June 1975
Isle of Wight County Press:
June 7th 1975: VISIT OF THE QUEEN MOTHER – The royal yacht Britannia arrived off the Island about 9am and proceeded into Sandown Bay, where the Queen Mother was brought to the seaboard end of the pier by the royal barge and was greeted by the Governor of the Island, Earl Mountbatten A royal guard was mounted by cadets of the Training Ship Royal George, Ryde Sea Cadet Corps, who, for the second successive year, hold the southern area guard drill championship. They were under the command of Lieut. B. E. WILKINSON, RNR. After inspecting the guard, the Queen Mother went along the pier, lined by contingents from young people’s organisations.
June 7th 1975: GIRLS TAKE TOP MARKS – Last year’s runners-up in both the junior and senior sections of the Ryde Area Youth Quiz won this year’s finals at Ryde Youth Centre. The 1st Binstead Girl Guide’s “A” team beat the 8th Ryde Girl Guide’s 16-13 in the junior section final. Teams had competed in winter preliminaries to reach the finals. There were only five entries in the 16-20 age group, but in the 13-14 section 24 teams took part.
June 7th 1975: SEASCAPE THEME – Numerous seascapes dominated an exhibition by Binstead artist Norman Scott, which opened on Tuesday at the Ryde Public Library Art Gallery. Mr. SCOTT, who described himself as “an untrained artist who paints for pleasure,” is fascinated by the colours and movement of the sea and the craft that use it. From a seafaring family, Mr. SCOTT is a member of the St. Lawrence Art Society, he lives in Newnham Lane, Binstead. His 75 paintings at the exhibition were all done over the last year.
June 7th 1975: RECEPTION – Earl Mountbatten was guest of honour at a reception given by the Island branch of the Royal Marines’ Association at the Prince Consort, Ryde. The Governor is Hon. Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines.
June 7th 1975: NEW TRICK MISFIRED – An experiment with a new trick went wrong for Ryde magician Christopher COX when a 38 revolver went off in his hands. Mr. COX known throughout the Island by his stage name of Incredible Christopher, was taken to the Royal IW County Hospital, Ryde, after the accident on Saturday night. He was treated for two broken fingers, multiple abrasions, powder burns and shock. Mr. COX of Pellhurst Road, Ryde, said the accident occurred in his living room as he was rehearsing the trick.
June 14th 1975: WALK FOR CHARITY – Parents, children and friends of Mayfield CE Middle School, Ryde, took part in a sponsored walk on Sunday which was expected to raise over £80 for the charity the IW Society for Mentally Handicapped Children. Nearly 50 people, including 39 schoolchildren, took part in the 12-mile walk. Walkers started from Ryde, and went through Seaview, St. Helens, Bembridge, Brading, Nunwell and Smallbrook, before finishing back at Ryde. Walkers stopped at Bembridge Windmill for a rest.
June 14th 1975: MADE A CENTURY AGO – Ryde St. John’s branch of the Mothers’ Union raised £5.30 in aid of the diocesan caravan at Hayling Island for holidays for the under-privileged by a “by-gone’s” exhibition at the church hall. Outstanding among many interesting exhibits brought by members and friends was a patchwork bedspread made from silk ballroom dresses well over a century ago. In excellent condition it was owned by Miss K. WHITTAKER.
June 14th 1975: OUSTED CUCKOO – It could be the case of the cuckoo who met his Waterloo—ousted by beak and claws of a host fledgling with muscles. Whatever the explanation, the fact remains that when eight-year-old Richard MORTIMER, a pupil of Ryde School, was walking home along tree-lined Spencer Road, he saw a young cuckoo, helpless in the middle of the road. Richard made a friend of the young bird. During the daytime the cuckoo has the freedom of the garden, and is fed every two hours with bread and milk and worms, a diet on which it is thriving. At night it is kept in a rabbit hutch to protect it from prowling cats,