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Guestbook of Ryde Social Heritage Group:
- 31/07/2010
Mary Eleanor Comber - 31/07/2010
John Maynard 1796-1823 - 27/07/2010
Keep up the good work - 21/06/2010
Thanks to David Earle - 01/06/2010
Frederick Hayles - 01/06/2010
Do you remember the Mechanical Elephant? - 18/04/2010
Grave of Elizabeth Garrett d 31-03-1862 - 03/04/2010
John Thomas Coombs - 23/03/2010
Sir John MacGregor - 26/11/2009
Frances Flora Orchard - 19/11/2009
Appreciation - 22/10/2009
Mr John William Brown Wagner - 01/10/2009
Baskett Graves - 10/07/2009
More greetings from Australia - 28/06/2009
A comment on the website - 16/05/2009
Genealogical Research Ryde - 19/04/2009
Feedback - 29/03/2009
Colonel Malcolm Furlong - 21/03/2009
James Charles Beazley - 11/03/2009
Thanks - 23/12/2008
Merry Christmas! - 21/12/2008
Thank you - 27/11/2008
Joseph Edmund Rickard - 22/09/2008
Edgar Ward - 10/07/2008
Jennings - 29/03/2008
Gerald Tunnard Fardell - 14/03/2008
UPDATING THE GUEST BOOK ENTRIES - 14/03/2008
Grave of Samuel Osborn - 04/03/2008
Barton, Shiner, Colenutt, Arthur - 22/12/2007
MERRY CHRISTMAS - 06/09/2007
Query re FETHERSTONHAUGH FAMILY - 07/08/2007
Dormant Guestbook - 27/08/2006
James Walker, Chief Coastguard - 20/08/2006
Isle of Wight Bowling History - 19/08/2006
General Sir Sam Browne - 01/08/2006
General Sir Henry Daly - 17/07/2006
Tips for Reading Headstones - 15/06/2006
Your Site - 28/05/2006
Cemetery Walk - 28/05/2006
Frederick Archer Kent - 22/05/2006
Missing Information - 15/05/2006
Error in Information - 30/04/2006
The Beach Tavern - 22/04/2006
Membership - 07/04/2006
General cemetery web site - 05/04/2006
Stanley - 28/03/2006
Does anyone have information on the Victor House Nursing Home on Pellhurst Road, Ryde? - 28/03/2006
Ann Barrett's Isle of Wight Web Site - 23/03/2006
Knight - 23/03/2006
Prince of Wales pub - 21/03/2006
Re your lovely new heritage site - 21/03/2006
Comment from the Isle of Wight Family History Society
On 31 July 2010 we were contacted by Barbara Skinner with the following message "I've found your site so helpful - have just filled in another blank after several years of searching. Thank you. Mary Eleanor was born in 1830 in Ryde. Her age at death should be 35 years but I guess has been mistranscribed as 83 (3,5 & 8 are so similar)". RSHG reply, many thanks for your kind message Barbara, we have corrected the record now and are pleased to know we have helped you with your family research.
On 27 July 2010 we were contacted by Heather Pilcher-Chivers asking this question "I have a copy of a will from my GGGTfather, John Maynard 1796-1823 stating that he'd like to be buried as close as possible to his wife and daughter who are buried in Ryde. AS I cannot find them in your index, please could you tell me if there is another graveyard to look into?" We were able to tell Heather that JOHN MAYNARD died 30th Nov 1823 at west Cowes age 89, his wife Elizabeth died 7th June 1798 aged 62 and their daughter Anna Slow died 22nd Nov 1799 age 34. All 3 are buried in the graveyard of St Thomas Church Ryde. On hearing this news Heather wrote "Thank you so much! How very nice of you to take the time to look up some of my ancestors. I think it's fabulous that your group has taken the time to make records of the people there. Bless you all, and again, thank you so much for your time and kindness." RSHG Reply: It's our pleasure Heather.
On 27 July 2010 Francesca Burt contacted us "Very interesting website-thankyou. I have lived in Niton for 22 years and always used Ryde as a point of mainland moves. Now, I see Ryde in different light, full of history. You are in my "favourites "now. Keep up the good work." Many thanks for your kind comments Franseca, it is always good to hear that our work is appreciated. RSHG.
