The Secret 1800s Bank Vault Discovered in the Isle of Man

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  • čas přidán 12. 03. 2017
  • Castletown was home to the inventor and playful genius, George Quayle, whose brilliant security inventions will be known to anyone who has visited the Manx Nautical Museum. But next door in his former home is perhaps his most ingenious invention; a bank vault which was only rediscovered in the 1940s.
    Charles Guard takes us on a tour of the ingenious locking mechanism inside the vault of Quayle Isle of Man of the early 19th Century.
    This video was used for the Manx History App:
    www.manxhistory.com/app/
    Filmed by Culture Vannin.
    Culture Vannin exists to promote and support all aspects of culture in the Isle of Man. We develop innovative, inclusive and exciting projects that promote and support all aspects of Manx culture.
    Website: www.culturevannin.im
    Twitter: / culturevannin
    Facebook: / culturevannin

Komentáře • 421

  • @rogerdodger3278
    @rogerdodger3278 Před 4 lety +24

    What a shame more isn’t being done to preserve such brilliance, referring to his vault mechanism. Clearly an incredible man who was ahead of his time. They called him eccentric, I call him a man who thought for himself, who wasn’t influenced by society into doing what everyone else is doing, a free thinker. I wish I’d known him.

  • @antonyward9060
    @antonyward9060 Před 4 lety +654

    Don't know how I got here, but it's of interest.

  • @joekenorer
    @joekenorer Před 4 lety +78

    Now I have to change my security system, thanks for spreading this everywhere.

  • @praveenb9048
    @praveenb9048 Před 4 lety +232

    George Quayle "raised the bar" for bank security technology.

  • @matt.baller
    @matt.baller Před 4 lety +47

    The whole thing is of course amazing, but regarding the boat: how does something like that get sealed up and forgotten?? History is awesome.

    • @marcuswardle3180
      @marcuswardle3180 Před 4 lety +14

      Matt Haliadex During WWII the prisoners of Colditz built a glider in the roof. To hide it they put up a false end wall behind which the glider sat. They didn’t finish it by the time the war ended and so left it there. The castle was used as a lunatic asylum after WWII. When the iron curtain came down the survivors of the prison camp went back to have a look and found the glider still sitting behind its fake end wall!

  • @banevil2211
    @banevil2211 Před 4 lety +322

    The cannonball actuator with all the ramps and pullies kinda reminds me of 1960s-70s board game called Mouse Trap

    • @Actingskint
      @Actingskint Před 4 lety +7

      Ban Evil my thoughts excactly

    • @mr.m7791
      @mr.m7791 Před 4 lety +6

      I miss that game.

    • @UNPOCOLOCO444
      @UNPOCOLOCO444 Před 4 lety +6

      That game was still around in the 90’s. I remember watching the commercial on 📺 but I never actually played the game.

    • @nonofyourbusiness7631
      @nonofyourbusiness7631 Před 4 lety +2

      I miss that game haha

    • @michaelfedorsha8147
      @michaelfedorsha8147 Před 4 lety +3

      That was the first thing that came to my mind also. 🐁🐁

  • @fogyfos
    @fogyfos Před rokem +3

    I worked in Bridge House many years ago, and the company I worked for gave the Manx Museum (as was) unlimited access to the vault, with the idea of getting it restored, and moving it to either the castle or the boathouse next door. I have never understood why the museum only photographed the mechanism, and left it there ....especially as the company were willing to part-finance the restoration and move. Thanks for showing it to the world, Charles.

    • @davidchurch3472
      @davidchurch3472 Před rokem +1

      Far better to restire in-situ than move it out of context. They need a similar 'eccentric' to get the project going. I would love to have a go - used to create mechanisms like that in school using marbles! Let's get that boat out too while we are at it! - or at least open up a window to the sea.

  • @fireballninja01
    @fireballninja01 Před 4 lety +64

    The camera crew for this has done an amazing job

    • @gormenfreeman499
      @gormenfreeman499 Před 3 lety +1

      lol there was a cameraman waiting in each room as he entered through the door.

