John Gell (Manx language activist)
John Gell (1899–1983), also known as Jack Gell or Juan y Geill, was a Manx language activist, teacher, and author who helped revive the Manx language on the Isle of Man in the 20th century. He is best remembered for his book Conversational Manx, a graded course in Manx and English with phonetic pronunciation, first published in 1953.
Born in Liverpool to Manx-speaking parents, Gell grew up speaking English. He spent summers on the Isle of Man and loved the island. He left school at fifteen to become a joiner. He served in the British Army in World War I and was wounded at the Somme in 1918.
During the interwar years he worked in Yorkshire as a woodwork teacher but regularly visited the Isle of Man, learning from the last native Manx speakers and using an old Manx Bible from his grandfather.
In 1944 he moved to Port St Mary on the Isle of Man, teaching woodwork by day and Manx at night at Castle Rushen High School. After Éamon de Valera’s 1947 visit to the island, the Irish Folklore Commission began recording remaining native speakers, and Gell and other Manx speakers started making their own recordings despite limited funds. He even lent £8 to help buy equipment.
His Conversational Manx was serialized in Mona’s Herald in 1953 and published in 1954, becoming a key resource for adult learners and later inspiring a 1960s radio program. Despite his contributions, he faced ongoing challenges from negative attitudes toward Manx and the passing of older speakers. After his wife’s death in 1955, he paused his work for a time.
Interest in Manx grew again in the 1970s, and Gell returned to activity. In 1977 he published bilingual memoirs Cooinaghtyn my Aegid (Reminiscences of my Youth) and Cooinaghtyn Elley (Further Reminiscences) and provided an audio recording to help learners. He died in Port St Mary in 1983.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:38 (CET).