Harbours history
1650 to 1796
| 1650 | Derbyhaven | Light erected at entrance to harbour NNW Seaward to SSW 46ft above HW, 31ft above ground. Only lighted during the herring fishing. |
| 1660 | Douglas | 'Bulwarks' was ordered to be kept in good repair. |
| c1670 | Castletown | High arched stone bridge built on site of existing footbridge. |
| 1671 | Douglas | Great Lantern with 2 lights (5/-) |
| 1692 | Applications from interested parties, to Earl of Derby to build one or more lighthouses. | |
| 1736 | Earl of Derby dies without issue and Island passed to Duke of Atholl. | |
| 1750 | Castletown | Quays being built. |
| 1758 | Sketch of Douglas Pier brick lighthouse (in Blair Castle (Atholl) Papers). | |
| 1760 | Douglas | Pier erected. |
| 1761 | Peel | Pier entirely carried away. |
| 1765 | Peel | Pier built |
| 1765 | Duke of Atholl sold and conveyed Harbours to Crown | |
| 1765 | Castletown | Light at Castletown established, white 22ft above HW 16ft from lantern to ground. Only when a ship wishes to enter and exhibited all night during herring fishing. |
| 1766 | Douglas Ramsey | Lighthouses existing (appx BNo2) Commissioners Report 17 |
| 1768 | Douglas | Lake encroachment (P Heywood) |
| 1773 | Proposal to establish Light Tower on Calf of Man | |
| 1777 | Douglas | Harbour Bridge removed and re-erected 180 yards higher up river (in 1779) |
| 1786 | Douglas | Bridge washed away |
| 1787 | Douglas | 84 yards of Old Pier with Lighthouse destroyed by E’ly gale |
| 1787 | Douglas | 21st September further damage to Old Pier. Part of fishing fleet lost |
| 1790 | Douglas | Treasury Engineer's Report on need for sheltering breakwater |
| 1790 | Ramsey | South Pier built |
| 1791 | Peel | 'A light is very much needed at Peel Harbour' ('Cumberland Paquet' 9/4/1791 reporting wreck near Peel). |
| 1791 | Duke of Atholl gives evidence on state of Harbours before Commissioners | |
| 1791 | Ramsey | Small Pier 80 yards long existed on N side of Harbour |
| 1791 | Douglas | Only harbour light in Douglas was lantern on pole at extremity of remains of Pier Head |
| 1791 | Douglas | Tongue built |
| 1792 | Commissioners Report | |
| 1792 | No Coastal Lighthouses in this year | |
| 1793 | Douglas | £24,000 voted to erect Red Pier |
| 1793 | Douglas | Red Pier commenced (Predecessor in 1764) |
| 1795 | Castletown | Parallelogram Bridge at Castletown |
| 1796 | Peel | Causeway erected |
| 1796 | Douglas | Light established Red Pier. 34 ft above HW, 6 miles |
| 1796 | Douglas | October – Bridge destroyed |
1800 to 1844
| 1800 | Ramsey | Light established on Larboard Hand in entering 35 ft above HW, 29ft from lantern to ground |
| 1801 | Douglas | Red Pier completed cost £25,000 |
| 1801 | Mr Stevenson made his tour of English Lighthouses | |
| 1801 | Peel | A small piece added to Peel Pier |
| 1802 | Mr Stevenson's Report stresses need for Lighthouse on Calf of Man | |
| 1807 | Douglas | 1807 to 1881 Encroachment of beach between Red Pier and Pollock Rocks. (Scott – Receiver General) |
| 1809 | Peel | Pier carried away |
| 1810 | Repairing and lengthening of Pier at Peel | |
| 1811 | Red light on east side of entrance Peel harbour 21 ft above HW visibility 8 miles | |
| 1811 | Douglas | Tower erected on Douglas Head by British Government |
| 1811 | Langness | Tower erected by British Government |
| 1812 | Port St Mary | Inner Pier built |
| 1812 | Port St Mary | Pier Head light established 25ft above HW 17ft lantern to ground visibility 9 miles |
| 1814 | Ramsey | Sir John Rennie visits harbour |
| 1815 | (June) Northern Lighthouse Board authorised by Act of Parliament to erect lighthouses in the Isle of Man and levy dues. | |
| 1815 | (August) Committee of Northern Lighthouse Board visit Calf of Man to fix position of lights | |
| 1815-16 | Peel | Pier straightened |
| 1818 | Point of Ayre | Lighthouse established 01/02/1818. 103ft above HW visibility 15 miles |
| 1818 | Calf of Man | Lighthouse established 01/02/1818 |
| 1819 | Douglas | First regular steamer service to Douglas |
| 1823 | Peel | 'White Wall' built at Peel to divert river. |
| 1826 | Douglas | Sir Wm Hillary's Breakwater Scheme placed before Admiralty. |
| 1827 | Port St Mary | Crane erected to ship limestone |
| 1829 | Douglas | Lake enclosed by walling (by Major Taubman) (see 1768) |
| 1829 | Peel | Jetty built £700 |
| 1831 | Drawing of Manx Light by Flower | |
| 1832 | Douglas | Tower of Refuge erected |