On 21 June 2010 we were contacted by Shirley Stallard who David had helped to locate the grave of Gertrude Payne. "Just want to say a public thank you to David Earle for his generous help in locating this grave and replacing the broken sections for us - it was so lucky that we bumped into him just as we were on the point of giving up."
On 1 June 2010 Cheryl Moore wrote: "Thank you!! for showing me his gravesite. If it matters to you, he died on 11 Feb 1865. Do you have any information on his family (parents, etc.)" RSHG reply, thanks for your message, at the moment we have no additional information about Frederick's family, but we will add to his record if we find out any more.
On 1 June 2010 Janet Brook wrote: "I seem to remember a mechanical elephant where children could sit on the side & have a ride. This I think was the eastern gardens & would have been late 1940's early 1950's." Does anyone else remember this and perhaps have a photograph? We would love to receive more information about it. RSHG. Update 27 July 2010. Our friend Sally-Ann read this enquiry and remembered that a friend of hers had a photo of the mechanical elephant. Sally-Ann contacted Chris Hayles who kindly contributed the photo and these memories: "I can remember the mechanical elephant well. I used to look forward to my holidays in School Road and going to the Redan Pub in Union Street for a ploughmans lunch in the childrens room! But my biggest treat was on the walk along the front to Seaview we used to stop off at Puckpool and have a ride on the elephant. It used to sit about four or six kids, two or three on each side with a long running board to put your feet on and I think there was a handrail, this was all painted green and it used to plod along giving us all a ride. How it actually worked I do not know as being a kid I was more interested in the ride itself!" Chris has a great website called Southern Life: http://southernlife.org.uk
On 18 April 2010 Paula Gallon wrote: "Thankyou for your site, Elizabeth and John Garrett are my ancestors."
On 3 April 2010 we were contacted by Paul Williams with the following message "I am looking for relatives of John Thomas Coombs, who was my great Grand Father. He left Ryde, for the USA around 1850" If you have any information to help Paul please make contact with us RSHG.
On 22 March 2010 we were contacted by Gary Ireland with the following message: "Thank you! I've been researching my family tree and Sir John Macgregor is an ancestor of mine and it was fantastic to stumble across a photograph of his grave, plus the history that has been typed up. so thank you very much for that :D" Gary you are most welcome it's always good to hear when we have been able to help other people RSHG.
On 26 November 2009 we were contacted by Jane Howden from New Zealand: "I'm very grateful to the work that has been done in constructing this site. Frances Flora Orchard was my great great grandmother!" Many thanks for your kind comment RSHG
On 19 November 2009 we were contacted by Thomas Wood with the following message: "I have been researching my ancestors - the Yeats/Yates family from Ryde, and was amazed to find not only such an excellent record of their burial, but also details of death notices and census returns. Many, many thanks to everyone involved! Thomas Wood". Thank you for your message Thomas, the website is a work in progress and we are just over half way through recording all the graves in Ryde Cemetery. A lot of work goes into researching the detail that we add to the records and it's very kind of you to acknowledge and thank us for that. RSHG.
On 22 October 2009 we were contacted by Jen Maguire with the following message: "What a wonderful website. I cannot describe the delight when I googled my ancestors name and arrived at your site. Thank you. My question is does anyone remember a shop called 'Wagners' in Union Street or High Street, Ryde? I have a vague memory of visiting Ryde and seeing such a shop. Would it be linked back to John Wagner's stationery trade? Thank you for any assistance. Kind regards Jen Maguire" Thanks for your message Jen hopefully one or some of our members will be able to answer your query in due course. RSHG
On 30 September we received the following messag from Ellen Spiro in Australia : "What a wonderful website this is. I have browsed for the surnames BASKETT, NUTTY and COPPINGER amongst others. Thank you for giving us this site. Regards from Perth Western Australia" http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~blacksmiths/
On 10 July 2009 we received the following message from Annette Shaw in Australia: "I have only recently found your website and how fantastic it is. I have found so many names that I am having trouble putting them all into my family tree. I am related to the Attrill and Eldridge families and they seem to be 10 deep on the Isle of Wight. Thanks to all those who have spent so many hours putting this great site together. I will certainly let all those I know who have anything to do with the Isle of Wight about your great site. Annette (Australia)." Thank you for your message, it's good to know that the website is used and appreciated, from RSHG.
