In the early 1950s Britain was still shaking off the gloom of war, and the editor of the Isle of Wight County Press was spoiled for weird and wonderful stories that captured the mood of the nation.

For example, on January 28, 1950, under the headline ‘Peculiar Finds in Trees’, the County Press reported: “An eight-inch nail was found in the middle of an elm tree cut down at Calbourne.

“Staff at Moreys, who felled the tree, say that although at least 200 years of growth surrounded the nail, the discovery was not unusual.

“They once found a three-foot length of steel chain inside a tree trunk, and other items “swallowed” by trees include glass beads and a pair of scissors.

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“Occasionally, in the heart of a tree, they come across something far more strange - a hollow space occupied by a large grub or caterpillar, still alive.

“How it survives under centuries of growth, in a cavity without any opening, is a mystery - similar to that of live frogs or toads which are sometimes found embedded in solid blocks of chalk.”

A splendid aerial photo of Western Esplanade, Ryde in 1949. The bandstand was removed around the late sixties to make way for today’s roundabout. A splendid aerial photo of Western Esplanade, Ryde in 1949. The bandstand was removed around the late sixties to make way for today’s roundabout. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press) A frog locked in chalk, eh?

Well, a few weeks later, on March 18, 1950, the County Press ran this letter.

“Sir, many years ago a piece of chalk, weighing half a ton, was broken up at Gatcombe.

“In the centre was a small frog, which made several slight movements after liberation.

“Nothing is known as to what happened to it afterwards.

“Verified by Charles Cheverton of Gatcombe Hill Farm Cottages who saw this amazing occurrence.”

St James Square was used by Southern Vectis as their bus station, with their buses dominating the Square until a new bus station opened in South Street in May 1962. St James Square was used by Southern Vectis as their bus station, with their buses dominating the Square until a new bus station opened in South Street in May 1962. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press) Hmmm.... Really?

Well, it’s no less credible than swallowing spiders.

The County Press reported: “The recently published Folklore Survey of the Isle of Wight says there are still people on the Island who can remember when raw cat’s flesh was regarded as a certain cure for asthma and the swallowing of a spider was a remedy for those suffering from ague.”

Moving swiftly on, some oddities were actually based on reality.

In autumn 1950, the County Press reported: “When collecting eggs at Kingate’s Dairy, Whitwell, last week, Mrs G. A. Millmore found a grass snake, a yard long, curled up under a broody hen which was sitting on three eggs.”

It was adders concentrating minds the following week.

This is a ‘Princess’ flying boat, built in the early 1950s by Saunders-Roe, the forerunner of today’s GKN. Sadly, it was a commercial failure. Cocooned in a nine-ton plastic covering it was beached at Medina Road, Cowes, where it become a local landmark.This is a ‘Princess’ flying boat, built in the early 1950s by Saunders-Roe, the forerunner of today’s GKN. Sadly, it was a commercial failure. Cocooned in a nine-ton plastic covering it was beached at Medina Road, Cowes, where it become a local landmark. (Image: Brian Greening Collection/County Press) “Mrs E. Dark was bitten by an adder on Tuesday.

“She went for a walk across the Warren, and was sitting down for a rest when an adder bit her in the left forearm.

“She applied a tourniquet above the wound and walked to Totland in search of a doctor who treated her with anti-venom serum.

“When the tourniquet was removed Mrs Dark suffered rather badly, and later in the evening became delirious, but on Wednesday morning she was making a good recovery, although still in great pain.”

In the spring of 1951, Mr Sheath, of Newport, wrote: “I have a piece of wood in my possession which has a unique though rather morbid history.

“It is one of the original black shutters used by the late firm of Edwin Way, corn merchants of Newport.

It’s hard to believe it ever existed but this is Shide Railway Station on the former Newport to Sandown railway line, where today’s National Tyres depot stands. The line and station closed in 1956. It’s hard to believe it ever existed but this is Shide Railway Station on the former Newport to Sandown railway line, where today’s National Tyres depot stands. The line and station closed in 1956. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press) “It bears a list of 111 persons for whose funerals it was displayed, including Prince Henry of Battenberg and well-known local business and professional figures.

“Two rather amusing entries are ‘our cat’ and ‘our blackbird.’ “

Mr A.G. Cole of Yarmouth, meanwhile, had some information about Isle of Wight cheese.

“I have mislaid a poem I used to have about Isle of Wight cheese, which was always of a very hard variety.

“The verses were about a woman who stored the cheeses she had made in an oak chest.

“The rats gnawed through the chest with ease, but they could not bite the cheese!”

This is South Street at its junction with Orchard Street in 1961 just prior to the demolition of virtually everything in this photo to make way for the new bus station. This is South Street at its junction with Orchard Street in 1961 just prior to the demolition of virtually everything in this photo to make way for the new bus station. (Image: Reg Davies Collection/County Press) Arthur Williams of Gatcombe had pies on his mind.

“Your correspondent, Margaret Melhuish, wants to know where she can get Isle of Wight mutton pies.

“Alas, they are no more, but I can remember the joke about the noted pie shop in Newport, where a cat was never known to pass; also, the skimmed milk cheese we used to cut with hatchets and Newport doughnuts at a half-penny each which would make you bilious."