| 1832-33 | Douglas | Douglas Head Lighthouse erected by IOMHC under 11 Geo 2 c 52 104 ft above HW visibility 15 miles |
| 1835 | Douglas | Capt Denham RN.FRS. Breakwater Scheme |
| 1835 | Douglas | Sir John Rennie Breakwater Scheme |
| 1835 | Douglas | Fort Anne Jetty built. Cost £2,900 |
| 1841 | Timperley's Survey of Manx Harbours | |
| 1842-3 | Peel | Encroachment (At present Railway Station) by Caeasar Corris 400 ft x 120 ft |
| 1842 | Peel | Tongue of Quay widened, £600 |
| 1842 | Derbyhaven | Breakwater commenced March, completed October 1843. Cost £3,524 |
| 1842 | Ramsey | Northern Pier commenced March. Completed November 1843 (November) Cost £2,570 |
| 1844 | Harbour dues abolished | |
| 1844 | Castletown | Pier commenced. Completed late 1845 Cost £2,685 |
1845 to 1936
| 1845 | Ramsey | North Pier 550ft in extent at this date |
| 1845 | Ramsey | South Pier Lighthouse erected 28ft above HW, 4 miles visibility. Dark stone tower. Length of Pier 400 ft |
| 1845 | Peel | Harbour deepened by 3 ft. Pier foundation planked. Cost £1,041 |
| 1848 | Port St Mary | New Quay (West) built cost £391 |
| 1848 | Bahama Bank | Light vessel established in 11 fathoms 38ft above HW |
| 1849 | Castletown | Pier extended 30 yds |
| 1849 | Castletown | Pier Head light established (Red) 32ft above HW. Visibility 8 miles |
| 1849 | Douglas | Bulwark rebuilt |
| 1849 | Ramsey | 103 yds. New quay built extending towards Bridge. |
| 1850 | Fort Island | Light established (12 Aug to 10 Oct annual and 50ft above HW 6 miles |
| 1853 | Douglas | 20,000 gravel removed from harbour (1843-53) |
| 1856 | Peel | 200 ft of West Quay built before this date |
| 1859 | Douglas | Douglas Head Light transferred 01/08/1859 |
| 1861 | Peel | New Lighthouse on Pier Head |
| 1862 | Douglas | Abernethy breakwater commenced |
| 1863 | Peel | Abernethy breakwater foundation stone laid by Governor och |
| 1863 | Port Erin | Breakwater commenced |
| 1864 | Douglas | Abernethy breakwater partly destroyed (Jan/Feb) |
| 1865 | Peel | Breakwater light established 32 ft above HW |
| 1867 | Douglas | Breakwater totally destroyed |
| 1867 | Douglas | Victoria Pier Commenced |
| 1868 | Ramsey | Abernethy Breakwater completed and lighthouse established 34 ft above HW |
| 1869 | Douglas | Iron Pier at Broadway opened in August |
| 1869-70 | Ramsey | West Quay built |
| 1869 | Chicken Rock | Lighthouse foundations D&T Stevenson |
| 1870 | Peel | Encasing of Abernethy Breakwater commenced |
| 1872 | Douglas | Victoria Pier opened by Lord Loch |
| 1874 | Chicken Rock | Light established. Tower 143 ft high 122 ft above HW 16 miles |
| 1874 | Harbour Dues re-imposed | |
| 1874-6 | Ramsey | South breakwater built 510 ft |
| 1875 | Peel | Encasing of breakwater completed |
| 1875 | Chicken Rock | Ligh exhibited – 1 January |
| 1875 | Calf of Man | Lights extinguished 1 January |
| 1876 | Ramsey | South Breakwater timber staging erected |
| 1876 | Port Erin | Breakwater completed |
| 1877 | Ramsey | East Quay wall commenced (June) at harbour office |
| 1878 | Ramsey | East Quay wall completed in November 765 ft |
| 1879 | Douglas | Battery Pier completed cost £110,000 |
| 1880 | Langness | Light established 63ft high 76 ft above HW |
| 1881 | Port Erin | Breakwater destroyed |
| 1881-2 | Peel | West quay built |
| 1882 | Port St Mary | Alfred Pier foundation stone laid by Duke of Edinburgh 31/1/1882 |
| 1883 | Ramsey | Queen's Pier commenced |
| 1883 | Fort Island | Light discontinued |
| 1884 | Port Erin | Fixed red lead-in lights 130 ft apart established on East Shore |
| 1884 | Port St Mary | Fixed green light on extremity of finished portion of Alfred Pier |
| 1884 | Port Erin | Black Buoy placed at end of breakwater ruins |
| 1884 | Peel | Causeway and approach to breakwater built |
| 1885 | Peel | Harbour wall of breakwater built and deck surfaced |
| 1886 | Port St Mary | Alfred Pier completed |
| 1886 | Ramsey | Queen's Pier opened 22/7/1886 |
| 1886 | Castletown | Swing Bridge built (patent shaft and Axletree Ltd) £1,000 |
| 1887 | Douglas | Victoria Pier extension commenced |
| 1890 | Laxey | Harbour acquired by Isle of Man Harbour Commissioners |
| 1890 | Douglas | Victoria Pier Buildings erected cost £6,900 |
| 1892 | Douglas | Head Lighthouse re-built |
| 1892 | Ramsey | Swing Bridge built by Cleveland engineering Company cost £20,325 |
| 1892 | Port St Mary | Alfred Pier extension commenced |
| 1892 | Peel | Breakwater extension commenced |
| c1892 | Douglas | Broadway Iron Pier demolished and re-erected at Colwyn Bay |
