EACH week we look back at Isle of Wight history and heritage, using the Isle of Wight County Press Archive.
For more, please see the Isle of Wight County Press newspaper, every Friday.
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Ten years ago (pictured): A lorry fire caused havoc on the main road between Newport and Ryde as commuters and police feared the vehicle might explode.


100 Years Ago
April 21, 1917

IN AN effort to reduce waste, a dining centre was opened at Ryde under the authority of the Ministry of Food.
The centre would economise on food by preparing it in larger quantities than was possible in small households.
It was also reported special attention would be paid to the "preparation of nourishing foodstuffs, such as cereals, which are not familiar to all housewives."


75 Years Ago
April 25, 1942

The sound of gunshots rang through the air, the telephone exchanges were destroyed, fires raged across Newport and the mayor and town clerk were killed - fortunately for those involved, especially the casualties, it was no more than an invasion training exercise carried out by the Defence Committee.


50 Years Ago
April 22, 1967

Newport Railway Station was abuzz with activity as nine steam engines made their final trip before being scrapped.
The locomotives had been redundant in December 1966, when the lines closed for electrification.


25 Years Ago
April 24, 1992

A Cowes High School pupil proved he was one of the brightest young scientific minds in the country by winning a national electronics contest.
Mark Stewart, 17, won the final of the Young Electronic Designer at the Science Museum of London, impressing the judges with his beam music invention to help children with disabilities.
The invention allowed keyboard sounds to activate a beam of light and, besides the music, it could be adapted to control a mouse cursor on a computer screen.


10 Years Ago
April 20, 2007

The Island's youth officer blamed 50p bus fares for the rise in inter-town rivalry among young people.
The flat fee was welcomed when it was introduced the year before but George Weech feared young people were abusing it to get around for the wrong reason.
He said inter-town rivalry was beginning to emerge, where groups of youths had been dispersed by the police, leading to some hopping on the bus and going to the next town.

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