  • @chasduran4160
    @chasduran4160 Před 4 lety +98

    Now we know who constructed One-Eye-Willy's cave network in The Goonies.

  • @magnvss
    @magnvss Před 4 lety +586

    Those times when you couldn't trust your bank with your money.... oh wait...

    • @markdunbar8219
      @markdunbar8219 Před 4 lety +11

      😂.......😱

    • @NakedManiac
      @NakedManiac Před 4 lety +8

      Same in sweden...

    • @chalkfarmcarsquadso1664
      @chalkfarmcarsquadso1664 Před 4 lety +2

      Now thats funny👍👍🤣🤣🤣

    • @howardwayne3974
      @howardwayne3974 Před 4 lety +3

      @@chalkfarmcarsquadso1664 back when in the south old farmers didn't trust banks so they would hollow out a gate post in their front yard and put their money down inside it for hard times . they could sit on the front porch and keep an eye on their "bank ".

    • @user-cs3zs6jn1d
      @user-cs3zs6jn1d Před 4 lety +2

      @@howardwayne3974 that's basically what I was going to say. Except it wasn't just a gate post. Anything around the front yard (depending on your chill spit) would do fine

  • @kerryboyce4150
    @kerryboyce4150 Před 4 lety +167

    You can’t come in until you do the truffle shuffle.....

  • @campbellmorrison8540
    @campbellmorrison8540 Před 3 lety +2

    OMG you wouldn't want the mechanism sticking and the ball rolling off into the corner without setting this contraption open. Love it

  • @markorollo.
    @markorollo. Před 3 lety +2

    That replica ships cabin bit, I used to dream my bedroom was like that I would have loved it...

    • @littlemy1773
      @littlemy1773 Před 3 lety +1

      I went on a school trip there as I live on the island. in that cabin room the wood panels in one area can pull out. I can't recall if it leads to smuggling tunnels or not but Castletown does have them under some of the old houses and buildings. There were some under the building my mum used to work in there . only certain people are allowed to go down and check on them now tho cos of health and safety, some areas have collapsed in on themselves

  • @geowynleda4641
    @geowynleda4641 Před 4 lety +3

    I love the Isle of Man and have visited Castletown several times, this is the first time I have heard of this secret bank vault.

  • @seabeckon
    @seabeckon Před 4 lety +25

    He is ahead of his time sort of designed a modern lift system but to serve altogether different purpose here to open a door.it should be certainly restored.

  • @blipblip88
    @blipblip88 Před 4 lety +27

    Very interesting! Wouldn't it be easy though, to obtain an appropriately-sized cannonball to re-create live how the whole thing worked? I would love to witness this! Regardless, thanks for the informative post.

  • @jnetwork7159
    @jnetwork7159 Před 4 lety +16

    Looks like banking was the only thing he failed at. What an engineer & craftsman

  • @pauldean8638
    @pauldean8638 Před 4 lety +13

    The ball set off triggers that released counterweights, the ball didn't weigh enough to rotate the cam to open the door ,the little flap triggers will of pulled pegs to release counterweight, the pulleys are set to move a large wieght using as a little weight by distance of the drop .I would of presume he had a specially weighted ball so noone could use any ball to activate the mechanism, to small it drops through a trap and to big and it won't fit into the desired hole to need to operate the mech

    • @another1commenter770
      @another1commenter770 Před 4 lety +2

      With the complexity I assume it requires 2 or more balls of differing attributes to release the triggers, Maybe iron ball vs lead ball and varying sizes or something.
      I suspect there was a sorting mechanism in the roof that is now missing that connected to the locking hammer, Also I suspect the stringing of the current drive basket is just for show and would have originally been setup to driver the main wheel once successful release of the hammer had occurred.

  • @corvuscrow5485
    @corvuscrow5485 Před 4 lety +29

    "Welcome to my underground LAAAAIIIIIRRRRR."
    That was great.

  • @Linda-9037
    @Linda-9037 Před 4 lety +12

    WOW That's amazing !!! Brilliant !! Thank you so much for taking the time to show this and thank you to the building owner and renters for allowing you access...I found that to be jaw dropping !!! You were so cool to go down it and show it !!