On 28 June 2009 we received the following message from Jeanette Angus in Australia: "I stumbled across your website by accident and although there are no graves that are relevant to my research I felt that I should let you know what a fantastic site it is. I wish there were more sites like this for genealogists. Keep up the excellent work. Kind Regards, Jeanette" Thank you for your kind words Jeanette, we are adding information to the website all the time so it's good to know that people appreciate the work, from RSHG.
On 14 May 2009 we received the following message: "I was thrilled to come across your Website, an incredible amount of hard work has gone into it - which descendants of families from IoW such as I am, are so grateful. My ancestors are the JAMES, INGRAM's and COOMBES families. I was so pleased to find information on them!!Best wishes, Natalie, Johannesburg, South Africa" Thanks for your kind comments Natalie, it's good to know that you found the website useful, from RSHG.
On 18 April 2009 Barry Davidson wrote: "A cracking and brilliant site.Pity others don't follow your lead". Many thanks for your kind comments about RSHG website it’s always encouraging to get positive feedback. The website is a work in progress and we update it frequently so please check back from time to time. From all at RSHG
On 29 March 2009 Gina Francis(nee Furlong) from Melbourne, Australia wrote: "I wish to thank the Ryde Heritage Group for providing photographs of my great-grandfather, Colonel Malcolm Furlong and his brother Ernest O'Beirne Furlong (they are both buried beside each other). Without your efforts I would still be searching and to actually see the graves in photograph form has been very emotional for me. I hope to one day visit these graves and perhaps visit the Heritage Society with a hope of finding out a little more of both Malcolm and Ernest Furlong. Cheers from Gina Francis (nee Furlong) in Melbourne Australia."
On 20 March 2009 Stephen Beazley wrote "J.C. Beazley was my Great Grandfather, though he died long before I was born. Thanks for the great work you're doing in Ryde." Thank you Stephen from all at RSHG.
On 7 March 2009 Charles Wrench wrote: "Just to say thank you for such a fantastic resource. The cemetery information has provided me with information on a number of family members. Very well done indeed." Thank you Charles we are happy to have helped you, RSHG.
On 23 December Ann McKechnie wrote: "Comments: Just a note to wish everyone a Happy Christmas. Enjoyed Ann's Christmas Poem. Anne McKechnie" Thank you Ann Merry Christmas to yo too, RSHG
On 21 December 2008 Richard van Rooijen contacted us with this comment: "Many thanks for all your hard work. I have many ancestors who came from the island, and sites like yours are a great help in tracing their lives and deaths." Thank you Richard, it's always good to hear that our work is appreciated, RSHG.
In November 2008 we were contacted by Marjorie Rickard: "I was delighted to find this information about Joseph Edmund Rickard on your web site, surprised that he died in Canada (which is where I live) but I can not find a record of his death here or his arrival in Canada, he was my husband's great great grandfather's brother. I would be happy to find out any thing else some one might know about him I was also very happy to see the picture of his parents Mary Maria and Edmund Rickard's jewelry shop in Ryde. Thank you very much, and sincere regards to all the people who maintain and add information to your web site".
In September 2008 we were contacted by Judy Reeves: "Edgar Ward married my maternal great aunt, Jessie Jacobs. Jessie married again and I had not located the death of Edgar. Your article has now revealed this to me. How sad this must have been for Jessie as she also lost her two brothers in WW1" Thank you, Judy, for your comment and the additional information. Janette :-)
In July 2008 we were contacted by Wendy Davies: "Can you help pls? Im trying to trace family - HENRY JENNINGS my GG Grandfather b about 1816 in Ryde.He was a boot and shoe maker. m Emma Blake in Ryde 1839.They had 10 children. I already have a photo from your fab site of his grave - he died Jan 1899 in London. His son (my Dads Gfather) was Arthur alos b in Ryde - am trying to trace all I can about them and if we have any JENNINGS relatives still in Ryde." If you have any information about this family please get in touch via the website and we will pass the information on to Wendy.
