Features & Stories
The young people of 3rd Ryde Girls Brigade and Year 6 at Greenmount Primary School have been sharing our research on Ryde men who lost their lives at Jutland and the Somme. They have made two Books of Remembrance with very thoughtful comments.
If you ask people about Royal visitors to Ryde in the past the first person they are likely to think of is Queen Victoria. When resident at Osborne, Queen Victoria was a frequent visitor to Ryde, arriving at the Pier, driving through in her carriage, calling on aristocratic neighbours, attending events, even doing a spot of shopping.
At this time of year many of us enjoy the fruits of our labours in the garden but in Britain, during the Second World War, gardening took on a whole new meaning with "digging for victory".
This year marks the centenary of the Battle of Jutland which took place between May 31st and June 1st 1916.
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle fought by the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, against the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer during the First World War.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the launch of the official service of BBC television from Alexandra Palace in London. The Isle of Wight Times gave a report on how things were progressing in April 1937.
Should cinemas be open on a Sunday or would that be aiding the devil in his work?
This was a proud heading in the Isle of Wight County Press of January 1894. Ryde certainly hosted a wide range of entertainments to occupy those long winter nights.
Ryde has always enjoyed festivities during the Christmas season. The local papers reported on the many parties, balls and feasts which took place.
On 8 May 1945, the Allies accepted Germany’s surrender and VE Day (Victory in Europe) celebrating the end of the Second World War, was declared on that day.
Fun, Facts & Fancies was a regular light-hearted column in the Isle of Wight Observer a century ago.