Post by daniel on Sept 27, 2021 23:22:24 GMT
Just days after the beginning of World War I, The Aliens Restriction Act was introduced on 5th August 1914 in the UK . Although aimed at Germans, the act required that all foreign nationals (aliens) register with local police. By October 1914 Knockaloe Moar farm on the Isle of Man was set up as an internment camp and civilian male internees began arriving from 17th November. They were mainly German, Austrian and Turkish but from other nations too. Ultimately, the camp consisted of 23 compounds with upwards of 23,000 internees.
Internees were still technically Prisoners of War as you can see from this example of an official envelope, shown front and back. The writing is very difficult to make out but it was sent post free from one of the prisoners, Otto Kaminski 11228 to Maria Ickling (?).
Stamps were produced in the camp but these are probably reproductions
Archibald Knox, the renowned designer of pewter for Liberty's of London, who was a Manxman, served at the camp as a guard and a censor. There is a strong possibility that he handled this envelope.
Internees were still technically Prisoners of War as you can see from this example of an official envelope, shown front and back. The writing is very difficult to make out but it was sent post free from one of the prisoners, Otto Kaminski 11228 to Maria Ickling (?).
Stamps were produced in the camp but these are probably reproductions
Archibald Knox, the renowned designer of pewter for Liberty's of London, who was a Manxman, served at the camp as a guard and a censor. There is a strong possibility that he handled this envelope.