December 1870
Hampshire Telegraph: (agent at Ryde – Mr. THURLOW)
Dec 3rd 1870: WESLEYAN CIRCUIT – The annual tea meeting in connection with the Ryde circuit of Wesleyan Methodists took place in the smaller room at the Town-hall on Monday evening. It was followed by a public meeting, which was largely attended. Mr. Councillor BEVANS, senior circuit steward, was called to the chair.
Dec 3rd 1870: VOLUNTEER CORPS – The annual presentation of the prizes won by the members of our local volunteer corps, the 1st Isle of Wight, took place in the large room at the Town-hall, on Tuesday evening. The room was profusely ornamented with flags and banners, by stars formed of bayonets and ramrods, by stands of arms, and by other decorations of a military nature, the work of Sergeant-Instructor YEATES and Private MUNDELL; and the prizes, a glittering and tempting display, were exhibited on a table in the centre of the platform.
Dec 10th 1870: PETTY SESSIONS – Frank HARVEY was brought up on a charge of being drunk and disorderly at the Oak Tavern, defendant was fined 5s. and costs, or 7 days’ imprisonment; Alexander STEPHENS, cab proprietor, Ryde, was charged with allowing his horse to stray, at St. John’s and Oakfield on Sunday 27th ult. The Bench inflicted a penalty of 1s., and costs, 7s.6d.
Dec 14th 1870: BOROUGH POLICE COURT – the licenses of the Grapes Inn, High-street, and of the Partlands Hotel, Partlands Avenue, were transferred from George AUSTIN to Edwin COOPER, and the latter from Charles PURKINS to Ernest HUGHES. The license of the Nelson Hotel, Bellevue-road, was transferred by endorsement from James MILTON to John RAYNER.
Dec 14th 1870: MEMORY – Mr. STOKES, teacher of memory at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London, delivered a lecture on “Acquired Memory,” at the Town-hall Ryde, under the auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association on Friday evening.
Dec 17th 1870: STATISTICS – The duty of furnishing the statistics required by the Education Department has been referred by the town council to the watch committee, who are about making a census of the number of children in the borough.
Dec 17th 1870: CEMETERY – A conversation took place of the Town Council on the condition of the cemetery, and it was stated that it was rapidly filling, that instead of lasting thirty years, as was expected, it would not last fifteen, and that persons generally took more space than they required, in some cases on speculation. The necessity of providing a new cemetery was also mooted.
Dec 24th 1870: ROYAL ISLE OF WIGHT INFIRMARY – a special general meeting of the governors of this institution confirmed the resolution passed at the last meeting, for the exclusion of cases of scarlatina from the wards of the building. Mr. BARROW moved an amendment affirming the desirability of taking steps at once to erect fever wards. The amendment was agreed to unanimously.
Dec 24th 1870: AMATEUR MUSICAL SOCIETY – On Tuesday evening the members of this society gave their thirteenth concert; their first for this season, at the Victoria Rooms, Lind-street, Ryde. Their number has, since their last appearance in public, been increased from forty to sixty, as great a number as their platform will accommodate. The attendance was far from being as numerous as is generally the case, owing to the bereavements from which so many of our leading townsmen are suffering.
Dec 31st 1870: ODDFELLOWS’ BALL – On Wednesday evening last the members of the East Medina Lodge of Oddfellows (Manchester Unity) and their friends assembled at the Town Hall to enjoy their annual ball. There was a large attendance, and all went “merrily as a marriage bell.” SMALLEY’s band was located in the orchestra.