100 Years Ago - May 18, 1912
EAST Cowes District Council approved plans for the building of a new Liberal Club, in York Avenue.
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With a large influx of French visitors to Cowes, steps were to be taken to improve communications with the tourists visiting the town.
Chairman of Cowes District Council’s railway committee, Alderman Randall, said more needed to be done to improve the experience of French visitors.
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A tramp, charged with begging in Cowes High Street, was cautioned by Island magistrates with the proviso he should leave the Island for good.
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A gilded eagle figurehead of a yacht that won the America’s Cup, off Cowes in 1851, used for years as a sign for the Eagle Hotel in Ryde, was restored in the United States.
The hotel had resisted offers from wealthy Americans for the figurehead, which belonged to the vessel, America, before it was bought by the Royal Yacht Squadron and sold to New York Yacht Club.
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Totland Bay Cricket Club beat the Parkhurst Barracks-based Worcestershire Regiment by two runs at its ground.
The home team scored 41 runs, with none of the batting order reaching double figures.
75 Years Ago - May 22, 1937
Southern Vectis announced plans to build garages for its buses in Park Road, Ryde, opposite the gas works. Buses garaged in Nettlestone and those that began and terminated their services in Ryde were to be housed in the new building.
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Ryde resident Constance Peacocke left £500 to the Salvation Army in her estate for its work at the French penal settlement, Devil’s Island.
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The Italian steamer Luigi Acoame, with a 1,000-ton cargo of iron ore, was stranded at Blackgang, with attempts to salvage her hampered by weather and tidal conditions.
The cargo was jettisoned to lighten the stricken vessel.
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Huge crowds lined Ryde seafront to watch the Royal Naval Review, but misty conditions on Spithead marred the view of the spectacle.
There were around 150 ships of war and auxiliaries, which represented every type of ship in the Royal Navy fleet.
One of the best vantage points was at Woodside Bay, Wootton, with 30 cars on the hill overlooking the bay.
50 Years Ago - May 19, 1962
It was announced the J. Samuel White Sports Ground in Park Road, Cowes, was to play host to a three-day county championship cricket match between Hampshire and Worcestershire.
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The chairman of the Shanklin Group of the Old People’s Welfare Association criticised the IW County Council’s welfare services for not doing enough for the elderly on the Island.
A report to the group’s AGM said although people seemed to appreciate what was being done for the elderly, more helpers were needed, especially visitors to the sick and volunteers to offer car rides.
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Island boatbuilding firms found it difficult to keep up with demand, due to the boom in yachting.
The summer of 1962 promised to be the most popular post-war year for the sport and boatbuilding yards were inundated with orders for their products.
Many yards had expanded and employed more staff to cope with the increased demand.
25 Years Ago - May 22, 1987
The new manager of Sealink’s Island service was pressing for the building of an all-weather berth on Ryde Pier Head to protect new catamaran ferries and their passengers from the elements.
Mr W. Gibbons told the inaugural meeting of the Joint Consultative Ferry and Commuter Group he wanted to allay worries about elderly people boarding the ships, Our Lady Pamela and Our Lady Patricia, in a heavy swell.
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Eight town criers, who had been competing in the world championships on the Island, called at the Braemar Hotel, Shanklin, to wish Martha Filby a happy 100th birthday.
The town criers had travelled a long way for the event, from as far as Vermont, USA.
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An Island delegate told an NHS workers’ meeting in Scarborough nurses were increasingly being driven to suicide, drink and drugs because of worsening working conditions.
Mr M. Earp, a psychiatric hospital worker on the Island, told the meeting: "I have never seen so many nurses coming through our hospital because of stress. They just cannot cope any more."
Casualty department staff were afraid to open the door at night for fear of violent attacks from drunks or by people affected by drugs.
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Police on the Island were bracing themselves for hordes of Hells Angels motorcyclists for the spring bank holiday weekend.
To prepare for the likelihood, more police from the mainland were due to supplement the IW force.
10 Years Ago - May 24, 2002
A softly-softly approach to keeping boating speeds down in Cowes Harbour was launched.
The aim was to avoid the problems caused by the wash from speeding boats, without making the harbour seem unfriendly to visiting yachtsmen.
Harbourmaster Stuart McIntosh told Cowes Harbour Commission several boats had been stopped on the first afternoon of the campaign.
Instead of being prosecuted, the sailors had the speed limit explained to them.
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Voting over the internet was one of the options considered as Island councillors aimed to prevent a repeat of the 2001 general election result delay.
The IW Council said it wanted to embrace 21st century technology to help people vote in local and general elections.
Cllr Muriel Miller said: "Let’s drag ourselves into the 21st century. Seeing people walking to polling stations to put an X on their polling card is antiquated."