In February 2008 we were contacted by Trish Jubb to tell us that we had recorded the name of her great-great-uncle incorrectly. We had transcribed it as Gerald Tunnard Pardell whereas it was actually Gerald Tunnard Fardell. A correction to the record was made and Trish wrote back to say "Your amazing work on the graves records has given me additional clues to my family. I didn't know about Getrude Emma Fardell. She was a granddaughter of the Hearns and born Quarter 1 1864. I found her in the BMD records, both her death and birth certificates, copies of which I shall write away for. Poor little girl. Some people in the 19th c die at a very young age and some last for years and years." .
Note from Janette 14 March 2008. Keeping up to date with everything to do with the website and the activities of the group has been a challenge over the past couple of years, and I'm sorry to say that the Guestbook has suffered. I am going to attempt to keep up to date with it in future.
On 12 March 2008 we received this message from Adrian and Lou: "I want to thank you for the wonderful website. I have just started researching my family tree and was delighted to find the grave of my great grandfathers siblings".
Note from Janette 3 March 2008: If you previously enquired about the above names please get in touch as we have some information for you.
On 21st December 2007 Sally-Ann Garrett wrote: Season's Greetings to all Members of the RSHG, and to those who use the website. I am sorry not to be part of the group anymore, but I wish you all well in your endeavours in 2008. Sally-Ann.
Janette replied: Thank you for your message and good wishes for the Group. The coming year is going to be exciting and challenging for us as we bring our LHI funded project to a successful conclusion and make plans for continuing the good work you helped to start.
Cherry wrote : Does anyone out there have any info re the Fetherstonhaugh family of Ryde? They lived in Gwydyr House from the late 1880's until Gen. F. died in 1932. Two of his wife's relatives, and previous occupants of the house (Collingwood Dickson) are buried in Ryde Cemetery, as is Richard F. Kathleen F. married a Harold Fordyce Birch in 1916. Many thanks in anticipation!
The Guestbook has not been updated for some time due to the fact that there are not enough hours in the day or enough volunteers to get everything done on the website that we would like to and we apologise for that. Even though this page is out of date if you contact us we will attempt to respond to you and if we don't respond please try and be patient as we are doing the best we can. Janette Gregson, Secretary, Ryde Social Heritage Group.
Richard Webb (York). I revisited your website today and saw that you have been able to use my write up on James Walker, Chief Officer of Coastguard at Ryde. I'm glad to see that the grave is in good condition. I shall be visiting my parents on the Island in October and hope to visit the grave itself. REPLY: Thanks for your update James - Please let us know if you want some help to locate the grave. Sally-Ann
Alec Soars, who is a member of the IW FHS wrote to ask if anyone has knowledge of the history of bowling on the Island. He does not want this sport forgotten and buried, and asks if anyone has information about bowlings clubs, past and present, or any photographs, or artifacts, to contact him on alexsoars@talktalk.net
From David Sam Browne: I am the great great grandson of General Sir Sam Browne and find this web page very interesting. Thanks for keeping his memory alive. Sally-Ann wrote back: Thank you for your interest, and kind comments. We have met another descendant of Sir Sam Browne who lives on the Island, and we hope to be interviewing her to look at some memorabilia. Do you have any further information you could add to our pages? David wrote back with some details of his family and asked to be put in contact with the relative on the Island. Sally-Ann
Dermot Daly wrote: I read with much interest your notes about the General. He was my grandfather's 2nd cousin and I have 2 of the General's fathers swords which he left at Daly's Grove when he rented the property from my great grandfather from about 1849 for some 10 years. Do you have a copy of the general's photograph you could send me. The general's son by his second wife was called Victor, no doubt after his godmother. Reply from Janette: Thanks for visiting our website and for your comments. We have tried to be as accurate as we can with the information about General Daly, much of the information uncovered in the research was confusing and contradictory, so I hope we got things right we are happy to make amendments if more accurate information comes to light. Thank you for the additional information about Victor. The only pictures I have of the General are digital images copied from his son's book I believe and I will email these to you. Janette :-)