  • @XLseattle
    @XLseattle Před 4 lety +7

    It’s a Rube Goldberg Machine! It looks like they had to break in through the top of the iron door. I hope the mechanism is restored some day.

  • @WApnj
    @WApnj Před 4 lety +70

    Ok. So this mechanism is a preserved ruin? Why not restore it and make it functional? Would be facinating to watch it work.

    • @brentbarnhart5827
      @brentbarnhart5827 Před 4 lety +18

      He said they were not quite sure how it actually worked. I am a system engineer, and I would love to figure it out. I know I could it.

    • @christophertucker4917
      @christophertucker4917 Před 4 lety +5

      @@brentbarnhart5827 enquire about it

    • @Lyle-xc9pg
      @Lyle-xc9pg Před 4 lety +8

      Hell No! You would destroy most of the original

    • @amanduswestin9211
      @amanduswestin9211 Před 4 lety +9

      You could probably try to conserve the original for future research and make a functioning replica.

    • @jon9087
      @jon9087 Před 4 lety +11

      Best way to figure it out would be to photograph all the parts filing how they move and reverse engineer it without dismantling then build a mini working model 😀

  • @toecutter8002
    @toecutter8002 Před 4 lety +8

    Amazing when i was a kid i loved trapped doors and secret passage ways i would love to have these sory of things in my house to protect my treasures

  • @mr.imtoogoodtocallorwritem5196

    From DIY Perks to this, thanks youtube👍🏼👍🏼

  • @alioffski45
    @alioffski45 Před 4 lety +1

    I absolutely love that. I do wonder if everytime he dropped a ball down the pipes he hoped it didn't somehow get stuck !

  • @peachbottomparanormal3587
    @peachbottomparanormal3587 Před 5 lety +13

    neat, love old buildings with hidden nook and crannys..

  • @percivalhowell7516
    @percivalhowell7516 Před 4 lety +5

    Host reminds me a bit of the old Dad on the U.S. show 'Frasier'

  • @teresavogt5977
    @teresavogt5977 Před 4 lety +2

    Certainly a Rube Goldberg predecessor and student of ancient temples that used heated steam to move heavy stone doors.
    I have long collected Isle of Man Cat coins... Certainly this bank was never robbed !! Thank You for a touch of genius on a small Island.

  • @MrDanHatton
    @MrDanHatton Před 4 lety +12

    Incredible history, I would love to see this restored and watch a cannon ball drop drown and lift the bar !

  • @debbieboring3422
    @debbieboring3422 Před 4 lety +17

    So cool. Make me think of the movie National Treasure. Rube Goldberg and Heath Robinson would have loved Mr. Quayle.

    • @rhodesianwojak2095
      @rhodesianwojak2095 Před 4 lety

      isn't it quail?

    • @HannibalFan52
      @HannibalFan52 Před 4 lety

      @@rhodesianwojak2095 No. The spelling of his name is given in the notes above the comments.

  • @RDDPro
    @RDDPro Před 4 lety +1

    Not sure how I got here, but that's quite an interesting tale of one man's quest to create by himself a hidden vault of which only he could open.
    Seeing his cleverness makes me ponder what else exists out there in ancient castles, churches, places of great importance and also most hidden places where no one would ever look. What else is might hide just beneath the surface or behind a false wall?
    Imagination is perhaps our greatest trait as a species... for without it what a dull world it would be indeed.

  • @Fifury161
    @Fifury161 Před 6 lety +62

    I'm assuming it was "re-discovered" by some minor destruction?...

    • @82lostsoul
      @82lostsoul Před 6 lety +30

      Fifury161 I was thinking that myself, then spotted the large gap above the door.

    • @bighands69
      @bighands69 Před 4 lety +6

      The building was probably being worked on.

  • @MrAshura17
    @MrAshura17 Před 6 lety +22

    This is nifty. Love seeing this sort of thing.

