The Rex Cinema, by Colin Beavis, describes something of the history of the Rex Cinema in Church Street, which opened in 1938 and was popular with the inhabitants of Ventnor, young and old alike, until it closed in 1980. The artcle includes a photo of the outside of the cinema and one of the site… read more »
A Bull family photo. By Michael Freeman. The photograph, likely dated between 1910 and 1914, pictures a family on the rustic bridge at the bottom of the Ventnor Cascade. The Royal Navy sailor in the picture could be Thomas Bull, surrounded by his wife, mother and children; the family later emigrated to Australia. The article… read more »
When holiday coaches once crowded Ventnor’s streets. By Michael Freeman. In the 1950s three coach companies operated in Ventnor – Randall’s based on the High Street, Crinage’s on Church Street and Nash’s on Pier Street. A photo shows one of Randall’s pre-war vehicles on a ‘Round the Island’ trip. The article mentions: Harry the Tout,… read more »
This month’s meeting is on Friday 28th July. The speaker is Paul Kingswell, whose talk, An Isle of Wight Postcard Collection, covers the history of postcards as well as the hobby of postcard collecting, and will feature a selection of cards covering various aspects of Isle of Wight life from the early 1900s to the… read more »
Pulpit Rock. By Michael Freeman. Pulpit Rock in Bonchurch, a mansion built around 1850, was owned at one time by Dr Henry Leeson. The article includes a image of the house on a carte de visite (visiting card), with a second photograph showing the sandstone rock on the cliff behind the house after which the… read more »
Bonchurch Inn. By Michael Freeman. The photograph heading this article shows visitors taking refreshment in the courtyard in about 1930 when Frank Martin was the licensee, and an advertisement from the 1938 Ventnor Guide gives information on facilities and prices at that time. The article mentions Frank Stacey, Allan Roake, Ventnor 7 telephone number, Ribbands… read more »
A scene on Ventnor Beach from a hundred years ago, but looking surprisingly modern, with a mixed group of bathers and a few of the old bathing machines parked up by the sea wall. Click here to see the article: Ventnor Beach Scene – summer 1924
This month’s meeting is on Friday 20 June when the speaker will be Sally Kavanagh on ‘The Founding of Godshill School’. The meeting will be in Yarborough Masonic Hall on Grove Road, 7.30-9.00 pm All welcome – admission free to Society members, £2 for non-members. The photograph above is from about 1920 and shows a… read more »
This week’s article describes some of the small selection of postcards in our Collection that give a glimpse of seaside humour in the first half of the twentieth century We have an exhibition of some of these in the Ventnor Heritage Museum this season, but don’t expect anything to match the ‘saucy’ cards produced by… read more »
In 1901, George Barfoot set up as a draper in premises formerly run by Walter Hammond at 101 and 103 on the north side of the High Street, close to the junction with Victoria Street George, his wife Kate and their children Ada, George and Marguerite had come to Ventnor from Tichfield in Hampshire; they… read more »