Heather Hicks wrote: A group of us in Whitwell have started a project to record our MI's and like you we have found many of our headstones difficult to read. I would like to ask you for guidence on the best tips for reading them and how much moss, lichens etc you removed. I replied: We don't actually clear anything from the headstones, as we are concerned about the ecology of the Cemetery, lichen and moss included. We just have lots of patience, and have revisited some headstones many times to wait for just the right light, or level of dampness that shows the inscription lettering sufficiently for us to read. When we started the project, we visited several websites on the topic of recording information, from around the world, and we found that most groups struggle with the problem of balancing the natural heritage against the social heritage. Some websites do provide guidance. Perhaps you could make a start with the parish registers, if you haven't already done so, which would give you a record of the names at least. I believe the same conditions apply in churchyards as in municipal cemeteries, which is that the headstone remains the property of the person/people who paid for it and erected it on the grave. Others actually have no right to clear or clean. This may not help, but please keep in touch, and good luck with your work. Sally-Ann
Congratulations on a wonderful site. I haven't found any of my lot yet, but maybe in the future. Well done, easy to use, clear and valuable info. (Barton, Shiner, Colenutt, Arthur) From Sandra Parker Reply from Janette: Thank very much for your kind comment, as you probably know the cemetery is fairly big. We have only recorded a small proportion of the graves to date, but we add records frequently so it's worth you checking back from time to time. Janette :-)
A comment from Heather Driver: Thank you for a most interesting walk despite the large number of people who turned up (we had pre-booked !!) Do hope there will be other walks we can join. Reply from Janette: We are glad you enjoyed the walk Heather. We were overwhelmed by the large number of people who turned up on Friday, but I think it worked splitting the group into two. I am sure we will do more walks in the summer. These will be advertised on the news page of this web site and probably also in the Ryde Beacon. Janette :-)
A comment from Owen Burton, Australia: I came across this website by accident. I have researched Dr. B.A. Kent for a number of years in connection with his involvement in an organisation with which I am interested. I was distressed to note the condition of the grave stone, of the eldest child, by his second marriage, to Josephine Newman. Dr Kent's biography has been recorded by his descendant, Peter Schurr, entitled 'Benjamin's Son' Pub. Royal Soc. of Medical Services, of which you are possibly aware. Reply from Janette: Owen, thank you for your message. I agree it is very sad when graves become, overgrown, eroded or vandalised and this is one of the reasons why RSHG is aiming to record the inscriptions from all the memorials that can be read in the cemetery. Unfortunately we do not have funding to carry out any restoration of graves. The cemetery is owned and maintained by the Isle of Wight Council, but the responsibility for the care and maintenance of the gravestones and monuments remains with the owners of the grave plots (and their descendants). The biography of Dr Kent is fascinating, Peter Schurr very kindly donated a copy of his book to our group, and on our recent Guided Tours of the cemetery the graves of Dr Kent and his son were pointed out and a brief history of Dr Kent's life was given to the groups. Janette
A Question from Yvonne Doornekamp: I tried your website for Bartlett, it said no such name, I know for a fact that my grandparents are buried there so why does the name Bartlett not come up? William James Bartlett 25/3/1948 aged 77. Annie Bartlett 27/11/1952 aged 81. Reply from Janette: Hello Yvonne, thank you for your message. The recording of the inscriptions is a work in progress. The cemetery covers approx. 10 acres and although we have over 1,000 records on the site we have only recorded a small proportion of the cemetery. We started on the oldest part of the cemetery known as the "Old Parish Cemetery" and have almost completed this section. Next we will start recording the Old Cemetery (please see the maps for details)and finally we will record the newer part of the cemetery. We are adding records to the site all the time so I suggest that you check back from time to time. Janette :-)