    • @reimagine207
      @reimagine207 Před 6 lety +3

      Robert Shannon I love that you said nifty 🤪🤙🏻

  • @colinbateman8233
    @colinbateman8233 Před 2 lety +4

    I’m curious to know if anyone has built a model of the locking system it’s fascinating

  • @Hurricaneintheroom
    @Hurricaneintheroom Před 4 lety +7

    Wow! Robbers would long get caught when trying to rob that vault. It could take a ton of time to go through all that. LOL

  • @sanddabz5635
    @sanddabz5635 Před 4 lety +4

    Now that is inventive engineering!! Would be awesome to see how it works and it in action.

  • @Sorme1001
    @Sorme1001 Před 4 lety +12

    Simply outstanding, what an amazing place. I would have never have known about this man without you sharing this. Thanks!

  • @ParkerDD
    @ParkerDD Před 4 lety +63

    That moment when a rope breaks, and you can’t get into your own vault 😭😭

    • @Bart-Did-it
      @Bart-Did-it Před 4 lety +1

      Parker through the wall easy if you know the vault is there bk then

    • @shadowjack8
      @shadowjack8 Před 4 lety

      Or out.

    • @eirin099
      @eirin099 Před 4 lety +1

      Thank god i can axe myself through this iron door or thick stone walls

    • @Ritzi66
      @Ritzi66 Před 4 lety

      Or out

  • @ariaseebold1485
    @ariaseebold1485 Před 3 lety +1

    This video has more than ten times more views than that of the population of the Isle of Man

  • @MyRonnierocket
    @MyRonnierocket Před 4 lety +9

    Fantastic,I would love to find something like that.

  • @fritzwilhelm8258
    @fritzwilhelm8258 Před 4 lety

    This guy's rightfully in awe of the man he's talking about. He was the right man for the job.

  • @anthonycamaratta7709
    @anthonycamaratta7709 Před 2 lety +3

    Absolutely beautiful work on the house and even the vault.

  • @eddvcr598
    @eddvcr598 Před 4 lety +14

    How extraordinarily! It’s as if a cartoon character lived there.
    Imagine if he met Rube Goldberg in the afterlife, and what fun they’d have building all sort of zany machines together!

    • @kirksway1
      @kirksway1 Před 4 lety +2

      Rube Goldberg is the first thing that came to my mind as well.

  • @Covid-2030
    @Covid-2030 Před 4 lety +27

    the cleaners surely hate that guy, every door he has to leave all his fingerprint on.

    • @bigredc222
      @bigredc222 Před 4 lety +3

      I noticed he used two hands to open every door, but as long as his hands are clean, he won't leave any marks, it's not a polished piece of furniture, it's a door.

    • @richieaura
      @richieaura Před 4 lety

      @@bigredc222 Even the cleanest of hands leave greasy marks behind which are a pain to have to clean,I know,I am a cleaner!

    • @Heligany
      @Heligany Před 4 lety

      Yes I thought that very odd way to go through doors

  • @anteeker
    @anteeker Před 4 lety +4

    The cannon ball rolling in and going through the whole thing to lift the bar sounds like something Wylie E Coyote would come up with to catch the Roadrunner. Of course the ball would end up landing on his foot!

  • @josieflores3843
    @josieflores3843 Před 4 lety +18

    The contraption reminds me of the game mouse trap. This was pretty cool!!

    • @markgigiel2722
      @markgigiel2722 Před 4 lety +1

      You too! I'm old enough to remember the commercial.

    • @Carol-D.1324
      @Carol-D.1324 Před 4 lety

      Josie Flores
      IKR! I thought that same thing!

    • @HannibalFan52
      @HannibalFan52 Před 4 lety

      @@markgigiel2722 I had that game. It was a lot of fun!

    • @olddoggeleventy2718
      @olddoggeleventy2718 Před 4 lety +1

      Yes, you're right. Mouse trap was inspired by some of the ideas of a cartoonist named Rube Goldberg (Google it you'll be pleasantly surprised and amused ). That's what this reminds me of, very clever and humorous at the same time.

  • @robot7759
    @robot7759 Před 4 lety +1

    Sir, why do you carry a cannonball in your pocket?
    It's the key to my secret vault.
    Eccentric. 😸

  • @markshaggy7914
    @markshaggy7914 Před 4 lety +2

    That’s so cool. Incredible genius.

