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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September 1961

Isle of Wight Times

Sept 14th 1961: CLICK, CLICK, CLICK – Ryde Council is having to give serious consideration to an unusual question — whether or not to do away with the turnstiles on the ladies lavatories in the town. It has been known for them to stick, trapping the victim at a most inconvenient time.

Sept 14th 1961: DARTS – It was a double victory for the Eagle Tavern “A” team in the Island darts teams championship held at the Town Hall on Friday evening. Their team won the trophy presented by Messrs. Mew Langton & Co. Ltd., and one of their members, A. BLACK, also achieved the highest individual score (140).

Sept 14th 1961: ATHLETICS – A large crowd watched the I.W. Athletic Championships held in conjunction with the carnival at Simeon-street Recreation Ground on Friday evening under floodlight. Members of Ryde Harriers, together with the I.W. Cross-Country Association, Meden A.C. (Newport), Portsmouth Athletic Club and Portsmouth Atlanta A.C. took part in a 16-event programme of men’s, women’s juniors’ and boys track races.

Sept 14th 1961: FLAGPOLE GIFT – Cllr. Lieut-Col. Leonard LEWER has presented the corporation with a 28 ft flagstaff which formerly stood in the garden of his home at Latimer-road, St. Helens; it is one of three flagstaffs ordered by an American firm at the end of the war. The order was later cancelled.

Sept 14th 1961: PRODUCE AUCTION – A Haylands public house, the Lake Huron, became an auction room on Friday evening when an old custom was revived. During the week, regular customers and their wives donated produce to the public house and on Friday there was a “Harvest Festival” sale when all the money was for charity. The public bar was decorated with all types of vegetables which were hanging from the walls and ceiling. Proceeds amounted to £33.6s.8d.

Sept 14th 1961: LIFEGUARDS – The carnival organisers’ decision to include a life-saving competition at Appley Beach on Sunday afternoon proved most successful. Ryde Lifeguard Corps, unbeaten in competitions this year, made the arrangements, and attracted teams from Enfield, Medway, Portsmouth and Southsea, Brighton and Shanklin.

Sept 14th 1961: VANDALS – On Sunday a gang went into the borough of Ryde’s yard in Monkton-street where the Buccaneers leave their galleon and did a lot of damage to the galleon. They tore up the deck, smashed the rails and engine cover, pulled off rigging and cannons and damaged the petrol tank, generally making as much mess and litter as possible with the gear stowed on board.

Sept 21st 1961: B.B.C. POST – Sandra BRIMSCOMBE, of Ryde, a former pupil at Carisbrooke Grammar School, was successful in the General Certificate of Education, University of London. She has since passed a test for a post with the B.B.C. in London where she has been employed for the past fortnight.

Sept 21st 1961: PUBLIC LIBRARIES – A suggestion that older unqualified people be recruited to help out with staffing difficulties in the Island’s public libraries is made in the annual report of the County Librarian, Mr. F. S. GREEN. One solution might be to appoint older part-time unqualified assistants to undertake such routine tasks as book preparation, packing parcels and boxes, binding etc.

Sept 21st 1961: STRIKE HITS SCHOOLS – Every secondary school in the Island was affected “to a greater or lesser degree” by yesterday’s one-day token strike by members of the National Association of School-masters. Although there were no complete close-downs, between 40 and 50 teachers did not report for work.