Is this a bona fide claim or a scam?

For the past year, David Drew Howe has been claiming via internet discussion boards and his own websites to be 'King' of the Isle of Man.  Although these claims have not met with any official acceptance, some elements of the media on both sides of the Atlantic have recently reported on them.  As a result of Howe's self-promotion, news-print and web-bandwidth have been expended in rehearsing the claims, but to date little emphasis has been put on examining them.

The aim of this site therefore is to look at these claims, and to provide detailed information relevant to assessing their validity.  It is fully cross-referenced to reliable sources and authorities in accordance with normal scholarly and legal standards.  Any material presented here can be verified by following up the references provided.

What's it all about?

Howe claims to be 'King of Man' on the basis of what seems to be a complicated series of arguments.

Summary of claims

(1) He says he is descended from the Stanley family, formerly rulers of the Isle of Man.

We will look at his pedigree in order to determine whether he has proved such a descent (see 'Pedigree' page above).

(2) He says that the senior line of the Stanleys forfeited their rights by abandoning the use of the title ‘King of Man’ and calling themselves ‘Lords of Man’ instead.

We will look at this claim in the light of evidence that they continued to use the title on the Isle of Man for at least 150 years after Howe alleges it was abandoned, and we will consider the nature of the title (see 'The Facts' page above).

(3) He says the rights descend to the true heirs of the Stanleys by virtue of a grant to them in 1405, and that he is one of these heirs.

We will look at the nature of the grants to the Stanleys and the question of heirship (see 'The Facts' and 'Pedigree' pages)

We will look at the methods he has employed to advance his claim (see 'Title Sales' page above). 

(5) He says he can grant titles of nobility.

We will look at the history of Manx titles (see 'The Facts' page above) and Howe's claim to be a 'fount of honour' (see 'Title Sales' page). 

(6) He says the aim of this scheme is to raise funds for charity.

We will look at Howe's historical involvement in similar schemes (see 'Howe Biography' and 'Business Plan' tabs to the left) and his current business arrangements ('Franchises for sale' tab).

We will also look at some of his confessed previous endeavours (see 'History of Scams' tab).

Conclusion

I am happy to state for the record that, from my examination of the evidence, I believe that Howe's claims to be 'King of Man' and to be able to grant 'genuine noble titles' are bogus.  But I don't want you simply to take my belief at face value.  This site aims to present the relevant information to allow you to make up your own mind about the validity of the 'King of Man'.

                Michael Andrews-Reading

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A little about me: I am an accountant with a keen amateur interest in history and genealogy; I have published in all three fields.  I graduated from the University of Sydney, where I subsequently undertook four years of post-graduate law studies before moving to London.  My professional focus for the past twenty years has been on fraud and vice.  I spent several years prosecuting fiscal fraud cases in the Supreme Court of NSW and the Federal Court, and since then have specialised in regulatory issues affecting the international financial markets in the US, the UK and Europe.  I was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1988 and have served as a trustee on a wide range of charities.  I have also had the pleasure of spending time in the Isle of Man, where I first became interested in its history.

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NOTE:

I would like to thank Nat Taylor, Stephen Plowman, Stuart Hulme-Sheffield and Richard Lichten in particular for their comments or for assistance in collating and reviewing the material presented here.  However, all published comments on this website are my own and endorsement of my site by those to whom links are provided or references are made should not be assumed.  

Any material found here is my own work or has been identified from sources available for public viewing in the public domain and duly acknowledged where appropriate.  It is presented solely for the purpose of facilitating public discussion in a matter of public interest. 

I will amend or remove any incorrect material if suitable evidence is proffered.  Any comments, feedback or additional material are welcome.  Alternatively, if you believe that any of your rights may be infringed by the content of this site, please contact me with specific details so that I may consider rectification where appropriate.

Contact: mjcar/at/btinternet.com