John Allen Mylrea

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John Allen Mylrea
Henry Loch, Sir Spencer Walpole, Sir Joseph Ridgeway, Lord Henniker
Personal details
Born(1849-01-23)23 January 1849
Schandau, Germany[2]
NationalityManx
Political partyIndependent
SpouseMargaret Isabella Killey[3](died 1926)[4]
ChildrenMay Mylrea (died 1943)
Parent(s)John Mylrea, Jane Allen
ProfessionAdvocate / Businessman
Known forNoted bon viveur

John Allen Mylrea

MHK (January 23, 1849 – July 13, 1911), was a member of the House of Keys,[2] Chairman of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company[5] and a director of Dumbell's Bank,[5] who in the late 19th century played a prominent part in the arts and culture of the Isle of Man.[5]

Biography

Personal life

The only child of John Mylrea (1817-1881),

English Bar. However he only briefly practised as an advocate;[2] thanks to the largesse of his father a sizable private income allowed him to indulge in more congenial pursuits, such as art and music.[3]

An unabashed

choirmaster of St Thomas' Church, Douglas, during which time it is said[2][3] he directed some of the finest musical services ever experienced on the Isle of Man.[2][3] In addition, Mylrea took a prominent part in both the Douglas Choral Society and the Douglas Orchestral Society.[2][3]

Mylrea married Margaret Killey, the daughter of Phillip Killey, Captain of the Parish of Marown.[5][3] The marriage produced a daughter, May, who married Carl Hellstrom at St Thomas' Church on January 17, 1912. At the time of her death in 1943, Hellstrop[clarification needed][Which Hellstrom?] was attached to the Swedish Legation in London.[5] The Mylrea family home was at High Cliffe, which Mylrea had built and which overlooked Douglas Bay.[12]

During Mylrea's time as Chairman of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, his wife performed the christening of the

Empress Queen on Thursday March 4, 1897.[13][14][3]

Politics

In 1881 Mylrea was elected to the

Dickens, his oratorical efforts were marked by an ease, polish, and finish which none of his contemporaries in Tynwald could approach.[2][3]

In 1891, Mylrea successfully moved an amendment that gave unmarried women leaseholders the right to vote in elections to the House of Keys.[16]

Said to be liberal in his Conservative views,[2] he was defeated by one vote in an election for Speaker of the House of Keys in 1898 by Arthur William Moore. Following the collapse of Dumbell's Bank, Mylrea resigned his Douglas North seat in May 1900.[17][18]

Business

Through his association with Alexander Bruce, Mylrea became a director of Isle of Man Tramways Company. He also became a director and subsequently Chairman of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and held a keen interest in the development of the Electric Tramways from Douglas to Laxey and Ramsey and from Laxey to the summit of Snaefell.

Mylrea became a director of Dumbell's Bank in 1887[2][3] and although still a director and shareholder of the company he was not implicated in the Dumbell's Bank Scandal of 1900, although his reputation was tainted by association.[19] Following the bank's collapse Mylrea was appointed as one of the liquidators; however he subsequently resigned following a degree of disquiet regarding his role, which in turn had a profound effect on his general health.[20][2]

Death

Mylrea's health declined dramatically as a consequence of the Dumbell's Bank collapse.[5] He left the Isle of Man very soon afterwards and lived at various places in Europe, mainly Italy and Switzerland, until he made his home in Germany.[2] John Allen Mylrea died in Bad Schandau, Germany on Thursday July 13, 1911;[2] he was survived by his wife and daughter.

Mylrea died

intestate,[21] the sum of his personal estate on the Isle of Man amounted at valuation to £1,000 (about £114,000 as of 2019).[22] Mylrea's widow, Margaret, died at Clifton, Bristol, on November 11, 1926;[4] his daughter died in Luton, Bedfordshire in September 1943.[5]

References

  1. ^ Manx Liberal, Saturday, January 27, 1849; Page: 3
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, July 15, 1911; Page: 8
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Mona's Herald, Wednesday, July 19, 1911; Page: 8
  4. ^ a b Mona's Herald, Wednesday, November 17, 1926; Page: 4
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Isle of Man Times, Saturday, September 18, 1943; Page: 4
  6. ^ "John Allan Mylrea b1849 | Isleofman.com". Archived from the original on 28 April 2018.
  7. ^ Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, April 09, 1881; Page: 5
  8. ^ Manx Liberal, Saturday, January 23, 1847; Page: 2
  9. ^ Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, August 12, 1882; Page: 3
  10. ^ "Re: John Allan Mylrea b1849 | Isleofman.com". Archived from the original on 28 April 2018.
  11. ^ Isle of Man Weekly Advertising Circular, Tuesday, April 25, 1882; Page: 3
  12. ^ Manx Sun, Saturday, July 12, 1902; Page: 9
  13. ^ Manx Sun, Saturday, January 30, 1897; Page: 5
  14. ^ Isle of Man Examiner, Saturday, January 30, 1897; Page: 5
  15. ^ Mona's Herald, Tuesday, March 03, 1931; Page: 5
  16. ^ "HOUSE OF KEYS, Nov. 19, 1891" (PDF). p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  17. ^ Mona's Herald, Wednesday, March 07, 1900; Page: 6
  18. ^ Mona's Herald, Wednesday, November 25, 1903; Page: 4
  19. ^ Mona's Herald, Wednesday, February 07, 1900; Page: 7
  20. ^ Mona's Herald, Wednesday, March 07, 1900; Page: 5
  21. ^ Isle of Man Examiner, Friday, April 02, 1926; Page: 2
  22. ^ "£1,000 in 1911 → 2018 | UK Inflation Calculator".