Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
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July 1966

Isle of Wight Times:-

July 7th 1966:  VIEWPOINT – It is pleasing that not only the structure of what was formerly the ”Scala Cinema,” now the “Plaza,” has undergone a change.  I refer to the trouble this cinema used to have with both resident and mental deficient’s who took a delight in making as big a nuisance of themselves as possible during performances.  You know the sort of thing—shouted banalities, feet up on the backs of seats and general rowdiness.  Known yobbos have been barred altogether.

July 7th 1966:  WATCH-OUT – “How do you do ma’am?  I’m a student working my way through college.  Could you spare me a minute or two?”  This is an opening gambit which Island housewives should be on guard against.  The disarming smile and plea to come in for a chat is the first line of a high-pressure sales attack which the more unscrupulous firms are now operating in this area.

July 7th 1966:  OUTING – Forty members of Ryde Youth Club visited Compton Bay for their annual outing on Sunday.  During the afternoon they joined with members from Shorwell Youth Club to enjoy beach games and swimming.  The Ryde Youth Club spent the evening in Shanklin.

July 7th 1966:  NEW CAREER – The famous former Royal Victoria Yacht Club building, began a new career last night—as “The Prince Consort”.  The Mayor of Ryde, Mr. John BROWNSDON, performed the opening ceremony following the completion of the first stage of a £25,000 development to convert the premises into “a luxury pub and private club,” as it has been described.

July 7th 1966:  ANNIVERSARY – Haylands Congregational Church 119th anniversary was celebrated on Thursday.  An evening service was conducted by the Rev. John WILLIAMS.

July 7th 1966:  BIRTHDAY PARTY – Mrs. G. CHEVERTON, the eldest member of Elmfield Congregational Church and Women’s Guild, celebrated her 90th birthday on Friday with a party for 60 guests at the schoolroom.  Mrs. CHEVERTON who lives at 8 Circular Road, was presented with a cake.

July 7th 1966:  MOOSH – Before the Borough Magistrates on Thursday for depositing litter—cellophane— from a packet of cigarettes, in Ryde High Street, defendant on oath, described the officer’s evidence as a pack of lies. “The policeman shouted at me ‘Hey Moosh! ‘You come here!’ I don’t like being called Moosh,” he declared and that he picked up the paper when told to do so.

July 14th 1966:  ESCAPES CRASH – A sports car driver crawled shaken but unhurt from his wrecked vehicle after it overturned on the main road near Ryde Airport on Friday. Mr. BACHELOR had a miraculous escape in his Triumph Spitfire when the sports car mounted the kerb, hit a hedge and spun over, and the front was smashed in. It is understood, he swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle on a bend.

July 14th 1966:  SPEED TRAP – There were three Ryde people caught in a radar speed trap at East Hill Road, Ryde, they were fined by the Borough Magistrates on Thursday, the sum of £10 each.

July 14th 1966:  FLUORIDE – Ryde’s schoolchildren will not, after all, be asked to “suck ‘em and see” to decide the effectiveness or otherwise of fluoridation against dental decay.

July 14th 1966:  ALLOCATION – Local education authorities are to receive lump sum allocations to use as they think necessary in their building preparations for raising the school-leaving age.

July 14th 1966:  SUMMER FETE – St. Michael’s Parish Church held their annual summer fete at the parish hall on Thursday, raising £101 for their church.  The numerous stalls did brisk business, teas were served in the vicarage garden.  In the evening a whist drive was held in the parish hall.

July 14th 1966:  FIREMEN BUSY – A 16ft by 20ft piggery was damaged by fire on Sunday at the rear of “Hazelwood,” Ashey Road, Ryde.  Firemen with two machines tackled the blaze and livestock was saved.  On the same day firemen dealt with a fish frier blaze in a shop at 2 Monkton Street.