HERITAGE OPEN DAYS 2014 REPORT

Heritage Open Days, 12 – 14 September at St Thomas’ Church, Ryde was a resounding success. Visitors were waiting at the door by opening time, 11am Friday and were still coming in at closing time, 4pm Sunday.

The theme of the exhibition was two-fold; Commemoration of the outbreak of the First World War 1914, and Ryde 50 Years On (50 Years Ago), the 1960s. The contrast was quite stark with the sudden reality of the enormous sacrifice the men of Ryde would give in the first few months of the war, the first casualties already being reported before the end of the first month, and the 1960s showing how the town recovered and thrived embracing the new fads and fashions of the times.

The importance of volunteers during the Great War featured in the displays with the call for men, and even more men, to fight evident in the posters and articles from the local papers. A report from the Isle of Wight County Press 5 September 1914 detailed the “Rousing reception at Ryde” for the Territorials as they set off on what many thought was to be a great adventure. “The whole community responded as one man, and no body of men could have had a better reception than that accorded to the 8th Battalion Hampshire Regiment by Ryde on Thursday.” Not only did the men respond but the women of Ryde answered the call on the home front by setting up sewing and knitting guilds, collecting jam and tobacco to send out to the troops, raising money through concerts and entertainments for the relief funds and joining as nurses at the Red Cross hospitals set up in Ryde. One of our mannequins was dressed to represent Mrs Forsyth who organised many of the collections with her baskets of jam and wool.

On Friday evening we were very pleased to welcome Gareth Sprack who gave an interesting and informative illustrated talk on ‘The IW Rifles in the Great War’. The appreciative audience learnt the history of the IW Rifles and the part they played during the conflict, with lots of photographs, some showing the difficult terrain they covered in Turkey and Egypt. Afterwards Gareth answered questions from the audience.

Each day at 2pm a performance by our ‘First World War Ryde Characters’ focussed on the people of the town who helped the war effort at home, from Mrs Fetherstonhaugh organising and co-ordinating the volunteers to Miss Kleo Friend, commandant of the Ryde Castle Red Cross Hospital, Mrs Eddis and Mrs Le Fleming, vicars wives, and Mr Baxter, honorary special constable.

A collection of books, artefacts and memorabilia relating to the First World War together with models of Ryde Castle as the Red Cross Hospital and Minters butcher shop proved popular with our visitors. Mr Reader, Isle of Wight Postal Museum, kindly lent a period post box and artefacts for the display.

In contrast the 1960s displays featured music and entertainment with some of the big name stars and bands performing in the town alongside local bands and artistes. Did you spot our member David Bushell with his 1960s band on a display sheet? Cars, buses, trains and hovercraft showed how life in Ryde had changed in the 50 years since the war and shopping, weddings, fashion and childhood all featured too. Remember Dinky toys and Meccano?

The 1960s tables had a Woolworth dolls house and garage (with original box), a Woolworth 24 inch doll, Sindy and Tressie dolls among the artefacts together with books, newspapers, magazines and programmes from the era. Several games were on display with visitors invited to play scrabble and complete the circular jigsaw puzzle depicting the 1964 Olympics.

Our research folders and maps were available all weekend and new information and memories were collected ready for our next exhibitions and magazines. The folders are always available Monday to Thursdays at Ryde Cemetery Heritage and Learning Centre where John, sexton, will be pleased to welcome you. John had a display showing some of the restoration work in Ryde Cemetery and information from Bereavement Services. Refreshments were served all weekend by RSHG volunteers.

As part of the First World War Commemorations, a new project to create a ‘field of poppies’ was launched. The idea is for everyone – visitors, schools, youth groups and local organisations – to make a paper poppy and ‘plant’ it in the field, each one representing one of the 500 fallen men from Ryde. A remembrance book has been started and we hope to have 500 poppies made by Remembrance Day. The poppy field has now been moved to Ryde Cemetery and you are all invited to make a poppy at the Learning Centre in the central chapels. The centre is open Monday to Thursday. John will be pleased to help you make a poppy. A special event to commemorate the men from Ryde and complete the poppy field will take place at the cemetery in November. Date and details to follow.

Thanks to all our visitors and volunteers for making Heritage Open Days 2014 an enjoyable and successful event. Our 1960s exhibition has now moved to Ryde Library and is open on the ground floor during normal library hours until 11 October.