  • @gren509
    @gren509 Před rokem

    Whoever did the lighting was a genius, not a dark patch or shadow to be seen !

  • @Chimonger1
    @Chimonger1 Před 4 lety +6

    The guy was surely related to the infamous “Rube Goldberg” and his amazing gadgets!

  • @mearlbrown316
    @mearlbrown316 Před 4 lety

    This is the best thing I’ve ever seen

  • @concernedcitizen5885
    @concernedcitizen5885 Před 4 lety +1

    I had the pleasure of working with a ship builder company from the Isle of Man years ago in Galveston Texas.

  • @johncampbell829
    @johncampbell829 Před 4 lety

    Now THATS highly compelling.

  • @CreoTan
    @CreoTan Před 3 lety

    The fact that this is basically a random closet in an office building

  • @TheAcademicHorse
    @TheAcademicHorse Před 4 lety +2

    Really helpful tutorial! This is gonna look great in my Minecraft world

  • @MirekHeikkila
    @MirekHeikkila Před 6 lety +11

    It if breaks down eventually you'll be screwed lol. So interesting tho!!

    • @AdstarAPAD
      @AdstarAPAD Před 6 lety +5

      Not really.. If the door will not open then you would have to go outside and start to blast a hole through the walls.. The main security if these places is that they where secret and people did not know they existed..

    • @shiddy.
      @shiddy. Před 4 lety +2

      this is the kind of guy who probably had another, more secret way to enter the vault as well as this way - I bet there's still undiscovered machinery in that building and vault

  • @conanthedestroyer7123

    This vault mechanism should be restored. You can tell this man did not trust anyone... and I do not blame him.

  • @johnpublic4937
    @johnpublic4937 Před 4 lety +4

    Those banknotes probably had value as a collectable even though the presenter made it sound like they were of no consequence.

  • @thatsnotmyname1
    @thatsnotmyname1 Před 4 lety

    No clue how I got here... but now I want more!

  • @fuzzjunky
    @fuzzjunky Před 4 lety +1

    it would have been nice to see the other end of the vault, even if it was empty, to see it's depth

  • @olddoggeleventy2718
    @olddoggeleventy2718 Před 4 lety +2

    I wonder if he could have figured out the mess of discouraging foils and traps at Oak Island?...LOL

  • @johnfaragher3959
    @johnfaragher3959 Před 6 lety +9

    kerplunk forerunner

  • @allenroach7503
    @allenroach7503 Před 4 lety +9

    But why at the one level to the vault was there a wood panel with exterior building day light showing through the wall?

    • @ardentdrops
      @ardentdrops Před 4 lety +3

      It was probably carved out many years later.

    • @prasanth295
      @prasanth295 Před 4 lety

      So that the person inside could breathe

  • @getin3949
    @getin3949 Před 4 lety +7

    George must have known Rube G. ha, ha, just joshin'

  • @risasb
    @risasb Před 4 lety +2

    That mechanism is like something out of Pratchett.

  • @steeltree-fabricatingandcu3796

    I’m going to build this as the entrance to my man cave

    • @sedsworld1672
      @sedsworld1672 Před 4 lety

      Steeltree - homesteading with a twist Your wife will love that. 😂

  • @wampachomp5120
    @wampachomp5120 Před 4 lety +2

    0:25 looks like he is chained to the boat lol

  • @601salsa
    @601salsa Před 4 lety

    That is pretty awesome.

  • @sedsworld1672
    @sedsworld1672 Před 4 lety +16

    Sir, this was absolutely fascinating. Your lovely presentation and charming personality, was matched well with this superior design. Thank you for sharing. ♥️🇺🇸💙

  • @ziokantante
    @ziokantante Před 4 lety +2

    and i imagine the ball had to be the exact right weight, and he would sleep at night with it under his pillow

  • @wampachomp5120
    @wampachomp5120 Před 4 lety

    If i found one of these secret rooms i'd be ecstatic lol

  • @RedneckHillbilly-ho9md
    @RedneckHillbilly-ho9md Před 4 lety +6

    Awesome! We are gonna need cool things like this again here in the future the way this world is going.

