Isle of Man’s 2024 stamp program does indeed offer up planes, a lot of boats and a redcoat or two! Not sure what’s in the water this year, but 2024 has rolled out some impressive programs worldwide. And the Manx program is up there with them. The year starts with a joint Jersey-Guernsey-Isle of Man 200th anniversary tribute to the volunteers who keep the Royal National Lifeboat Institution running. The one common image that appears in all three sets is Sir William Hillary, the man who started the service. 

Among the highlights this year, so far, are the annual EUROPA stamps and an aviation anniversary collection. IoM opted for a different approach to this year’s EUROPA theme Underwater Flora and Fauna. Instead of the traditional photos of underwater life, they enlisted Manx mosaic artist Kimmy McHarrie to supply unusual artwork to showcase fish around the island.  From the 6 stamp set, the Boiddagh (Cod) stamp is Isle of Man’s official entry.

The Castletown native uses a combination of materials to create her mosaics, including items she finds in her travels around the island, venetian glass, stone, shells, gold leaf smalti and some semi precious stones.  

Mosaic making is a very physical process. Each piece of coloured glass or stone is cut by hand using a hammer and hardie, the traditional mosaicist’s tools. The process I use for completing the mosaic is called the double reverse method, which I learnt in Ravenna, Italy, the historic centre of Byzantine mosaic. It involves 6 different processes. News and Story | Mysite (kimmymcharrie.co.uk)

As for the aviation anniversary stamps, well, you’ll just have to scroll down to enjoy them. But they are smashing!

Enjoy
Catpaw 

January

Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) at 200

6 stamps, FDC, cancel, medallion cover, presentation packs 
offset with metallic gold ink

• Port St Mary Lifeboat Station
• Peel Lifeboat Station
• Port Erin Lifeboat Station
• Ramsey Lifeboat Station
• Douglas Lifeboat Station
• Sir William Hillary

Founded March 4, 1824, and crewed by volunteers, the RNLI has a spectacular record of saving lives:

On the day the charity turns 200, the RNLI is revealing its volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved an incredible 146,277 lives during its two centuries of lifesaving.

Since the charity was founded in 1824, its volunteer crews have launched the lifeboats 380,328 times, saving 144,277 lives, while its lifeguards – who became part of the RNLI’s lifesaving service in 2001 – have responded to 303,030 incidents on some of the UK’s busiest beaches, saving 2,000 lives*. In total, 146,277 lives have been saved by the RNLI – this equates to an average of two lives saved every day for 200 years. 

Founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824 following an appeal from Sir William Hillary, who lived on the Isle of Man and witnessed many shipwrecks, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea throughout the tests of its history, including tragic disasters, funding challenges and two World Wars.
RNLI celebrates 200 years and over 146,000 lives saved | RNLI

An interesting quartet of stamps for the RNLI’s sesquicentennial. were issued in 1974 by Lundy (Bristol Channel).

This is a joint issue with Jersey and Guernsey

Sir William Hillary, 1771-1847 has been featured on an Isle of Man stamp in 1999 for the 175th Anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution series. 

Designers: RNLI and Isle of Man Advertising
Images courtesy RNLI/Graham Farr Collection, Andrew Barton, Dave Kneale, Nicholas Leach

Release date: January 4, 2024

Lunar New Year – Year of the Dragon

4  stamps, 4 sheets of 25, FDC, cancel, presentation pack
offset, metallic gold

Artwork: Jo Davies
“Illustrating a set of  stamps has been on my bucket list, especially one celebrating such a revered symbol. It’s an honour to represent the Year of the Dragon through art.” Jo Davies Isle of Man Post Office celebrates Chinese New Year – IoM Post
Designer: EJC Design

Release date: January 22, 2024 

February

Maurice Gibb CBE • Singer • Songwriter • Multi-Instrumentalist • Producer

8 stamps, 8 self-adhesives, 2 FDCs, cancel, signed FDC (photographer Guido Karp), collector’s pack, presentation pack, sheetlet 

Maurice’s brother Barry was featured in  2021

Designer: EJC Design using photos by Guido Karp

Release date: February 29, 2024

March

EUROPA 2024 – Underwater Flora & Fauna
Marine Mosaics by Kimmy McHarrie

6 stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, presentation pack, 6 sheets of 10 

Each stamp bears the Manx name for each fish. 

