Ryde Mayor Alfred Millward set in motion the machinery to generate electricity for Ryde and Seaview on 1st October 1903.
The machinery to supply electricity to Ryde and its environs was supplied by the Isle of Wight Electric Light and Power Company’s works at Benett Street, which stills stands today.
Before the machinery was turned on, the process of generating electricity was explained by chief engineer Mr Wigham, who said that anthracite coal was used to produce gas for 3-cylinder engines, sufficient to provide power to illuminate 3,000, 8-candle lights or as many as 10,000 connected lights.
Mr Wigham told the dignitaries:
“Nearly all the machinery is of British manufacture. There was not a hundredweight of stuff in their undertaking that had not been made by British workmen, in British workshops, and with British capital.”
The chief engineer’s statement was met with cheers by all those assembled.
After starting the engine by turning a handle and switching on the current to Ryde and Seaview, Mayor Millward said:
“Perhaps it is to our advantage that there has been a little delay in bringing it into Ryde for we have the satisfaction of having the finest machinery in Great Britain. That could not have been the case had there not been some delay.
“Ryde with the electric light is infinitely better than Ryde without the electric light.”
After the Mayor’s speech, refreshments were then served to the guests in a room lit by electricity produced in the plant.
And it took another 50 years for electricity to reach Godshill
I had read in an excellent local book entitled ‘ The trials of Island Life’ that Godshill, in 1895 , was considering having Gas lights installed on the street.
Yet some of the residents complained, fearing that the young would then stay up at night, and would be “stretching and yawning, instead of doing a hard days work the next day “ so were against such.
Perhaps they had a deeper foresight!
And in 2023 most people cannot afford to use it.
In the 1970’s a band named Black Oak Arkansas released an epic instrumental titled “When Electricity came to Arkansas” I have always loved that tune and longed to match it’s exquisite magnifcence by composing “When Electricity came to Wroxall”. Unfortunately after all these years, I still have no musical talent.