  • @markosmith8037
    @markosmith8037 Před rokem +1

    the mechanism at 6:16 looks like something from the Crystal Maze from the 1990's 🤪

  • @sft4081
    @sft4081 Před 4 lety

    I’m to claustrophobic for this....I can’t breath watching this

  • @redbird9658
    @redbird9658 Před 4 lety +1

    Im shocked nobody has restored it.

  • @DoomWalker42
    @DoomWalker42 Před rokem +1

    I wonder if there are many more secret compartments in that house that we don't know about? What if that Vault was merely a decoy?

  • @HappyQuailsLC
    @HappyQuailsLC Před 2 lety

    The iron ball passing into the room below would act as a kind of alarm

  • @PlanetImo
    @PlanetImo Před rokem

    OMGosh that's astonishing!

  • @propjam2
    @propjam2 Před 6 lety +7

    Man that is straight up Goonies

  • @Ti5GR
    @Ti5GR Před 2 lety

    Amazing! Clearly the chap didn't want to get raided while afk!

  • @trampslikeus3575
    @trampslikeus3575 Před 4 lety +1

    How would you re-set the locking bar?

  • @colinbateman8233
    @colinbateman8233 Před 4 lety +2

    Fascinating

  • @johnjohn-cs9eu
    @johnjohn-cs9eu Před 4 lety +1

    *"Doh! I put the vault near the boat shed: some clever heister could nick ma gold and sail away with the fortune. 😰 **_Best build a wall then._** Drat."*

  • @Sea-cucumber1151
    @Sea-cucumber1151 Před rokem

    Like the drop the marble down mechanism.

  • @jucadvgv3449
    @jucadvgv3449 Před 4 lety +5

    looks like something from the game 'mousetrap'

  • @rogerscottcathey
    @rogerscottcathey Před 4 lety +1

    what a fascinating fella.

  • @blakemiller7685
    @blakemiller7685 Před 4 lety

    I hope they preserve it

  • @reason5591
    @reason5591 Před 4 lety

    Nothing less than fascinating! What a find!

  • @AnecdotalPoet
    @AnecdotalPoet Před 4 lety

    My mans is pure genius!

  • @timwright1563
    @timwright1563 Před 4 lety +1

    Thank you

  • @Chr.U.Cas1622
    @Chr.U.Cas1622 Před 6 lety +12

    Fantastic. An ingenious inventor. Also able to do excellent craftsmanship!

  • @Z_1917
    @Z_1917 Před 4 lety +4

    Brilliant piece of 200 year old engineering by a brilliant banker! Who says you need to be an engineer when your brain can figure it out just like that of an engineer! Whoops ... respect to all engineers, who are not bankers! 🤗

    • @eliphantvideo
      @eliphantvideo Před 4 lety

      Sounds like he was an engineer/inventor before a banker. So I guess engineers make good bankers.

    • @truthseeking6611
      @truthseeking6611 Před 4 lety

      @@eliphantvideo Except his bank failed.

  • @michelleevans5531
    @michelleevans5531 Před 2 lety

    This was fascinating. I always wondered why we barely hear or read anything about Isle of Man. Thank you! It's sad that not many give it any attention at all like they do about the other British countries. I always wondered about that.

  • @shiddy.
    @shiddy. Před 4 lety +1

    very good - greetings from Minnesota, US

  • @amanduswestin9211
    @amanduswestin9211 Před 4 lety +3

    What if someone were to jam the tubes with something irregegular? It would be almost impossible to open...

  • @markdunbar8219
    @markdunbar8219 Před 4 lety +14

    Wonder if he took his money with him 🤔

  • @doltbezoar
    @doltbezoar Před 5 lety +5

    Wonderful! Love anything IOM.

  • @louiscypher7090
    @louiscypher7090 Před 4 lety

    I love stuff like this.

  • @HDVisionsMedia
    @HDVisionsMedia Před 4 lety +1

    Its 1:30am, time for weird videos

  • @Tazz7859
    @Tazz7859 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow, remarkable