March 1972
Isle of Wight County Press:
Mar 4th 1972: SPORTS STADIUM – At a meeting of the Ryde ~Town Council last week the Parks and Entertainments Committee reported having decided that a report should be brought forward as soon as possible on the proposed development at Smallbrook Heath of the athletic and sports stadium.
Mar 4th 1972: RESCUE – P.C. David HUGHES (22), formerly a cadet and constable at Ryde Police Station, dived into the river Itchen at Southampton on Monday and saved the life of a seaman who had fallen overboard from a coal boat. Characteristically modest, P.C. HUGHES said nothing to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. HUGHES, of Wood Street, Ryde. The first they knew of their son’s bravery was when his face appeared on television.
Mar 4th 1972: CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN – Lieut-Commander L. R. HOLLIS advocated a “Clean up Ryde” campaign. He said that people in the town were not as litter-conscious as they should be. He would like to see the council do all they could to influence the whole of the borough in an effort to keep the town clean.
Mar 11th 1972: NOT TO PLAY AGAIN – Ryde Sports striker, Alan WEBB, who was signed from Waterlooville earlier this season, has been advised by his doctor not to play soccer again. WEBB was doing well before his accident and providing much needed punch in the Ryde front line. He severely tore ligaments in his leg while playing for Ryde in the Gosport Sunday league.
Mar 11th 1972: HOVERCRAFT DISASTER – An SRN-6 Hovercraft of Hovertravel, Limited, Ryde, capsized in rough weather off Southsea on Saturday with the loss of five lives. It was the first fatal hovercraft casualty in passenger service in the United Kingdom. There were 22 survivors.
Mar 11th 1972: BUS STOP PLEA – The Ryde Town Roads Committee received a letter from old residents of The Beeches, the council’s flatlet development in Binstead Road, asking for the nearest bus stop, which they stated was a hundred yards along the main road and around a bend, to be brought nearer. Members sympathised with the old people, but in view of pending major traffic changes in the area felt it inopportune to move the stop at the present time.
Mar 18th 1972: ORCHESTRA – The Dunford Orchestra, the Island’s own amateur orchestra, which made a name with a series of concerts for the B.B.C. West Region in the early fifties, has celebrated the 25th anniversary of its foundation and in the words of Charles SHAW, conductor and secretary, rides on the crest of a wave. The orchestra was founded in 1947 by the late Arthur DUNFORD, as an offshoot of the Ryde Philharmonic Society’s orchestra. It was a string orchestra, with 16 members, playing in church halls throughout the Island.
Mar 18th 1972: ROAD SAFETY NEWS – Members of the Professional and Business Men’s Association meeting at Dean House Hotel on Monday, heard the reply from the I.W. Road Safety Committee to their suggestion that not only sidelights but dipped headlights should be used at all times during the hours of darkness. The Accident Prevention Federation is to ask the Government to give consideration to legislation making it an offence to drive a vehicle using only sidelights on the road in the hours of darkness.
Mar 25th 1972: “SILENCE PLEASE” – As a regular user of the British Rail Ferries Ryde to Portsmouth service I should like to express my horror at the installation of a juke box in the cafeteria space of the MV Brading. It is now possible for one person, armed with a 5p piece, to upset and inconvenience not only the 100 or so passengers who can be seated in this area but, indirectly, the remainder of the travellers on board.
Mar 25th 1972: BREAK-IN – The Mayfayre café in High Street, Ryde, was entered during Monday night and cash was stolen, mainly from collecting boxes.