• Skeddan (Herring)  – there’s a road on Man called Herring Road. The Herring Road: A Beautiful Hike from Castletown to Peel (discoverisleofman.im)
• Breck Marrey (Mackerel) 
• Boiddagh (Cod) stamp is Isle of Man’s official entry
• Crodan (Red gunard) 
• Braddan (Salmon)
• John Doree (John Dory)
• Basking shark appears on the cover of the presentation pack

Artist: Kimmy McHarrie 
“In creating ‘Marine Mosaics,’ I wanted to celebrate the rich diversity of marine life found in the waters of the Isle of Man,” said Kimmy McHarrie. “Each mosaic tells a story of resilience and beauty, highlighting the importance of protecting our oceans for future generations.” New stamp collection celebrates Manx underwater wildlife – IoM Post
Faversham Life has an interview with McHarrie Faversham Life | Online Magazine
HOME | Mysite (kimmymcharrie.co.uk)
Designer: EJC Design

Release date: March 7th, 2024 

April 

The Life of Bees

6 stamps, commemorative sheet, FDC, cancel, presentation pack, 6 sheets of 20
offset

** NOTE: this issue was printed without the Royal Cypher 
“The Isle of Man Post Office very much regrets that the entire supply of ‘The Life of Bees’ issue in sheets with normal gum has been printed with the
Royal cypher omitted: the error affects all six values. Isle of Man Stamps & Coins apologies for this very unfortunate error which was
first noticed on issue day, 12 April 2024 with many customers already supplied with their stock” 
IOM The Life Cycle of the Bee – Issue date 12th April 2024 Omission of Royal Cypher on Gummed values 
The stamp will remain in circulation and isn’t being withdrawn.

• Worker bee
• Drone bee
• Queen bee
• Pollination
• Honey
• Beekeeper

A celebration for the British Beekeepers Association’s 150th anniversary. With over 80 registered bee keepers on the island, protecting bees and producing honey.
Isle of Man Beekeepers – Website of the Isle of Man Beekeepers Federation (iombeekeepers.com)

Isle of Man featured bees in their 2012  Bee Fauna of the Isle of Man set and 2001 White-tailed Bumblebee,  

Designer: Glazier Design using photos by Harry Owens, Sam Styles, Benedict Glazier, BBKA, Manx Wildlife Trust.
Glazier has designed over a dozen sets of stamps for the Isle of Man, including 300 Years of Royal Artillery (2016), 100 Years of the Royal Air Force (2018) and
British Broadcasting Corporation, Centenary (2022)

Release date: April 12, 2024

The Liberation of Europe – WWII

10 stamps, 2 FDCs, 2 booklet pains, presentation pack, commemorative set
offset + metallic ink

The stamps are broken down into 2 themes. 

The Liberation of Europe – WW II

• Glider at Pegasus Bridge: Shot by Norman Clague
• Sword Beach Landings
• News Reaches Home
• Omaha Beach
• Liberation of Paris: Winston Churchill and French Resistance leader and future president of France Charles De Gaulle 

Operation Market Garden

• Flying Officer J E Clague
• Major RH Cain VC
• Private Robert Cojeen
• Flood Combat at Elst
• Liberation of Eindhoven

Designer: Isle of Man Advertising
Images from: Imperial War Museum, National Army Museum, Manx Aviation and Military Museum & ParaData
Text in booklets: Ivor Ramsden MBE & Isle of Man Post Office

Release date: April 29, 2024

May

Peel Traditional Boats

6 stamps, FDC, cancel, presentation pack, 6 sheets of 6
offset

Peel Traditional Boat Weekend takes place the mid summer at the Peel marina. Its a free event that sees traditional boats fill the marina and out onto the bay. The first event took place in 1991, 

• Stamp 1  Painted from the promenade in Peel, facing out to sea with the lighthouse in the foreground. Traditional fishing boats are seen at water during the festival.
• Stamp 2 Peel harbour and breakwater as seen from Peel castle. The coastline of the Island can be seen, as well as a parent with their dog and child at the breakwater.
• Stamp 3  Presented from the top of Peel hill, this painting displays all aspects of the village; the castle, headlands, beach and the breakwater.
• Stamp 4  This stamp depicts a closer view of the traditional boats that migrate to Peel for the festival. Beneath the water basking sharks can be seen, as often found in Manx waters throughout summer months.
• Stamp 5 A close up and detailed view as painted from the perspective of one of the visiting traditional fishing boats.
• Stamp 6 As seen from the boats in Peel bay during a procession, seagulls can be seen perched on the fishing boat as crowds of onlookers watch on from the breakwater.
  Peel Traditional Boats Set & Sheet Set – Isle of Man Post Office (iompost.com)

To help the Peel weekend I drew simple line images for event t-shirts. They became very recognisable and collectable. After a few years I realised that if I water-coloured the images they could double as event posters.  I felt that they were a gift to the sailing world for all the good times! They were popular and six of these images have become stamps, while a stitched emblem is now a postmark and key image design.

