August 1968
Isle of Wight Times:
Aug 8th 1968: PUZZLED – Dear Sir.– I have never known the delights of European travel and must therefore be content to share the experiences of those that have. I am sorely puzzled to read that in some parts of Europe visitors are driven up mountains by fearsome looking “bandits” to see some object of interest. Well, this is really quite all right because they are all driven safely down again, but I would like to know why our visitors may not be driven along the top of the downs by drivers with a touch of the “pirate.”
Aug 8th 1968: NUNS’ PLEA – A petition headed by the entire order of nuns at St. Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, for road improvements near the abbey, has been successful. In the spring, a former member of the Borough Council, Mrs. Margaret CAMERON, organised a petition for improvements at the junction of West Hill Road, East Hill Road and the Strand. She received the full support of the sisters who complained that it was dangerous to cross the road at the foot of East Hill, because of fast moving traffic from one direction.
Aug 8th 1968: POWER FAILURE – Many industries in the Isle of Wight halted at 2.40 p.m. on Monday as the main electrical supply line to the Island failed. Motorists pulled in for petrol at garages found the electrical pumps out of action. They had to join the lengthening queues of waiting vehicles.
Aug 8th 1968: NO HALF MEASURES – Dairies in the Isle of Wight have finished with half measures. In future, there will be no more deliveries of half-pint bottles of milk. Explained one Ryde dairy on Monday: “The cost of manufacturing these small bottles is so expensive that the manufacturers are giving it up.” One of the reasons which have forced this decision is the large number of milk bottles which disappear every week.
Aug 8th 1968: POSTERS – British Rail still persist in smothering their mainland stations with “Hover over to Ryde” posters advertising the non-existent Ryde-Portsmouth HM2 service—which broke down practically as soon as it started in the spring.
Aug 8th 1968: CENTENARY EXHIBITION – Dear Sir,—Being one of, I should think two-thirds of the population of Ryde who are not interested in golf, bowls or angling for my centenary year money, I was pleased with the exhibition of our treasure and old photographs put on in the Town Hall—an excellent display which I thoroughly enjoyed—and to see how attractive Ryde was in the old days, before our so-called progress. Yours faithfully D. E. KEY (Mrs) Upton Road, Ryde.
Aug 8th 1968: CREW OF STEAMER – Dear Sir.—I am trying to find members of the crew who were on board the paddle steamer “Ryde” when she was a flak ship during the Normandy landings. The Hon. John GILBEY will be taking the ship up the Thames to Tower Pier commencing on September 12 for a four-day promotion of Gilbeys Gin and he would very much like to hold a reunion aboard for those who served on her in June 1944. The Admiralty have given us a list of names, but does not include addresses.
Aug 8th 1968: SANK SLOWLY – Equipped with home-made paddles, barge poles tipped with the occasional boxing glove, and anything in general that could be used to repel boarders without injury, Ryde Buccaneers and challengers, took to the water on Monday evening in probably the strangest craft ever.
Aug 15th 1968: PILOT BOAT RESCUE – A Trinity House pilot boat left its mooring at Ryde Pierhead on Tuesday afternoon to rescue a man and woman whose yacht was in difficulties. The alarm was raised by a member of the Vectis Boating and Fishing Club, which has its headquarters on the pier and normally undertakes rescue duties. However, conditions were too rough to launch the club boat, so a message was passed to the pilots.
Aug 15th 1968: FREE TRAVEL – A nationwide campaign is being launched to supply monthly travel warrants to wives who wish to visit their husbands in prison, the “Child Poverty Action Group” announced in London last week.