ANNE GRANT takes a look back at Ryde Pavilion during its days as a theatre: IN THE 1950s and 1960s my mother Marjorie worked the summer seasons at Ryde Pavilion cafe.

The kitchen and serving area was located within the pavilion, on the west side of the building.

A covered seating area for customers was sited opposite, separate from the pavilion.

The café catered for day trippers and the coach trade. Sandwiches were made fresh each day on the premises by the tea ladies.

Local coach companies, such as Paul’s Tours and Southern Vectis, parked along the Esplanade from early morning.

The coach drivers sold tickets, for around Island trips, to visitors as they walked by.

The drivers directed their passengers towards the Pavilion café upon return to Ryde.

Queues at such times were lengthy and the tea ladies worked hard to serve everyone.

Regular customers each day were the actors and musicians providing entertainment to holidaymakers.

Ryde Municipal Orchestra (Henry Jolliffe and his octet) performed daily on the Bandstand behind the Pavilion.

For the price of deckchair hire, visitors could enjoy light orchestral music for an hour or two. Every day, between morning and afternoon performances, Henry collected his tray of tea from the café ladies.

From Whitsun to September, the Pavilion Theatre presented a variety of plays, produced by a touring repertory company.

Most years it was the Barry O’Brien Company. The actors used the door behind the stage to enter the adjoining café kitchen, to collect their lunch from the tea ladies.

Some of the aspiring actors went on to become well known stars of film and TV.

One was Shirley Ann Field. Soon after treading the Pavilion boards, she starred with Albert Finney in 1960, in the critically acclaimed ‘kitchen sink drama’ film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.

Another was Norman Bowler who later starred in several TV series, including Crossroads, police drama Softly, Softly, and as Frank Tate in Emmerdale.

A particular favourite of the tea ladies was Mark Burns. Blond and handsome, he charmed them whenever it was his turn to collect the acting troupe’s daily sandwich order.

A few years later Mark went into films including, Tunes of Glory and Death In Venice.

Sheila Hancock, born in Blackgang, left the Island as a child. Sheila returned as a ‘rep’ actress for one summer season at Ryde Pavilion.

This was before she was talent spotted to appear in the 1960s BBC comedy The Rag Trade.

Her long and respected acting career has been honoured with a CBE for services to drama.

So it can be said that Ryde Pavilion played a part in helping to launch several acting careers.

Every summer the theatre manager gave some free tickets to the café staff which were shared out between all the tea ladies.

Marjorie went to the plays with her friend Peggy Wheeler, who worked with her in the café.

The shows were popular with summer visitors and with Island residents.

Some of the dramas staged were Down Came a Blackbird, The Deep Blue Sea, and Dial M for Murder.

My childhood memories are that after school I walked to the Pavilion to wait for my mother to finish work.

During school holidays, I played on the beach, with children of the other tea ladies, until our mums had finished washing up the mountains of crockery.

Sometimes I picked up a tea towel to help dry the china, so my mum could finish work and we could go home.

Years later, in the 1990s, the Superbowl was built and coupled to the Pavilion.

Marjorie and Peggy, by then septuagenarians, tried ten pin bowling.

Then they reminisced about when they worked there serving tea and sandwiches to the actors they knew before they became famous.

Ryde Pavilion’s theatre days are history — outdoor seating of the original cafe demolished years ago, the original kitchen gone.

All erased — except from our memories.