100 years ago - January 18, 1919

THE mayor and mayoress of Newport attended a ceremony at Barton Boys’ School for former pupils who had returned from captivity in Turkey and Germany.

Headmaster Ouseley said it was unique a small school should have at least six old boys coming back.

He said the school had laid the foundation for character, fortitude and heroism.

***

A gloom was cast over Cowes when a respected resident was involved in an accident in Stornoway.

Lt Cotter was reported missing after HMS Iolaire was wrecked in a storm.

He had only been on the ship for four days after his Christmas leave.

75 years ago - January 15, 1944

A china and glassware dealer was summoned to court for selling six egg cups for too higher a cost.

Ralph Mew, of Ryde, sold the egg cups for 15 shillings when the maximum price, given they were second hand, was six shillings.

The mayor fined Mew £5 and said the shop must refund the buyer the excess.

***

Two pairs of brothers had happy reunions at Christmas despite fighting in the war.

Driver Fred Pardey and Lance Corp Harold Pardey, who had not seen each other for two years, met somewhere in Italy.

Pte Gordon Andrews and Gunner Percy Andrews, separated for three years, crossed paths in Cairo.

50 years ago - January 18, 1969

The population of the Island exceeded 100,000 for the first time.

The estimated figure, as of the end of 1968, was 100,860.

A County Hall spokesperson said this was an increase of nearly 3,000 on the previous year.

***

A farmhouse cottage at St Helens suffered severe damage in a fire.

The downstairs of the home was destroyed after the blaze damaged the living room and kitchen.

A local farmworker raised the alarm, promptly enough that no one was hurt, and crews from Bembridge assisted in extinguishing the fire.

25 years ago - January 21, 1994

The Blackgang landslip was still on the move.

Experts monitoring the area reported movement of the back scar after thousands of tons of soil crashed into the sea.

Residents of the holiday park, who initially refused to leave, staggered across rugged cliffs carrying furniture when they gave into pressure to flee the site.

***

An Island author who experienced uncomfortably close quarters with an LA earthquake, which claimed 42 lives and made thousands homeless, was safely back on the IW.

Cassandra Eason, of Freshwater, said she woke up in her hotel and found everything moving – walls, ceiling, furniture.

She described the experience as unreal and said she was totally thrown by it.

10 years ago - January 16, 2009

Island children were the most likely in the country to suffer bullying, according to Ofsted.

Figures released by the school inspectors showed 54 per cent of Island children had been bullied, ten per cent higher than the national average.

Children and young people cabinet member, Cllr Alan Wells, said the council was disappointed by Ofsted’s findings.

***

A young Island swimmer received a personal reply from her Olympic hero, Rebecca Adlington, even though the letter she sent had no address.

Sidonie McLaren, nine, sent the letter to ‘Rebecca Adlington, Olympic Hero, Mansfield’ and it somehow got to her.

Sidonie said she was speechless when she got the response.