Alexander Gill 1852-1919

The builder of The Welbeck ( originally The Welbeck, The Rosebery & The Glenville Hotels,) Alexander Gill was educated at Onchan Village School for a short number of years before completing his apprenticeship as a stonemason and leaving the Island to work in the Barrow area.

On his return c.1879 he became extremely active in the local building industry, completing his first project on a plot of land in Melbourne Street. The first hotels he built became known as ‘The Peveril Buildings’ and he was involved in much of the construction of Loch Promenade, Christian Road, Duke Street and King Street.

He became a member of ‘The Manx Syndicate,’ which bought large parts of the Castle Mona Estate on which ‘The Welbeck’ is situated and built many hotels in the Central and Queens Promenade area.

An energetic entrepreneur, he nevertheless failed to procure Harris Promenade and the Villa Marina, although he was in charge of the building of ‘The Palace,’ ‘The Opera House,’ and ‘The Colliseum,’ becoming a director of what evolved as ‘The Palace and Derby Castle Company’

One of The Isle of Man’s biggest landlords, he had a reputation as a fair man and was elected to Onchan Commissioners, twice holding the Chairman’s position and also as representative for Athol Ward in Douglas Town Commissioners. However, he did seem to have his limitations and was twice defeated in his attempts to join ‘The House of Keys.’

Although his health had started to deteriorate, his death was wholly unexpected when he succumbed to the influenza epidemic of 1919.

Irene & Michael George have owned The Welbeck since 2005. Before then, they were running the business side by side with Michael’s parents, Hilda & Peter. Due to Peter’s untimely death in 2004, naturally Hilda took a step back and Irene & Michael took the reins.

In 1977, Hilda & Peter owned a hotel in Fleetwood; but because of their love for the Isle of Man, when a young Michael & Harold (Peter’s father) came back from a daytrip to the island telling them a property they’d seen in an estate agent’s window- they decided to sell up, and buy The Welbeck Hotel. Leaving Michael, their daughter Christine, and Harold behind (for now!).

The Welbeck was orginally made up of 29 bedrooms. Where the lift shaft is now, was the shared bathroom on each floor. Where 105 is now was the sitting room, and 106, where the night porter stayed – to let you in if you’d forgotten your key!

The aforementioned lift shaft was built in 1987 in only viable place we could fit it at the time. It works a dream, even if it is a little ‘cosy’!

Irene, Michael & Hilda look back fondly on the weddings held, with many returning to celebrate an anniversary. As much pressure as there was, it was a fabulous affair with the Rosebery Suite hosting the Reception meal, then quickly and efficiently switched up in to a party area with a dancefloor and DJ, whilst guests enjoyed an intermission in the old Welbeck Bar.

Many of the family tree have worked in the Hotel, including Irene & Michael’s 4 children; Matthew, Elizabeth, Lucy & Terence- Christine and her 3 children; Alistair, Alex & Katie. Lucy has been back and forth a few times, but is a more permanent fixture.

We’ve seen many staff through the doors and we are extremely lucky that they have dedicated themselves to our business and shown our guests true hospitality.

In the earlier days, The Welbeck was seasonal, shut from October until March, and opening up again for Easter. During that time, Hilda attended a catering course at the Isle of Man college. Due to the shift in the Island’s tourism to business culture, Hilda & Peter decided to make the most of the winter by opening all year round, providing accommodation to business travellers- some of whom have been returning to the Hotel for over 30 years!

This meant many George Family Christmases were shared with guests. Twenty of them, to be exact, meant paying the staff triple time, when really Christmas remained quite quiet. So, Peter had eventually had enough, and announced that from now on we were to close for Christmastime, and re-open in January. He took the family away to Lanzarote, which became tradition and continued long after he sadly passed.

In 1994, The Bella Casa Hotel next door came up for sale, and it seemed like the perfect way to expand the business. The Rosebery Suite (which is what it was called before) became a conference room-cum-celebration of life in the way of christenings, marriage, and the odd funeral. The rooms upstairs became 27 en-suites.

It is now host to our main Bar & Lounge area, with the ‘Alexander Gill Room’ which an extension of the lounge which has a T.V.

In the early 2000s, The George’s bought the neighbouring block of flats, next to the old Bella Casa building ‘The Granada’, formerly a Hotel. These were converted to holiday-let apartments, although have known to be host to people relocating to the Island over the years. There are 7 apartments, 1 x 2 bedroomed, and 6 x 1 bedroomed.

The Welbeck was orginally made up of 29 bedrooms. Where the lift shaft is now, was the shared bathroom on each floor.

The aforementioned lift shaft was built in 1987 in only viable place we could fit it at the time. It works a dream, even if it is a little ‘cosy’.

101 and 102 used to be one unit – shared by chefs Michael [George] & best friend and colleague, Stuart Murphy.

Where 105 is now, was the sitting room. When 105 was changed to guest accommodation, it became two rooms. With the advent of the en-suites and addition of the lift, there were only 24 rooms, which included a tiny 106 usually used by the night porter if anyone forgot their keys!

Nowadays, all rooms are en-suite. With the addition of the Bella Casa building, 400 sheets of plasterboard later, there are 27 rooms in the Welbeck & Bella Casa buildings.

The Penthouse apartment which takes up the entire length of the Bella Casa side- the home built for Hilda & Peter- is huge. For a while we have used this as an over-spill of the hotel (lucky guests!) due to Hilda moving out for a while. We have begun to market as it’s own unit. Although, Hilda is now back and she intends to take residence there once the season is over. It is wonderful having her around again!