Garff () is one of the six sheadings of the Isle of Man.
It is located on the east of the island (part of the traditional South Side division) and consists of the two historic parishes of Lonan and Maughold. Before 1796 it also included the parish of Onchan.
Administratively, since May 2016 the sheading of Garff has been covered by a single Garff local authority, a parish district, formed by merging the former village district of Laxey with the parish districts of Lonan and Maughold.
The town of Ramsey, which is administered separately, covers areas of two historic parishes (Maughold, and Lezayre in the sheading of Ayre). It is treated as part of Garff for some purposes, e.g. the coroner.
Other settlements in the sheading include Baldrine and Ballabeg (both in the parish of Lonan), and Ballure in the parish of Maughold.
Etymology
The origin of the name is uncertain. Kneen (1925) suggests that it derives from the Norse gröf (N.B. not grðf, which is a typo there), meaning a pit or ravine (cognate with "grave").
MHKs and elections Garff is also a House of Keys constituency (excluding (most of) Onchan). It was originally a three-seat constituency, but this was reduced to two seats in 1893 and one seat in 1986. Until 2016 it was heavily under-represented by having only a single MHK. However in the 2016 general election it elected 2 MHKs (the new constituency also includes the (sparsely populated) parish of Onchan, i.e. excluding the village of Onchan). Year Election Turnout Candidates 1867General ElectionNo information available1875General Election1881General ElectionJohn Allen Mylrea elected, no other information available1886General Election1891General Election1896General Election1900By-ElectionDue to the resignation of J. A. Mylrea, no other information available1903General ElectionJohn Robert Kerruish, elected unopposed John Killip, elected unopposedBy-election called following the resignation of John Killip1908By-ElectionRobert Kerruish, elected unopposedNo information available on unsuccessful candidates from 1908-19851908General ElectionJohn Robert Kerruish, 468 votes, elected Robert Kerruish, 407 votes, elected1913General ElectionNo information available1919General ElectionNo information available1924General ElectionThomas Callow, elected Walter Cowin, elected1929General ElectionThomas Callow, elected Walter Cowin, elected1934General ElectionThomas Callow, elected Walter Cowin, elected1946General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected1951General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected Annie Bridson, elected1956General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected1962General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected Eric Moore, elected1966General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected Jean Thornton-Duesbery, elected1971General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected Jean Thornton-Duesbery, elected1976General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected Lieutenant Colonel Dr Edgar Mann, elected1981General ElectionSir Charles Kerruish, elected Lt Col Dr Edgar Mann, electedBy-election called following the elevation of Edgar Mann to the Legislative Council1985By-ElectionJames Harris Kneale BA, electedGarff loses the District of Onchan and becomes a single seat constituency1986General Election79%Sir Charles Kerruish (1113 votes, elected) Lt Col Dr Edgar Mann (889 votes)By-election called following the election of Sir Charles Kerruish asPresident of Tynwald and thus his elevation to the Legislative Council1990By-Election59.6%Lt Col Dr Edgar Mann (648 votes, elected) James McKenzie (293 votes) D Corlett (252 votes) D Robertson (198 votes)1991General Election64%Lt Col Dr Edgar Mann (899 votes, elected) James McKenzie (444 votes) Harry Wade (376 votes)By-election called following the re-elevation of Edgar Mann to the Legislative Council1995By Election61.7%Steve Rodan (562 votes, elected) Faragher (462 votes) James McKenzie (319 votes) Andrew Smith (228 votes) Sharpe (71 votes)1996General Election64.5%Steve Rodan (1257 votes, elected) James McKenzie (473 votes) Kenneth Morkille (52 votes)2001General Election63.7%Steve Rodan (1176 votes, elected) Marianne Kerruish (809 votes)2006General ElectionSteve Rodan (1400 votes, elected) Nigel Dobson (524 votes)2011General Election Steve Rodan (1725 votes, elected) Nigel Dobson (136 votes)Garff becomes a two-seat constituency
Election results since 2016 In 2014, Tynwald approved recommendations from the Boundary Review Commission which saw the reform of the Island's electoral boundaries.
See also Local government in the Isle of Man Laxey Bay Ramsey Bay
Notes
References
External links Constituency maps and general election results