| 1894 | Douglas | Swing Bridge contract (Sir W G Armstrong Mitchell £6,590) |
| 1894 | Douglas | Victoria Pier extension completed |
| 1896 | Peel | Breakwater extension completed |
| 1900 | Ramsey | Queen's Pier extension completed |
| 1903 | Castletown | Footbridge. Handyside and Co cost £414. |
| 1906 | Douglas | Callie Stage built |
| 1912 | Port Erin | Raglan Pier built |
| 1936 | Douglas | Edward Pier built |
Douglas harbour
| Prior to 1700 | Some crude wharfs and jetties on the river banks of the present inner harbour. |
| 1700 | The 'Tongue' built, being the first masonry structure. Followed by rebuilding of North and South Quay walls |
| 1765-1790 Approx | North Quay extended seawards to seek deeper water. More exposure to sea resulted. |
| 1790 | Treasury sent a skilled Engineer to report on state of the harbour. Inter alia, recommended the first breakwater. One only of his various proposals materialised; the construction of the Red Pier in 1801 for £25,000 |
| 1826 | Sir William Hillary suggested a harbour of refuge being made at Douglas. An Admiralty Commissioner investigated and reported, advocating a 1900 feet breakwater from Douglas Head overlapping a similar structure commencing on Conister Rock. Not proceeded with on account of great estimated cost. |
| 1835 | AT request of Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Rennie, FRS investigated and recommended various outer works at a cost of £216,000. The only proposal to materialise was the Fort Anne Jetty, then the outer limit of the harbour. |
| 1839 | Need of outer works revived by Mr John Hawshaw, eminent Engineer. |
| 1840 and 1846 | Mr James Walker, Engineer to the Harbour Commissioners, revived the same proposals unsuccessfully. |
| 1846 | Commissioners sought Treasury assistance with a masonry breakwater from 'Little Head' to the design of their new Engineer, John Temperley. No success achieved. |
| 1853 | Similar approach again, but with no success. |
| 1858 | Royal Commission on Harbours of Refuge sate at a public enquiry. Outer works proposed at cost of £100,000 half of which would be found by British Government. Proposals were not acted upon. |
| 1864 | Manx Legislature resolved that protective works were vital. Abernethy-style breakwater built from the 'Little Head'. |
| 1865 (Jan) | Most of breakwater demolished in South-East storm. |
| 1867 | Remainder of breakwater demolished in South-East storm. Pertinent to note that the harbour Commissioners strongly opposed an Abernethy breakwater and advocated masonry, but were over-ruled on grounds of cost. |
| 1867 | Construction of Victoria Pier commenced. |
| 1871 | Up to this year all landings of passengers were at the Red Pier and at periods of high water. |
| 1872 | Victoria Pier opened by Lord Loch. Little use in storm conditions from North-East round to South-East. |
| 1879 | Battery Pier in present form completed to the design of Sir John Coode. |
| 1887 | Agitation for better accommodation within sheltered harbour. Decision to lengthen Victoria Pier by 400 feet. |
| 1891 | Victoria Pier extension opened. Need of further shelter still voiced. |
| 1904-1908-1914 | Schemes put forward for lengthening of the Red Pier. Shelved due to Great War. |
| 1922 | Resurrection of Red Pier Scheme, leading to: |
| 1925 | Exhausstive enquiry by Committee of Tynwald. Proposals for outer works put forward by the Committee (The 'Hunter' report). Of three possible schemes Tynwald recommended widening of existing breakwater and extension by 500 feet at an estimated cost of £750,000. Left in abeyance due to looming trade depression. |
| 1929 | Failure to proceed with outer works led to revival of pleas for more berthage. Tynwald resolved to proceed with the Red Pier extention. |
| 1936 | Red Pier extension opened in May 1936, 32 years after its first being proposed. |
| 1953 | Victoria Pier widened by 19 feet on the north side throughout its whole length. |
| 1954 | The Coffee Palace Berth in the inner harbour set back and re-constructed to give better accommodation for cargo vessels and more turning space. |
| 1963-1967 | Construction of Sea Terminal Building. Opened by HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon on 6 July 1965. |
| 1978 | Construction of first stage standage area between roots of Victoria and King Edward Piers to which Linkspan is attached. |
| 1979 | Construction and installation of pedestrian footbridge to replace vehicular bridge installed in 1895 |
