Our History
Established in 1946, Ramsey Crookall is the Isle of Man’s longest-established independent firm of stockbrokers and investment managers.
A Firm Founded in Friendship and Vision
Ramsey Crookall & Co began trading on 3 June 1946 from modest offices at 17 Athol Street in Douglas, Isle of Man. The firm was founded by Ramsey Crookall and his lifelong friend Brian McMeekin, whose shared ambition was to establish a professional stockbroking presence on the Island. Levy Langner & Co acted as the firm’s London agents, providing a vital link to the City at a time when communication and trading were far from instant.
Because Brian McMeekin was the only qualified stockbroker at the start, the business initially traded as McMeekin & Co. Alongside them was John Clague, who managed the accounts and whose family operated the Ramsey Hydro Hotel. As the firm expanded and Ramsey himself earned professional recognition, its identity evolved, becoming Ramsey Crookall & Co in the early 1960s.
The Man Behind the Name
Ramsey Crookall was born in 1902, the son of Arthur B. Crookall, a prominent Isle of Man businessman, politician, and philanthropist active from 1911 to 1935. Educated at King William’s College, Ramsey’s early years were influenced by public service and entrepreneurship.
In 1939, he joined the Royal Air Force and returned to the Island six years later after taking part in three major invasions across North Africa, Scilly, and Italy. His wartime service made a lasting impression, and his medals are still proudly displayed in the company boardroom today, serving as a reminder of resilience, discipline, and duty.
The Early Days of Trading
The firm’s first day of business reflected a quieter, more gentlemanly era of finance. Just four deals were completed, including a purchase of War Stock, a sale of Daily Mirror shares, and a matched bargain in Douglas Holiday Camp preference shares. Trading practices were entirely manual, with orders sent by telegram to London and contract notes calculated painstakingly using long division and multiplication.
Records were handwritten, transfers were stored physically, and calculations relied on mental arithmetic until the early 1960s, when the first manual calculators were introduced. This modest technological leap arrived when Ramsey’s second son, Neal Crookall, returned to the Island after working in London.
A New Generation Steps Forward
Neal Crookall joined the firm in September 1959 at just 19 years old, starting as an office junior. After gaining experience on the floor of the London Stock Exchange, he was elected to the Provincial Brokers Stock Exchange on 1 April 1965. That same year, the firm moved into new offices at Victory House, Prospect Hill, Douglas, marking the beginning of a period of steady growth.
By the early 1970s, the firm had relocated again, this time to 14D Athol Street. Market news arrived via Extel ticker tape, unfurling in long sheets across the reception area, where clients gathered to read announcements in an atmosphere more akin to a bookmaker’s premises than a modern financial office. Electronic calculators, large and cumbersome by today’s standards, were introduced, and staff numbers grew to twelve.
Resilience in Uncertain Times
The firm’s commitment to its clients was tested in the early 1980s during a bomb threat that led to the evacuation of Douglas’s financial centre. While buildings were cleared, traders in Ramsey Crookall’s dealing room remained at their desks, embodying the firm’s enduring ethos that the client always comes first. The threat ultimately proved to be a hoax, but the episode became part of company lore.
David Harding, who joined in 1972, became a partner in 1986, a year of profound change for the industry. The ‘Big Bang’ deregulated financial markets, intensified competition, and transformed stockbroking. Ramsey Crookall chose to remain independent, a decision that preserved its values while embracing new efficiencies, including direct access to market makers and more flexible commission structures.
Opening Markets to the Public
During this transformative period, David Harding oversaw the firm’s involvement in the UK privatisation programme championed by Margaret Thatcher’s government. Ramsey Crookall was selected as one of only a few UK firms authorised to coordinate applications for individual investors, thereby expanding widespread share ownership and widening access to capital markets.
A Granddaughter’s Journey to the Helm
Joanna Crookall, granddaughter of the founder, joined the firm in October 1987. Educated at the Buchan School for Girls and King William’s College, she graduated from Durham University, where she was a member of the highly successful Women’s Boat squad. In 1986, she represented Great Britain at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Hamburg, finishing fourth overall.
Her early career coincided with dramatic events. In just her second week at the firm, she experienced ‘Black Monday’, when global markets crashed and the FTSE 100 lost 25 percent of its value in four days. She later described it as a baptism of fire. Joanna earned her MSI Diploma in 1990, joined the Board in 1991, and was elected a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment in 2010, achieving Chartered Wealth Manager status. That same year, she succeeded her father as CEO.
Growth, Recognition, and Continuity
The firm moved into its current home at Securities House, 38/42 Athol Street, in 1997. Equipped with modern technology, trading now spans London and global markets across the US, Asia, and Australia. Patrick Crookall, another grandson of the founder, joined in 1996 and became Finance Director in 1999, bringing leadership both on and off the field, having excelled in sport at King William’s College.
Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, the leadership team expanded, with Michael Deering, Stuart Cowen, Tom Croft, and Perry Downward progressing from associates to directors. The firm continued to earn industry recognition, including multiple City of London Wealth Management Awards and repeated honours as Regional Wealth Manager of the Year for Northern England from 2019 through 2025.
Loss, Legacy, and the Future
In July 2022, Patrick Crookall passed away unexpectedly, a profound loss felt across the firm. That same year, Simon Crookall, Patrick’s brother, was appointed Financial Director, bringing international banking experience and entrepreneurial success from ventures including Gumtree and Slando.
Leadership transitions have continued thoughtfully into the present day, with Stuart Cowen retiring in 2025, Perry Downward stepping down as a director, and Nicola Morrison assuming key operational responsibilities. Today, Ramsey Crookall stands as a multi-generational, independent firm, rooted in nearly eight decades of history yet firmly focused on the future.
A Tradition of Trust
From telegrams and ticker tape to global electronic trading, from a single room on Athol Street to Securities House, Ramsey Crookall & Co has evolved alongside the financial world it serves. What has never changed is its commitment to clients, independence, and integrity—values established in 1946 that continue to define the firm today.