It’s Showtime at Osborne!
We conclude our series on Osborne House by revealing what has been happening behind the scenes of the famous venue in readiness for the new season. The dust covers had been removed from thousands of priceless items; the new staff had been trained to deal with a plethora of questions; the windows were spotless, and for the first time in many years even chimneys had been swept. So after its winter hibernation, the doors of Osborne House were finally re-opened to the public for the new season, with close to 250,000 visitors expected to flock through over the next few months. As Osborne...
Read MoreWarrior: Real War Horse
A horse born on the Island more than 100 years ago has recently emerged as the central figure in one of the most incredible tales of bravery and unity throughout the whole of the First World War. Yet the heroics of Warrior, a bay thoroughbred, ridden by his owner General Jack Seeley, might have been lost forever but for the release earlier this year of Steven Spielberg’s latest film ‘War Horse’. But whereas Spielberg’s equine hero’s exploits are fictional, those of Warrior are true, and truly amazing, in every aspect. Warrior was born in Yafford in 1908, and after the War...
Read MoreQuarr Abbey: Beyond These Walls
Beyond the imposing red brick walls of Quarr Abbey there remains a mystique and intriguing way of monastic life that very few of us have ever really seen, writes Peter White. The large Abbey stands just a few hundred yards from the busy road that links Ryde with Newport. Yet once inside the grounds, you somehow feel a world away from modern day life as hustle and bustle gives way to peace and tranquillity. But maybe not all is quite what it appears to be to the many visitors who congregate at Quarr Abbey each year – to pray in the impressive church of one million bricks; to wander...
Read MoreFamily Affair
The Family Tree – a subject that intrigues so many of us. But all too often initial interest begins to wane, sometimes because of a lack of time or simply because it can be difficult to go back more than a couple of generations. But neither has deterred Linda Jones from Shanklin from delving into historical records, both on her family’s behalf and of many others. Linda’s interest in her own family tree developed more than 30 years ago when she was handed the family bible that contained all the names and dates of her maternal grandfather and his siblings from Denbighshire and...
Read MoreDoors are Closed for a Busy Clean Sweep!
Island Life continues its look behind the scenes at Osborne House, one of the Island’s leading tourist attractions. The doors at Osborne House may be closed to the public at the moment, but within the rooms and corridors of the famous East Cowes residence this happens to be one of the busiest times of the year. The vast array of Christmas decorations have been taken down and stored away safely, and from the outside Osborne House appears to be in hibernation. But this is when the house is undergoing a major cleaning programme that lasts around three months. It is a painstaking process, but...
Read MoreRyde Pier Set to Celebrate
It is generally accepted as the oldest surviving pier in the country, and it also happens to be the second longest. Now plans are being drawn up for Ryde Pier to celebrate its 200th birthday in style. Although Ryde Pier, which stretches majestically out into the Solent some 681 metres, does not actually reach the 200-year milestone until July 26, 2014, it was in 1812 that an Act of Parliament was passed to allow its construction. A year later the foundation stone was laid, and then in 1814 the residents of Ryde stood proudly and watched as the pier was finally opened to the public. Wightlink...
Read MoreA Glimpse into Christmas Past at Osborne House
In a special series for Island Life we are going behind the scenes at Osborne House, one of the Isle of Wight’s most popular tourist attractions. In this first part we are revealing how Queen Victoria and her family spent Christmas at Osborne, and how those scenes are still replicated for the modern day visitors. This Christmas marks the 150th anniversary of Queen Victoria spending her first Christmas at Osborne House. Contrary to popular belief she and her husband Prince Albert always spent Christmas at Windsor Castle until Albert’s death in December, 1861. So Christmas at Osborne 150...
Read MoreRural Policing
Most of us are aware of the role a police officer has in most towns across the country, but being a police officer out in the sticks has its own unique challenges. We spend time with Sgt. Jason Bolwell to find out how different the job really is! Rural policing plays a significant part in Island life but what can we expect from our Safer Neighbourhood Teams. The daily news is full of front line policing, high profile cases fill the evening bulletins only to be reinforced with tabloids the next day. Living on an Island we would be forgiven for thinking we are unimportant or lack the presence...
Read MoreA Lavender for Every Day of the Week
Not content with farming and producing probably the best selection of Lavender in the country, brothers Paul and Rueben Abbott and Pauls wife Jackie of ‘Isle of Wight Lavender’ are holding their breath, hoping that their application, to be recognised as a National Collection of Lavender, will be accepted in May of this year. I called into see how far the farm has come since I visited them twelve months ago, and was amazed at the progress and the enthusiasm both Paul/Jackie and Rueben still have for the lavender that they produce. They now grow over two hundred varieties, which is...
Read MoreSummer Holidays and Your Garden
As if getting ready for your holidays isn’t stressful enough (passports? packing? pet-sitters? and who forgot to collect the foreign currency from the bank?) there’s the garden to worry about. I envy the chap who just shuts the shed door on the whole problem and sorts out the mess when he gets home, but it takes weeks to get overgrown lawns, flourishing weeds and frizzled hanging baskets back to rights. And it’s all so easily avoided, with a little forethought. What every gardener needs, is a ‘treasure’. A near-neighbour, ideally a keen gardener themselves, who’s prepared to help...
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