Ships arrived at Douglas from Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Stockholm, Hamburg, Barcelona, and Cette. Tea came from China via Holland. Brandy came from France. Tobacco came from the American colonies. Silk and cotton came from India. Rum came from the West Indies. Gunpowder for the slave trade passed through a Manx harbour on its way to the Guinea Coast.

Take a blank map of the world and plot every trade route that connected to the Isle of Man. Use different colours for different goods. When you’ve finished, stand back and look at it.

A tiny island in the Irish Sea, connected to everywhere.