Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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December 1975

Isle of Wight County Press:

Dec 6th 1975:  SQUASH COURT – Members of Medina Borough Council Amenities Committee have decided not to proceed with a plan for a squash court at Puckpool Park, Ryde.  Mr. CAMPBELL, amenities officer, said a London firm had told him that prices for a court started at £7,000.  Members felt this was too expensive in the current economic climate.

Dec 6th 1975:  FAMOUS CHINA NOT ON SHOW – Store cupboards made it impossible for the public to view the valuable BRIGSTOCKE collection of china, property of Medina Borough Council. Mr. R. BOURN told the meeting at Ryde Town Hall that the collection should be easily seen by the public.  We have a collection with a great deal of beauty and a great deal of value, and it should be shown.” The collection was bequeathed by Mr. G. R. BRIGSTOCKE and has for many years been placed in the old committee room at the Town Hall.

Dec 6th 1975:  CHILDREN’S CHOICE – Children at Binstead Primary school had the opportunity to pick the sort of books they wanted to read on Friday week.   They chose paper-back and hard-back books to be included in the modern school’s new library.  They made their choice from over 300 children’s books from Messrs. COLLINS, booksellers in Cross Street, Ryde, which were laid out in the school hall.

Dec 6th 1975:  BEST IN THE COUNTRY – Ryde Lifeguard Corps was one of the best organised and equipped in the country and other units looked to it for a lead, the annual meeting was told.  Mr. Ian JEFFERIES, captain, said that the standard of membership was so high that 47 life-saving awards including advanced qualifications and 150 distance swimming awards had been made to corps members and pupils. He reported that during the summer 40 people had been helped in 24 incidents.

Dec 13th 1975:  LOCAL CHARITIES SUFFER – Ryde Rotary Club are considering whether to move their fund-raising wishing well to a new site, after thefts during the summer reduced takings by an estimated £60.  It was possible that a second well would be provided on a site near the Hotel Victoria, and the original one left near the Esplanade Pavilion, Ryde.  Mr. W. H. STYAN, vice-president, hoped that the well near the Hotel Victoria would be easier to supervise and the stealing would stop.

Dec 13th 1975:  TREES PLANTED – Two flowering almond trees were planted at Holy Trinity Church, Ryde, on Saturday to commemorate Miss Ethel BESSANT, who was in charge of the 5th Ryde (Holy Trinity Church) Brownie Pack for 24 years.  A tree was planted on either side of the main entrance to the church and this week brownies from the combined 5th and 6th   packs planted more than 50 crocus bulbs near them.  Money for the project was raised through public subscription.

Dec 13th 1975:  IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED – Speaker at the IW Writers’ Circle December meeting was Mr. Raymond ALLEN, scriptwriter for the successful television serial, “Some Mothers do “ave ‘em,” who explained how he created Frank SPENCER, the character played by Michael CRAWFORD.  Mr. ALLEN’s writing career started at the age of 16 but it took him 14 years to achieve success.  His original intention was to become a poet and when he failed at that, he took to writing short stories.  He decided his real hope for success was television and concentrated his efforts mainly on serious drama.

Dec 13th 1975:  NOT NECESSARY – The employment of a road sweeper on Ryde Esplanade mornings during the winter is not necessary, said Mr. J. A. ALLEN at a meeting of Medina Borough Council’s Public Works Committee.  Such a thing was necessary during the summer, but doubted if at this time of the year it was worth paying a man double time rate every Sunday.

Dec 27th 1975:  SKIPPER POUNDS THE MIGHTY ORGAN – The Ryde seafront home of Captain Geoffrey GULSON throbs to the sound of music, it vibrates through Captain GULSON’S Home — Biskra, St. Thomas’s Street, Ryde — from a mighty cinema organ, which once delighted patrons of the Astoria in London’s Old Kent Road. When he is not on duty as a Trinity House pilot he spends hours working on it.  Parts for the Compton organ and equipment came from towns throughout the country.