We pride ourselves on being the first to report the news. However, in a fresh feature, every Saturday Island Echo will bring Isle of Wight headlines from past decades.
Week ending 16th September
70 years ago (1953)
SEARCH FOR ON-THE-RUN PRISONER IN SHANKLIN
The Police – who were usually accustomed to searching for escaped prisoners attempting to leave the Isle of Wight – were looking for a convict who had fled onto the Island. Allan Glenn Clark absconded from Shrewsbury prison and had been spotted in the vicinity of Shanklin.
SHANKLIN THE SUNNIEST SPOT IN UNITED KINGDOM
The seaside resort of Shanklin was reported to have topped the records for sunshine nationally with 287 hours during the previous month. Weymouth was the next sunniest spot with 278 hours. 1953 was the sunniest summer holiday period for 6 years.
ISLE OF WIGHT’S FIRST TELEVISION TRANSMISSION STATION
Isle of Wight residents would soon have the opportunity to watch TV, with work starting on the first television transmission station this side of the Solent. The BBC were planning on increasing the number of its television transmission stations in the UK to 20 if finances would allow.
60 years ago (1963)
QUEEN MARY CRUISE SHIP ANCHORS OFF THE ISLE OF WIGHT
The Cunard cruise ship Queen Mary was anchored off the Isle of Wight because of a strike by Southampton tugmen leaving no tugs to transport the vessel up Southampton Water. The 1,170 passengers aboard the luxury liner were given the choice of scrambling onto small steamers to complete their journeys or simply waiting for the strike to end.
BEAUTY QUEEN’S FATAL COLLISION LEAVES 2 SONS IN SERIOUS CONDITION
The 2 young sons of Mrs Sharon Devell were in a serious condition in St Mary’s Hospital after their mother had been killed in a collision between her sports car and a motor coach in the vicinity of Yarmouth. Mrs Devell was to have been crowned Sandown Carnival before the fatal crash. The mother-of-3’s 2 youngest children – 4-year-old Mark and 3-year-old Stephen – had been in their mother’s car at the time of the collision.
40 years ago (1983)
‘BIG CAT’ ON THE LOOSE NEAR RYDE
Local police were searching for a ‘puma-like’ animal in the vicinity of Ryde after a newborn calf had been savaged by an unidentified ravenous beast.
SEALINK FERRY LAUNCHED
The Sealink ferry St Helen – intended for the Portsmouth-Fishbourne route – was launched at Leith in Scotland. The new ferry was designed to carry 1,000 passengers and over 140 cars.
30 years ago (1993)
NEEDLES LIGHTHOUSE CONNECTED TO NATIONAL GRID
The Needles lighthouse was connected with mains electricity for the 1st time by means of an undersea cable running through the chalk.
NEWPORT FIRE SERVICE RESCUES WOMAN AND HER CAT
A woman who had climbed up a tree to rescue her cat had to be rescued by Newport Fire Brigade.
BRITAIN’S OLDEST LIFEGUARD
Isle of Wight pensioner John Critchley became Britain’s oldest lifeguard at the age of 72.
More articles like this please
I am delighted that you are producing a regular feature looking back on events of the past, and look forward to a weekly wallow in nostalgia. I would respectfully point out however, that the wonderful MV St. Helen commenced service in 1983. I believe that she is still in service in Sardinia, along with her sisters St.Catherine and St.Cecilia.
Newspaper? More like historypaper hahahaha too funny
this is all very interesting more please
I really enjoy the historical articles
Great information
I wonder how much the Ferry crossings were 40 years ago?