150th Anniversary of House of Keys Election Act

Tynwald has approved three names from the past for inclusion on the Manx Patriots' Roll of Honour.

It follows a report from the Tynwald Honours Committee and this year will take the place of awarding an honour to a living person.

Instead, the 150th anniversary of the House of Keys Election Act is being marked by celebrating the lives of three men who helped true democracy come to the Island and dedicated their lives to constitutional and electoral reform

Robert Fargher, founded the Mona's Herald in 1833 and ran a campaign for electoral reform, including a plan for an elected House of Keys in 1837 - though this was ultimately unsuccessful.

James Brown founded the Isle of Man Times in 1861 and was famously imprisoned by the Keys in 1866 for libel after likening members of the House to donkeys . . . but was later released when it was ruled the Keys did not have the authority to imprison him. This decision is said to have improved process of democratisation on the Island

And Samuel Norris came to the Island in 1894 and was extremely vocal for the need for institutional reform. He subsequently was elected to the Keys in 1919.