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Pictured above the new entrance and note the ramp for wheelchair
access. Pictured below is the extension from a different
perspective. Scroll down for more pictures from the opening
day.
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Sunday
September 20th 2009
Opening of the Cannell Foyer & Entrance |
This
splendid extension to the Centenary Centre was funded from a donation from
the late Cyril Cannell and is dedicated to the memory of his family.
Cyril Cannell was a long-time resident of Peel
and a highly regarded businessman, engineer, and inventor. For many years
his family ran the Douglas Head ferries. At the outbreak of World War 2
Cyril Cannell joined the Royal Air Force as an airframe fitter and served on
HMS Ark Royal but soon retrained as a pilot. He served in the
Malta
campaign where he flew hurricane fighters with great distinction.
In
1950 the Cannell family bought the former Neakle and Waiter-son boat
building yard on the river
Neb
through their company.
Douglas
Head Ferries Limited, and in 1962 the ownership of the yard was transferred
to Cyril Cannell who established Peel Engineering Limited
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It
was this company that re-established boat building at
the yard and pioneered the use of fibre-glass for boat and
car construction, as well as for motorcycle fairings and
streetlights. Mr.
Cannell was best known for his development of the Peel
car (the P50) in the early 1960s, although he built his
first small car in 1955, and a fibre
glass body for a prototype mini for BMC. Mr. Cannell’s
brilliant mind moved on to other inventions including a
highly efficient steam boiler, and latterly a mono-rail
system.
Although Mr. Cannell was a very private man he recognised
the community effort that had brought about the
Centenary Centre, and wished to support it.
The directors and friends of the Centenary Centre are
all very proud to dedicate this room to the Cannell
family. |
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The directors of the Centenary Centre at the
fully licensed bar in the new extension.
If you click on this picture, you can listen to Keith hewson's
opening speech. |
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The Athol room has also
had a make-over and now provides a gallery for local artists to
display and offer for sale, their art work.
Below area few examples |
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Pictured left is the commemorative
plaque in the new extension.
A look back at the way things were in the beginning
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