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.
  • MENU

March 1974

Isle of Wight County Press:

Mar 2nd 1974:  TOWNSWOMENS GUILD – Over 20 members attended a coffee evening with a difference when a programme of “parlour games” was arranged by Miss J. MANTLE.  This raised £5, and a jumble sale raised £23.  Proceeds from both these efforts are to go towards the birthday party in May.

Mar 2nd 1974:  BUILDINGS – For almost a year pupils of Mayfield C.E. Middle School, Ryde, have been engaged in a comprehensive survey of listed buildings within the Ryde conservation area.  The pupils have been researching into the history of buildings scheduled as of architectural or historic interest.  They noticed how architecture had adapted to modern use, and for the first time in public, Mr. Roy BRINTON, the Ryde historian, acting for the I.W. Society, is liaising with the school and giving valuable advice on the choice of photographs.

Mar 2nd 1974:  SEAWEED MENACE – Japanese seaweed is again threatening the south coast, including the Isle of Wight, according to biologists at Portsmouth Polytechnic Marine Resources Laboratories at Hayling Island, who say that the cold weather and worst storms for decades have failed to check its spread.  It can clog up harbours, smother valuable fishing grounds, and ruin power boating by tangling in propellers.

Mar 2nd 1974:  WITHOUT A BANDMASTER – The up-and-coming 1st Ryde (1st Binstead) Scout Group bandsmen have a problem —they urgently require a bandmaster.  Until recently the band enjoyed the services of Mr. Archie HOLLYWELL, bandmaster of the 1st Newport (Old Guard) band, but the needs of his own band and pressure of work, make it impossible for him to continue to help Binstead.

Mar 9th 1974:  LETTER TO THE EDITOR – Car Registration DL 1. I have received various interest regarding the origin of my late father’s car, number DL 1.  As I remember, the original number was issued when his Humber car was first registered, I am unaware of the date as this was before I was born.  In 1914 he changed the Humber for an Hupmobile open tourer, the number DL 1 being transferred to this car.  He kept the Hupmobile for twelve years and the number went with it, for the princely sum of £10.

Mar 16th 1974:  GAS SWITCHOVER – Island homes will be converted to natural gas from the beginning of next month.  Work in the whole Island should be completed by June 3rd.  Homes will have their gas turned off until natural gas is put through the following afternoon.

Mar 16th 1974:  MAY BE DEMOLISHED – With one dissentient, Ryde Town Council Public Works Committee decided on Monday not to oppose the demolition of the Corner House Café at the junction of Union Street and Ryde Esplanade.  The three-storey building, which is listed as being of special architectural or historic interest, empty for many years, was sold last year.  It was suggested that the new owners would be prepared to re-develop the site in keeping with surrounding properties.

Mar 23rd 1974:  CONCERT – The strings of the DUNFORD Orchestra (led by Flora MULLER and conducted by Stanley HIBBERT) sounded to good advantage at their concert in Ryde Town Hall on Saturday.  The results of the slightly revised grouping of the orchestra with the basses at the back of the platform can have been nothing but benign, for the instrumental balance was excellent with a rich and pleasing tone.

Mar 23rd 1974:  UNWANTED MEDICINE – An All-Island campaign to clean out unwanted medicines from people’s homes was launched on Friday week.  The campaign, “Spring clean your medicine cupboard,” was started at the pharmacy of K.V.I. RICHARDS in Newport.  It is due to run until April 1st.  The drugs will be collected and passed to the police and health department for destruction under careful supervision.

Mar 30th 1974:  QUIT COTTAGE – After seven years of trying to persuade a widow to leave her cottage to make room for extra car parking, Ryde Town Council has agreed to make a compulsory purchase order — only to hear she is thinking of moving anyway.  Mrs. E. K. MORRIS, aged 76, lives at 1 St James’s Cottage, Lind Place, Ryde.  The council have demolished part of the building on one side of Mrs. MORRIS’s home.  The cottage on her other side, St. James’s Lodge, has been boarded up since it was taken over by squatters.