In 1798 Edward Corlett was born in Douglas, Isle of Man. He had had an accident early in life and had a crippled leg, so manual work was out.

He worked at King Williams college as a barber, where a few years later he met his Julia, She was born in France in 1797, was working at KWC as a chambermaid.

Love blossomed and they were married on 2nd July 1829.

Now having two childern and a third on the way Edward decided to branch out on his own and in 1835 he took premises in Castletown and started a shop selling clocks and watches.

 

After Edward died 6th May 1879 aged 81 years his son, also Edward, took over the running of the business.

On 25th June 1870 George Herbert Corlett was born and he too followed in his fathers foot steps.

 

George Herbert, the namesake of the shop, was responsible for bringing the business to Douglas around the turn of the century.

 

So it is still his name that you see above the door to this day.

George was followed by his sons William and Teddy with their sisters Edith and Mary.

 

The next generation was Williams' son Ted, who was responsible for bringing Trophies and Engraving to the business during his time in charge.

 

Now Ted's only son Gary is at the helm. 

Six generations of Corletts; Father to son for 175 years.

 

I don't suppose that you will find too many businesses with this sort of history about today!

 

 Gary's Daughter Ealish has even designed her own jewellery that had been manufactured and sold by a large UK wholesaler. 

What visions of the future would Edward have had in 1835... So much has changed since then... Even the Motorcar was 65 years in to the future. Transistor radios and Man on the Moon were far off dreams.

 

He's never have predicted battery powered watches and clocks, and modern techniques of artificially altering the colour of some gemstones and even engraving by computers! 

Poor Edward would never believe what was to come.

 

He probably would have never thought that his small shop in Castletown would be such a successful business more than 185 years later.

 

Such is the Corlett family's commitment to customer service and value for money.