Looking back...
Interesting things that happened in Ryde in the past
Feb 1970 - 50 Years Ago
Welcome to the Ryde Social Heritage Group Website
Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight
RSHG was formed by a small group of friends in 2002 and became a formally constituted group in 2005. RSHG exists to research, document and share information about the history of Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK, including the development of the town, the people, their lives and deaths, businesses and entertainments.
Since 2002 we have been recording information from Ryde Cemetery producing maps and recording inscriptions and we search through archives to find biographical information relating to the people buried there. We are also researching about the people, businesses, development and significant events that happened in Ryde. We collect documents, information and artefacts relating to Ryde and have a growing archive which we make available to the public at Open Days and exhibitions. We produce books and leaflets, hold exhibitions and give guided walks and presentations to help people understand the rich history and the significance of our town.
Next Event
You are invited to come and join us at our April meeting, and enjoy a talk by Richard Smout, Heritage Service Manager, called “A Helping Hand”
Join Us:
Ryde Social Heritage Group (RSHG) formed in 2002 aims to widen the appreciation of local history, help support people to learn about Ryde's past and their own local histories, and record and preserve the local history of Ryde, Isle of Wight.
If you are interested in joining the group you can find membership details on the about us section of this website.
Database of Graves and Names
The Graves Section is by far the largest section of the website: the database currently holds over 23,000 records, from Ryde, Ashey, Binstead, St John’s, St Thomas’ and Holy Cross cemeteries. The website is updated on a regular basis. You can search for an individual by typing the surname into the search box in the top right hand corner of this page or you can go to our Graves search page for more advanced search features. If we have any more information about a person we have attached files to the relevant record. Scroll down to the bottom of any record to see more information and/or photographs.
Cemetery Maps
The website also contains information to help you locate a grave in Ryde Cemeteries. Each record gives a RSHG map number and grid reference. If you go to the map page you can print off a copy of the relevant map or maps. You can also look up the name of a person in the Alphabetical Indexes, the indexes contain all the names that are on the maps whether the Transcribing Group has been able to read them or not. Some graves cannot be read because they are too eroded, have no markers or are too overgrown, so if you can’t find who you are looking for by using our Search features it’s worth checking the indexes. Further details of how to do this can be found on the Map page. The map and index files may take a few minutes to download, depending on the speed of your connection.
History of Ryde and Ryde Cemeteries (IW, UK)
The section on History is sub-divided into the history of the town of Ryde Isle of Wight, and each Church and Cemetery.
Nature
The section on Nature provides details of the flora and fauna found in Ryde Cemetery as this is also part of the heritage of the Cemetery grounds.
Photo Galleries
The Gallery section has photographs on People, Nature, Ryde Town, The Cemetery, and Ryde Social Heritage Group (RSHG) Activities. An enlarged view of all the thumbnail images on this website can be obtained by double clicking on any thumbnail picture.
About Ryde Social Heritage Group
The About Us Section contains details about Ryde Social Heritage Group (RSHG) and lists Committee members, how to join the group and RSHG magazine Beyond the Graves.
More Features:
Each month, the front page has a Featured Stories, and a dated list of News items. The stories on these two pages are archived so that you can always read any you have missed. There is also a photo of the month.
Talk to us
Please let us know what you think of this web site. We value your opinions.