April 1969
Isle of Wight County Press:
Apr 5th 1969: TRAFFIC DANGERS – If one is to judge by the frequency with which cars proceed in a westerly direction for the full length of both Lind Street and Garfield Road to turn left into West Street against the one-way traffic flow —it would suggest that the relevant traffic signs are grossly inadequate. Can this matter receive the attention of the authorities before a serious head-on collision results.
Apr 5th 1969: PIER TRAVEL – Renewed criticism of the alternative arrangements since British Rail withdrew the Ryde Pier tram service, and an attack on the increased fares to commuters travelling on the railway from St. John’s Road Station to the mainland, were made at a meeting of Ryde Town Council on Tuesday.
Apr 5th 1969: TAXIMETERS & FARES – The council adopted draft bylaws amending current bylaws to make it compulsory for the fitting of taximeters to all licensed hackney carriages in the borough. The committee decided, that in order to meet the public need, there should be 46 licenses for the whole year and six for the summer season only. A recommendation for amendment to the existing tables of fares in order to provide for 3s. up to the first mile and sixpence for each additional quarter of a mile.
Apr 5th 1969: HALFPENNIES – These will not be issued to bank customers from July 1st, a month before they cease to be legal tender on August 1st. The Decimal Currency Board are asking retailers to phase halfpennies out of prices and to bank them in special bags.
Apr 5th 1969: HOVERCRAFT – Two S.R.N.6 Winchester class hovercraft left Ryde for Holland on Friday week, fully equipped for a new role of oil surveying. They have been chartered from Hovertravel by Seismograph Services Ltd., an American company based in Europe, and will carry out two weeks’ trials surveying for oil.
Apr 12th 1969: BUSINESS ANNIVERSARY – The hair fashion show with which Jacks Beauty Shop, Ryde, last week celebrated the 35th anniversary of the enterprise, serves to recall the growth of the business, begun by the principal, Mr. J. H. WYATT, J.P., with a staff of 3, to the present impressive establishment with a staff of 23. When the business opened at 13 High Street, there was accommodation for five clients, as opposed to today when 55 clients can be accommodated with a higher standard of comfort.
Apr 26th 1969: ABBEYFIELD RYDE SOCIETY – The third annual meeting was held at Abbeyfield House, Queen’s Road. During the year the alterations to the society’s house had been completed and the greater part of the furniture and equipment installed. The committee were still finding that further items of household and garden equipment were required to add to the comfort and enjoyment of the tenants.
Apr 26th 1969: AMATEUR WINEMAKERS – At last week’s meeting questions were answered by a panel. A “quickie” wine – grapefruit ready for drinking after a fortnight – made by Mrs. F. CANT, was sampled. The beer, bitter, stout, lager and pale ale made by Mr. D. MARSHALL and Mr. F. MITCHELL were sampled and pronounced excellent.
Apr 26th 1969: RAILWAY PLIGHT OF THE AGED – Now the train was being held back to try and make it the equivalent of the last-minute tram so that everybody made a run for it in order to just catch the boat. When it left there was barely standing room. At the other end cavalcades of people swept the elderly and infirm with them. They took the seats on the boat before the aged and infirm people arrived, breathless and exhausted, thereby allowing a perfectly satisfactory service to be sabotaged by someone in authority, altering a comfortable, leisurely journey to a hell-for-leather rush.
Apr 26th 1969: VECTRAIL PROPOSAL – A further move in the attempted reopening of the Ryde (Smallbrook Junction) to Cowes railway, disused since 1966, was expected yesterday. Sadler-Vectrail, Ltd., the company hoping to operate the line with diesel railcars, was due to meet members of the committee.