Often the paintings featured visiting boats and were completed last minute, in order to have an idea who was intending to take part that year. The original watercolours were sometimes auctioned at the fun-fuelled festival. The PL09 framed artwork was found wrapped up in the toilets on the breakwater after a traditionally late night, the owner long departed for Bangor! Luckily it was handed in, and taken across the Irish Sea on another boat. Peel remains a popular haven for these beautiful old vessels and the traditional boat enthusiasts and there is always fun and camaraderie amongst the sailing fraternity.
Peel Traditional Boats – Isle of Man Post Office (iompost.com)

Artist: Nicola Dixon
Nicola Dixon  – “I paint the sea, the coast, boats and creatures that live above and below it in a bright distinctive style.”   Her artwork previously appeared on a stamp in 2017 Green Mann – Food Matters on the Isle of Man. 
Designer: EJC Design

Release date: May 13, 2024 

Aviation Anniversaries

6 stamps, FDC, presentation pack
offset

• 100th Anniversary of Imperial Airways  – formed in 1924, IA was a pioneer in passenger and airmail route development.  Operated until November 1939 when it merged with British Airways Ltd. 
• 100th Anniversary of the Fleet Air Arm – Royal Navy Air Service was created in 1914 and officially becoming part of the naval branch of the Royal Air Force in 1924
• 75th Anniversary of the English Electric Canberra – first flight for this medium bomber jet took place May 13, 1949, entering service May 25, 1951. It was retired from service June 26, 2005. Replaced the de Havilland Mosquito bomber. First jet powered bomber used by the RAF. 
• 75th Anniversary of the De Havilland Comet – first commercial jet airliner. First test flight was 1949 and it entered service with BOAC in 1952. Retired from service in 1997, when the Comet 4C XS23 flew it’s last route.
• 75th Anniversary of the Avro Shackleton – a long-range maritime patrol aircraft for the RAF. Test flight March 9, 1949, entering service April 1951 and retired 1991. 
• 60th Anniversary of the Red Arrows – Red Arrows appear on 2 sets of stamps this year, 

Designers: Glazier Design using images courtesy Mary Evans Picture Library

Release date: May 28, 2024

June

Tynwald Week Photos by Martin Parr 

8 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 booklet panes, FDC, cancel, prestige booklet, booklets, presentation pack, Collectors album with stamp card set
offset

Tynwald, or the High Court of Tynwald, is the parliamentary seat of the Isle of Man. “Tynwald is of Norse origin and over 1,000 years old, and is thus the oldest parliament in the world with an unbroken existence. It has two Branches, the Legislative Council and the House of Keys, which sit separately to consider legislation, but also sit together in Douglas, and annually at St John’s, for other parliamentary purposes.” Tynwald – Parliament of the Isle of Man

At first glance, his photographs seem exaggerated or even grotesque. The motifs he chooses are strange, the colours are garish and the perspectives are unusual. Parr’s term for the overwhelming power of published images is “propaganda”. He counters this propaganda with his own chosen weapons: criticism, seduction and humour. As a result, his photographs are original and entertaining, accessible and understandable. But at the same time they show us in a penetrating way how we live, how we present ourselves to others, and what we value. Introduction | Martin Parr

Photographer: Martin Parr
Designer: EJC Design   

Release date: June 29, 2024

July

The History of Peel Engineering – 60th Anniversary

sheet of 12 stamps with attached info page
offset

World’s smallest production car and damned adorable to boot. It’s a micro 3 wheeler designed for city driving and is fully road legal in the UK. About — Peel Engineering
Sadly the company was dissolved in 1974.

 This set uses 4 stamps from Fusion Design’s release Peel Car. 

Designer: EJC Design
Details & Text: Barry Edwards

Release date: July 23, 2024

Stars of Variety

6 stamps, presentation pack, FDC, cancel
offset

This set celebrates entertainers from the 1930s who found an eager and happy audience during summers on the island. Its a fun and interesting time capsule. All the writeups are courtesy Isle of Man Stamp & Coin News, Issue 186, summer 2024, pp 6-7. You can find it here Welcome to Isle of Man Stamps & Coins – Isle of Man Post Office along with back issues.  

