In Search of James Brown (1815-1881)

Dr Robert Fyson

“The reform of the House of Keys is now usually associated with the name of James Brown of the Isle of Man Times newspaper. He was not a Manxman.” A. W. Moore, 1901

Robert Fyson’s paper will give a new account of Brown, exploring both his public and his private life, his antecedents, his imprisonment in Castle Rushen by order of the House of Keys in 1864, his release on appeal, and his progress from radical journalist to successful self-made businessman.

Was Brown really the main instigator of democratic reform in 1866-7? How did he fit into the Island’s community and society? This assessment of Brown, a figure hitherto largely neglected by historians, will shed new light on these questions.