Isle of Wight County Press letters from the 1960s

Firstly, with a distinct sense of déjà vu, in November 1960, a Mrs Lawrence wrote: “My family and I have recently returned to Ryde after many years, and we are amazed to find that flooding still goes on in certain areas of the town.

“Here in the West Hill Road district, on four occasions during the last flooding, I had sewage brought back up the drain and strewn outside my windows. Others have had similar experiences.”

There was more déjà vu when, on February 20, 1960, A. E. Leal wrote: “The utter neglect of Havenstreet roads is beyond comprehension. A severe frost produces miniature glaciers.

“The road through Firestone Copse is in a frightful state on account of innumerable potholes, and the lane from Church Lane to Rowland's Lane is purely a rubble watercourse and babbling brook in wet weather.

Two men stand chatting at the last ever livestock market held in South Street, Newport, in December 1983. Stand there today and you’d be in the aisles of Morrison’s supermarket. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

“Ryde councillors should be made to drive over these roads twice a day for a year.

“To alleviate their sufferings, they would be allowed a pressurised spacesuit, shock absorbers for dentures, crash helmet, and a box of tranquillisers.”

In December 1961, ‘Cinemagoer’ was not happy, and wrote: "After the recent cinema takeovers on the Island, patrons expected an improvement, not decline, in their standards.

“An evening in a Newport cinema is like sitting in a refrigerator, and what little interest one can retain in the film is marred by the noise and vulgarity of the local ‘yobs’ in the front stalls.

“I have yet to see any of the cinema staff do anything to prevent the nuisance.

“Admission prices for the Medina, Newport, were increased by one third recently; this is a very high price to pay for what is offered.”

This is Newport railway station, roughly where Hamilton & Marshall’s the undertaker stands today just off the roundabout on Medina Way. It served Newport as part of the Cowes to Ryde line for just over 100 years, closing in 1966. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

The next week ‘One Of Many’ agreed, writing: “Visiting the Odeon, my daughter and I had a lovely film completely ruined by outrageous conduct.

“Several groups of children aged about 12 to 15 years kept up a continuous din.

“They smoked and petted, each boy vying with another to see how many girls they could kiss.

“They ran up and down the aisles and jumped over the seats.

“Parents these days could not care less who puts up with their children's hooliganism as long as they don't!”

Try the circus instead. Sybil Williams did, in September 1960, and wrote: “I went to the circus at Bembridge and instead of seeing the usual happy act with the horses, I witnessed an unnecessary use of the whip by the trainer, and consequent nervousness on the part of the horses.

These buildings being demolished in 1972 are at the junction of Sea Street and Quay Street. In the distance on the left-hand side is County Hall. Behind the right-hand side of the building, which was once the town mortuary, is Quay Street. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

“There was tension in the ring instead of willing cooperation. I have had considerable experience with horses and know that this should not be allowed in any circus.”

The County Press editor noted: “Mr. J. Jones of Freshwater has written making a similar complaint.”

In June 1962, ‘Very Poor Parent’ aired a complaint: “As a parent I know that advertisements exercise a relentless pressure on teenagers.

“It seems that almost every teenager has television in the home, clothes of the latest fashion, record players and every ‘pop’ record simply because all their friends have.

“The minute the age of 16 is reached it seems every boy has his own form of motor transport.

“Somehow the money is always found for these luxuries. The materialism of the West is shocking when half the world is desperately in want.”

In July 1963, C. Bound of Newport had a brainwave, writing: “What about using the disused railway tracks as cycle roads?

“The cost would not be all that expensive, it will take a lot of traffic off the main roads and would set off a cycling boom in the Island.

“Just imagine lovely straight level roads from, say, Freshwater to Bembridge - a pedal cyclists' dream!”

Mr. Bound had to go on imagining; his dream was 50 years ahead of his time.

Finally, in March 1968, Aylmer Rose of Brading wrote: “I was asked by friends in London whether a passport is necessary for visiting the Island and another asked if we had income tax here.”

Mr Merrett of Seaview could better that. He wrote: “At Bath in Somerset I was offered a Mercedes car with a left-hand drive.

“The salesman said it was just right for the Isle of Wight ‘where they drive on the right’.”