This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the opening of civilian internment camps on the Isle of Man during the Second World War, and Manx National Heritage is offering a host of opportunities to discover more about this fascinating period in the Island's history.

On Friday 19th March, at 5pm, there will be an illustrated lecture at the Manx Museum entitled 'Living with the Wire'.

The lecture, by Curator of Social History Yvonne Cresswell, will shed light on wartime civilian internment on the Island, giving an introduction to the 'enemy aliens' and their life in the camps.

On Saturday, 20th March from 11am to 1pm, there will be a further opportunity to discover more about civilian internment and the lives of the internees at the Manx Museum.

The 'Tales from the Camp' workshop will give an introduction to both World War 1 and World War 2 civilian internment on the Island.  The workshop will start in the National Art Gallery and give insights into the lives of the internees through the artwork on display.  There will also be a chance to view a selection of craftwork objects made by Second World War internees. 

Following this, there will then be a guided tour of Hutchinson Square (or Hutchinson Camp as it was known during the war) and an opportunity to discover more about what life would have been like for the various artists and academics in the camp during the war.

To book a place on the 'Tales from the Camp' workshop, please contact Manx National Heritage on (01624) 648000 at the earliest opportunity, as places are limited. 

The 'Living with Wire' lecture and 'Tales from the Camp' workshop are being staged in association with the Anne Frank {+ You} Exhibition currently on display at Peel Cathedral.

Pictured: A group of Camp internees.