November 1967
Isle of Wight Times:
Nov 2nd 1967: BELLEVUE PLAYERS – This is too good a company ever to turn in a really bad performance; even their off-days produce a standard which many amateur groups would be proud. The only trouble with this is, Audiences—and critics—come to expect possibly too much from them.
Nov 2nd 1967: MEMENTOS IN ‘QUEEN MARY’ – Among a display of mementos aboard the ‘Queen Mary’ when she left Southampton on Tuesday on her last voyage was a photograph of two small boys and their winning entry in this year’s Ryde carnival. They in turn have sentimental “swop” photographs of the ship signed by the skipper, Capt. Treasure JONES.
Nov 9th 1967: TOUCH OF SPAIN – Ryde lovers of Latin, friends of the flamenco and connoisseurs of the castanets, have now got their own Spanish grotto. Just opened in the High Street is “El Cordobes” a snackbar-restaurant, catering for all ages. The exterior of grilled windows, and the villa-like arches is just a format. Inside tiny tables and stools squat in a spacious and delightfully designed bar.
Nov 16th 1967: OLD CONTEMPTIBLES – Six Old Contemptibles took their places on the platform to the loudest applause on Friday evening at the first British Legion Festival of Remembrance to be held in Ryde. The World War 1 veterans, the aggregate of whose ages was nearly 500. All are members of the 47-strong I.W. Branch of the Old Contemptibles’ Association.
Nov 16th 1967: MANY A SLIP – Cllr. Mrs Grace BURRIDGE told the Borough Council that there’s many a slip in the committee room, the reason was “the appalling state” of the carpets, which she was surprised to see that the General Purposes Committee were considering repairing. Two of the Town Hall staff have tripped over and it would be flogging a dead horse to try to repair them.
Nov 16th 1967: RELIEF ROAD – Next year should see the start of one of the most important road developments in Ryde’s history. Eventually it will mean the provision of a western relief road linking Binstead with the Western Esplanade. This in turn entails the demolition of a number of corporation-owned terraced Victorian properties in St. Thomas’s Street, and a complete new look for much of the Esplanade.
Nov 16th 1967: PRECINCT – A pedestrian precinct for the High Street is a possibility being explored.
Nov 23rd 1967: CELTIC BEHAVIOUR – An argument about football between friends became more and more heated. It ended with one of them causing considerable damage to a Ryde public house, the New Inn. He was forcibly ejected but then bombarded the building with bricks.
Nov 23rd 1967: AN ACE IN YOUR EAR – Playing cards were produced from people’s ears, and objects floated in the air at the London Hotel, Ryde, on Saturday, but nobody raised an eyebrow. It was, after all, the annual dinner of the I.W. Magicians when, by tradition, the unusual is common-place. Since the group formed in 1961, members have done much work for charity, both as entertainers and money raisers.
Nov 23rd 1967: NEW THEATRE NEEDED – Whilst sharing with all concerned the disappointment at the poor support given to the repertory at the Pavilion, we suggest this is not entirely due to disinterest on the part of the public, but rather through the lack of amenities and general comfort of the place of performance. When the Pavilion was erected at a cost of only a few hundred pounds it was never intended to serve the purpose of a theatre.
Nov 30th 1967: STOLEN – Ryde Police are making enquiries into a break-in at Haylands Sub-Post Office on Saturday night, when raiders made off with 3,800 cigarettes and some tobacco. Thieves entered the premises, which were unoccupied at the time, through a small window. Proprietors are the Misses I. and E. SAUNDERS.