HOLMSEY: ‘We’re all going on a summer holiday’
Isle of Wight ObserverWhile many of you were enjoying your holiday, I worked through the summer, although I did manage a four-day ski…
Read MoreLOOK BACK IN TIME: September 16, 1922
From the Isle of Wight Observer published on September 16th, 1922, comes the curious tale of a carnival sideshow, a…
Read MoreGREEN FINGERS: Autumn has arrived
There has certainly been a change in the weather recently, with some welcome rain, but also some very damp and…
Read MoreHOLMSEY: When ‘Stopping the boats’ means sending more boats
Pick a side – any side. Did you support the Island’s two RNLI all-weather lifeboats crossing the Channel last Sunday,…
Read MoreVectis View: Cllr David Llewellyn – Chairman of IW Council’s Policy, Finance and Resources Committee
When I stood for election, I did so as a Reform candidate with a clear mandate: to scrutinise spending, cut…
Read MoreHOLMSEY: Burnham’s bounce will end at the boiler
It’s far harder to use less energy than to cut back on eating out, groceries and holidays. The price of…
Read MoreHOLMSEY: Looking for perfection in imperfect world
I have a gift for spotting flaws, which means I’m never completely content with anything. Of course, none of us…
Read MoreLOOK BACK IN TIME: August 31, 1889
On August 31, 1889, the Isle of Wight Observer’s editor reflected on a long-standing rivalry between different parts of Ryde,…
Read MoreGREEN FINGERS: We all need some rain
The hot and dry summer is continuing with no rainfall as yet, although there may be a little in the…
Read MoreMR CROW: Camp Hill’s crumbling highways
Local authorities often hail large government grants as “victories” for residents, but the inconvenient paper trail behind the IW Council’s…
Read MoreHOLMSEY: A lifetime of sartorial mishaps
In the final months of school, looking sharp was my primary focus; impressing girls was the goal. School uniforms exist…
Read MoreLOOK BACK IN TIME: August 17, 1901
In the Isle of Wight Observer published on 17th August, 1901, changes to charges at Ryde Borough Isolation Hospital were…
Read MoreLOOK BACK IN TIME: 31 July 1880
On 31st July, 1880, Seaview resident W E. Matthews wrote to the Isle of Wight Observer criticising the Island’s drainage…
Read MoreLOOK BACK IN TIME: 26 July 1919
A homeless man accepting an invitation for a cup of tea ended up at the centre of an unusual court…
Read MoreLOOK BACK IN TIME: 16 July 1921
Concerns over railway fares and competition from road transport are nothing new, as this archive report from the Isle of…
Read MoreHOLMSEY: Holmsey’s got the hump!
The hot weather is affecting every part of our lives, even the fabulous County Show. If you didn’t bother going…
Read More