SANDY POWELL (1900-1982) –  Powell was a comedian from Rotherham, and was noted for the fact that he sold records of his performances. His catchphrase was “Can you hear me, mother?” The first time he used this, it was to cover up the fact he had lost his place in a radio script, but it proved so amusing that he kept it in the act. Part of his repertoire was comedy ventriloquism. In the 1930s he had a popular revue show, and was a regular at Onchan Head Pavilion and the Gaiety in Douglas. He was still working into his 80s.

VICTORIA CARMEN (1890-1962) – was born in Edinburgh, and was one of the most popular music hall singers of the early twentieth century. She was sometimes billed as a comedienne, and was still performing into the 1940s, most frequently at Onchan Head Pavilion and Derby Castle in Douglas. She was married to Harold Griffiths, a music hall comedian, and they toured together in a travelling company.

TOMMY TRINDER (1909-1989) – South-London born Trinder found fame as a comedian in music hall in the late 1930s, appearing at the Villa Marina in 1939. His style was confident and cheeky, his delivery fast talking and direct. His material was often topical, and as a working-class comedian he  sometimes included a barbed remark about his social superiors. He made a number of films during the war, and when television took off, he successfully switched to that. His catchphrase was “You lucky people.”

LESLIE SARONY (1897-1985) – Sarony was a singer, dancer and actor who interspersed his routine with comic sketches; Sarony made his first appearance on the Island at the Villa Marina in 1937, and often appeared in a double act with Leslie Holmes. He was a prolific songwriter and came up with much of his own material. He was later successful in television, and appeared in Monty Python’s Flying Circus as well as in sit-coms.

FLORRIE FORDE (1875-1940) – Australian singer Florrie Forde had a powerful voice, and her songs usually had a memorable chorus in which the audience joined. She was particularly associated with the Isle of Man, and in the 1930s at the height of her fame she provided opportunities in her Douglas shows for up-and-coming local talent. She was a regular at the Derby Castle.

GEORGE LACY (1904-1989) – Lacy was a female impersonator, credited with developing the character of the pantomime dame. He was the principal comedian at the Palace Coliseum at the northern end of Douglas Promenade. He travelled with his ‘nephew’ (secretly his partner), until their relationship was revealed. Homosexuality was still illegal at the time, and the ‘nephew’ was forced to marry to avoid prosecution.

Designer: EJC Design with Matthew Richardson providing text and images

Release date: July 30, 2024 

August

150th anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU)

4 stamps, FDC, cancel, presentation pack
offset

2024 is an important year in the history of international communication. The Universal Postal Union (UPU) celebrates it’s 150th year of operation and post offices around the world are releasing stamps to honour the organisation.

Established in 1874, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), with its headquarters in the Swiss capital Berne, is the second oldest international organization worldwide. 
With its 192 member countries, the UPU is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players. It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services.
Universal Postal Union

The 4 stamp set uses images from the Basil Wood Collection. Basil Wood was a well known and loved stamp collector who retired to the Island, along with his enduring passion for philately. He started in the stamp trade at the age of 14, working for Victor F. James, Stamp Dealer in London, Birmingham and Whitstable. When he retired to Man, his collecting focus shifted to the Island’s rich philatelic history, and his collection is still maintained. 

• International Reply Coupon, 1907: A 3d coupon cancelled at Bucks Rd, Douglas on 28th March 1908, representing early 20th-century international mail cooperation.
• First Commemorative Stamp, 1924: A postcard from the 1924 British Empire Exhibition depicting Peel Castle and Harbour, showcasing the Isle of Man’s involvement in early commemorative philately.
• Air Mail, 1948: A 6d King George VI Air Letter commemorating the 1948 London Olympics, cancelled in Douglas, illustrating the evolution of airmail services post-World War II.
• UPU 75th Anniversary Cover, 1949: A first day cover with the complete set of four stamps from the 1949 UPU anniversary, demonstrating the Isle of Man’s participation in significant global postal celebrations.

Designers: Bee Design & EJC Design using images from The Basil Wood Collection & UPU
Text: Richard West MBE and Kerry J Kemp

Release date: August 30, 2024

September

Small Island of Wonder – a tribute to the Isle of Man’s heritage, legends, and artistry. 

