Ten years ago: A new extreme sports venture was looking to literally make waves in The Solent. Charlie Head set up Headfast with the hope of enticing more people out on the water to experience the thrills of wakeboarding and water skiing. The 28 year old had bounced back from a bad wakeboarding accident, when he injured his knee, to set up the business and said he was on a mission to create an exciting watersports scene on the Island. Charlie Head, centre, is pictured with Josh Howell, left, and Doug Newell on their boat.

100 Years Ago
August 4, 1917

COMMEMORATING three years since the start of the war to end all wars, the County Press ran an editorial retrospective on everything that happened since August 4, 1914.
It read: “The appalling loss of life and treasure, the havoc and red ruin wrought on historic buildings, the vile and bestial cruelty of the Germans, the mistakes and muddles, and the glorious heroism; when reflecting on this and more, the action of the mind is checked with awe.”

75 Years Ago
August 1, 1942

A resolution was to be sent to the Board of Education by the Island’s education sub-committee expressing members’ concern at the hours young people between 14 and 20 had to work.
Members thought youngsters were unable to use the recreation and educational facilities offered by the youth clubs.
Those who worked in the shipyards were too tired after their long day’s work to enjoy any of the facilities.

50 Years Ago
August 5, 1967

Royal fever swept the Island at Cowes Week 1967, which was described as the most exciting and interesting in the post-war years.
This was thanks to the presence of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, and their participation in the racing.
The royal presence at Cowes Week also made for an exceptionally well-attended event with thousands of sightseers travelling to vantage points hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal entourage.
One evening, the Duke of Edinburgh was presented with a mammoth 25lb Solent salmon at a special dinner.

25 Years Ago
July 31, 1992

It was revealed around one in every 18 properties on the Island was vacant or unoccupied at the time of the April 1991 census.
The census also found around one in every 21 was a holiday or second home.
The Island’s resident population was found to be 124,577, up 5.6 per cent on the previous census and down 15,923 on today’s population.

10 Years Ago
August 3, 2007

A shark angler hooked a 500lb monster, dwarfing anything he had caught in 30 years of fishing.
The 14ft 6ins shark was caught about five miles off St Catherine’s Point by Bembridge builder Danny Vokins, after an epic battle lasting more than two hours.
The fisherman, who releases everything he catches after tagging and photographing it, said it was 200lbs heavier than his next biggest catch, which was about the size of a small car and would, in any other circumstance, be considered an exceptionally large fish.