I am writing to report what I am supposing is an error in transcribing (I am hoping it is not an error on the actual tombstone!). The information was provided by Janette Kitching on the 01/04/2006, for Mrs Daisy Victoria Welch Plot Number: OPC 3 569 Map Ref #: RSHG 006 C3 It reports that her birth was in 1896. I know for a fact (she was my grandmother), that her year of birth was 1886. Congratulations on a very worthy project. From Guy Prall Reply from Janette: Guy many thanks for pointing out the error, it was my mistake in reading the headstone. I have just checked it and it does say 1886. I have corrected our records. Janette :-)
Question: I live in the old stable of the Solent Inn, Ryde. Does anyone have any information about its past? I was told it used to be called The Beach Taven, Thank you. From Mrs B. Paul. The Solent Inn. This is a quote from Ryde Pubs by Kevin Mitchell: The Solent Inn "known originally as the Strand Tavern, first appeared in the Kelly's Directory of 1852, with a Landlord by the name of Thomas HARRIS. He is listed in the 1847 Directory as a carpenter - it is logical to presume he opened the premises as a pub around 1850. It was renamed the Solent in 1900 and still thrives today. Legend has it that fishing boats were beached close by before the Strand was constructed, and this would appear to be possible as work on the new Esplanade didn't begin until the mid 1850's, after which the pub would have been cut off from the shore. Sally-Ann
Question: Hello, How do I become a member of Ryde Social Heritage Group and do you have regular meetings? From Nick. Reply: Membership of RSHG is free. If you email the following details: Your Title(s), Full Name(s), Address, Post Code, Email Address and Telephone Number we will send you a welcome letter. NB. Update on 10th September: the AGM will be held on 11th November, in the George St Centre, from 10:30 to 12:30. Watch out on the News page for more details.
As a bit of a hobby I take snaps of cemeteries at random, whereever I may have time to, often where I happen to be for football. Feel free to look. www.brown-bread.blogspot.com From Snap Happy Man :-)
My mother, Eileen Rosemary Stanley, was born 3-6-1942 in Ryde, I was wondering if she has any remaining family there? From Kathy Goven
From Suzanne Maitland-Wood [mailto:woody.mw@btinternet.com] Sent: 28 March 2006 Whilst researching my family tree I've come across a strange puzzle. It appears my g-g-grandmother Mary SULLIVAN, born Marylebone, was on the Isle of Wight in 1891 boarding with the ANDREWs family at 103 Shanklin Road, Bonchurch with daughter Anne, age 4. However,her other two daughters Catherine and Mary appear to be 'Inmates of a Refuge Home' in Pellhurst Road, Ryde in 1891. A kind person on the Isle of Wight List suggested it was possibly later the 'Victor House Nursing Home' at 18 Pellhurst Road. Does anyone know anything about this building, and might there be records at Newport Record Office? Thank you.
Perhaps you would find my website interesting enough to make a link, as it mentions many names from all walks of life, Coastguards, Railway personnel, Prison Officers, Newspaper snippets, Obituaries, Census, Schools and much more. It is being added to each week. http://members.lycos.co.uk/s0uthbury/ From Ann Barrett
I want to find out about an ancestor who might be buried at Ryde. Namely James Knight died 1869 and the family of his wife, born in Ryde 1825. From Joan Oatley
Does anyone have any information about the owners/inn keepers, of the pub called Prince of Wales, Ryde, 1857? From Joan Oatley
It is superb and so interesting. I liked the photo too of Ryde as I have never been there. I think the work you are doing is splendid and it is most interesting to read about the heritage of IOW's residents. Keep up the good work. The web design is fantastic and very user friendly. I think the Pine's would be proud and pleased to be recognised in this way. I am sure even in retirement they would have worked for their church and community and been upright citizens that Ryde could have been proud of. Kindest regards, Adrianne Hawkins, New Zealand
I had a look at your 'revamped' website. It is excellent. Lots of information very clearly set out and easy to access. It must be invaluable for people tracing Ryde ancestors. Congratulations. I am sure that Di Harding, our journal editor, would be very interested to have an article about your site. I have put a piece about it on the News page on our website and on the Useful Websites page. http://www.isle-of-wight-fhs.co.uk/ UPDATE 10th September 2006 - an article about the website was published in the Journal of the IWFHS, and a talk about the Group will be presented in March 2007. Sally-Ann
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