6 stamps, FDC, cancel, 6 sheets of 20, presentation pack
offset

The 6 stamps in this set explores various aspects of Man’s rich cultural history. It also offers the perfect opportunity to take a look at previous designs, It was fun to find so many stamps by Colleen Corlett, who also supplied the art for this new series. 

Folklore: The Moddey Dhoo – Gaelic for black dog. Based on a legend about a ghostly black dog that haunts Peel Castle and the area surrounding it. The Dhoo has been featured in the Europa (C.E.P.T.) 1997 – Sages and Legends by Collen Corlett in 1997. 

Moddey Dhoo – Mythical Encyclopedia

Famous Person: Geoff Duke (1923-2015) – motorcycle legend Duke appeared on 
Centenary of TT Motor Cycle Race by Ruth Sutherland in 2007, Geoff Duke (1947 Royal Signals Display Team) on Triumph 3T in 1993 and John Nicholson’s 1975 Geoff Duke (Winner 1955, Senior T.T), 500 c.c. “Gilera”.

  
Geoff Duke, 1923-2015: Racing Legend Passes Away at Age 92 | Cycle World

Flora: Dog roses (Rosa canina) – The dog rose is a native plant to the Island. It was previously featured on a Man stamp in 1999, once again featuring Colleen Corlett’s artwork.

History: Parliament Buildings – The buildings appeared on a 1980 stamp titled Parliament Buildings, Hobart, Robert Quayle Kermode by Anthony Theobald

A Special Place: Cashtal yn Ard – Castle of the Heights is a Neolithic chambered tomb dating to 2000 BCE.   Once designer Colleen Corlett’s offers an older look at this  with her Cashtal yn Ard, by Christopher Killip from 1991. The stamp features a photograph by British photographer Kilip who died in 2020. The original photo was taken in 1973.

Cashtal yn Ard – Visit Isle of Man

Craft: The Lemon Squeezer – The Douglas Terminal, aka the Lemon Squeezer, is the island’s sea terminal built in 1965. “The distinctive roof of the building which gives the building its alternative name of ‘the lemon squeezer’ appears to be constructed of folded concrete but is in fact formed in timber and plywood.” Isle of Man Sea Terminal -Douglas, Isle of Man – Odd-Shaped Buildings on Waymarking.com
Previous stamps were issued for the Europa (C.E.P.T.) 1987 – Modern Architecture series. Designed by Ronald Maddox and a visit by Postman Pat Postman Pat, Jess and Finlo at Sea Terminal, Douglas in 1994, by designer Colleen Corlett

Designer: Colleen Corlett
Colleen Corlett – THE CREATIVE NETWORK

Release date: September 16, 2024

Celtic Corvids

6 stamps, FDC, cancel, 6 sheets of 20, presentation pack 
offset using metallic silver

• Raven (FEEAGH)  
• Chough (CAAIG)
• Jackdaw (CAAIG DOO-CHASSAGH)  
• Rook (FANNAG)  
• Crow & Hoodie (FANNAG GHOO or FANNAGH CHARRAGH)  
• Magpie (MADJE) 

It was such a delight to be asked to create the artwork for this issue plus the research into some of the specifically Manx Folklore around each of the different species. I got lost down that particular delicious rabbit hole for quite a while. 
The original watercolour artwork for these will be in my #raresightings_exhibition in the Manx Museum from 26th October
Julia Ashby Smyth julia ashby smyth (@juliaashbysmyth) • Instagram photos and videos

Artist: Julia Ashby Smyth 
Julia’s artwork was featured in 2022 – Manx Winter : Art of Julia Ashby Smyth set. The first time her are work appeared a Manx stamp was 1999, for the Europa (C.E.P.T.) 1999 – Parks and Gardens 2 stamp set. 

Designer: EJC Design

Release date: September 30, 2024

October

The Lights of Isle of Mann – Aurora Borealis

6 stamps, mini sheetlet, FDC, cancel, presentation pack, prestige booklet
offset

Designer: Isle of Mann Advertising using photos from David Lovelady, Ron Strathdee, Andrew Reeves & Visit Isle of Man
Text writeups: Howard Parkin BSc. BEd. FRAS, Manx astronomer

Release date: October 25, 2024

Father Christmas

6 stamps, 6 self adhesive stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, self adhesive booklet, presentation pack
offset

Designers used imagery from the Victorian era. 

Designers: Bee Design & EJC Design

Release date: October 28, 2024