one for each year and mounted sets or singles as I found them. Fill a page ? Just insert a new blank page and continue happily with the hobby. Sometimes that means redoing certain years to place some set together, but that is a labor of love of the stamps and usually I get a set assembled on a manila stock page before actually mounting it in one of the albums.
It is a simple system and to me rewarding. It is also surprising how many albums in loose leaf binders I have managed to stuff with stamps from different countries or areas.
" .... Happiness is the state on non-contradictory joy, joy with out fear or guilt. ...."
That is a part of my personal philosophy and applies to my hobby as well. It means to seek attainable goals and nether fear failure nor accept guilt of failure, especially if that failure is achieving at some arbitrary goal set by someone else.
Seeking to complete an album of pre-printed album pages of stamps is not a rational goal due to the sheer numbers of stamps now in existence, some estimates being well over 600,000 examples, ignoring minor varieties, and the unimaginable cost of even 75% completion.
A hobby is supposed to be fun and provide mental (or physical) stimulation.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Liz - Thank you for the insight into your local currency and the note that Robert Bateman lives there. I did not know that. Probably most do not even know who Robert Bateman is or what he did. He is a noted wildlife artist, who among with many other artworks, in 1985 had his Mallards Ducks selected for the image on the 1st Canadian Conservation Stamp. His artwork has been used on issues wildlife stamps around the world. A real talent. Congrats that you have him in your area. He is a real treasure in himself. - Dan
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Going back to the Isle of Man - it is a political entity with it's own legislative assembly(The House of Keys , the equivalent of the House of Commons). The laws passed are promulgated publically once a year at Tynwald Hill. HM The Queen is ruler of the Isle of Man only by virtue of being "Lord of Mann".
It also has its own Judicial system, Taxation and of course post office. Only in Foreign Affairs and Defence is it subsidiary to the UK. In fact it is not a member of the the European Union - and is outside the UK and EU in respect of Customs and Excise. Citizens of the UK have an automatic right to visit, but DO NOT have right of residence, unless quite stringent ( usually financial) qualifications are met.
On that basis it is quite entitled to be considered a country,more so than many other postal entities are concerned.
Malcolm
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
A few things the Isle is famous for are its cats without tails, TT races, and being the home of the late Sir Norman Wisdom.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Other personages associated with Mann and of some philatelic interest are two of the H.M.S. Bounty mutineers: Fletcher Christian, who was Master's Mate and led the mutiny, and Peter Heywood. Christian's family were of the Manx gentry. After the mutiny, Christian, along with eight mutineers, six Polynesian men, twelve Tahitian women, and a baby girl (the daughter of one of the women) eventually settled on Pitcairn Island, where their descendents still live. Within four years, all but four males - all mutineers - had been murdered, including Fletcher Christian, and by 1800, 10 years after landing on Pitcairn, only one mutineer survived.
Christian is depicted on the 1d. and 2/6 values of Pitcairn's first issue in 1940, and I think I remember seeing him depicted in Mutiny Bicentennial sets from both Pitcairn and the Isle of Man in 1989, but I can't lay my hands on the stamps right now.
Peter Heywood's family were also prominent Manxmen. Heywood's part in the mutiny is the subject of some debate, but he remained on HMS Bounty afterward until its return to Tahiti, when he and 15 others left the ship, intending to settle there. All were captured in 1791 and taken aboard HMS Pandora for return to England, but that unfortunate ship ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef. Thirty-one crew members and four mutineers were lost in the wreck, and more were to die of disease before they could be returned to England. On their eventual return, Heywood and the nine surviving prisoners were court-martialed. Four were acquitted, having been forced to remain aboard HMS Bounty by the lack of space in the longboat to which Bligh and others had been consigned by the mutineers. One was freed on a technicality. Five, including Heywood, were convicted and sentenced to hang. Heywood and one other received royal pardons, and the remaining three were hanged.
I don't know if Heywood ever made it onto a stamp. He might also be on a Mutiny Bicentennial issue from 1989.
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Couple more facts about the Isle of Man -
Tynwald is the oldest legislative assembly in the world ( vigorously disputed by Iceland).It dates from at least the 10th century. ( www.tynwald.org.im )
Probably the most famous Manxman of all time was Sir William Hillary, the founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - the mainly volunteer sea rescue service ( www.rnli.org).
Malcolm
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
Some intriguing commentary here, for which I thank contributors.
My Isle of Man stamps have been hibernating in an envelope gathering dust
for years, patiently waiting to be disappeared.
I've now relocated that envelope a little closer to the action centre of my hobby table.
John Derry
re: Isle of Man: Is it a country?
I keep the Isle of Mann in a binder along with th Channel islands but do not hold "completeness to be sine qua non.
As to it catching up to the US in number of stamps produced, at one point that was inevitable. I remember when the Chinese friendship stamp (Blueish, featuring Sun Yat Sen.) which was given a Scott number close to 1,000. It took the USPS (and USPO) almost 100 years to issue 1,000 stamps and from Liz's number last year IOM had exceeded that rate reaching 1,600 in about 55 years. Surely they would catch the US and probably Canada by 2057.
But no, the USA may have been derelict in fleecing collectors then but the rate of ten or so new issues a year has been set aside and the presses no longer shut down at night or religious holidays.
Tough luck for the Isle of Mann, they'll never catch us now.