Island Images - The Places

Coppins Bridge looking towards Snooks Hill in the 1960's before some congenital idiot on the Council decided it would be a jolly good idea to demolish it and create the biggest planned traffic disaster on the Isle of Wight.  The building on the far right of the photograph is the only one still existing, its the Pentacostal Church.  Until recently, the remnants of those railings still stood outside it.  Notice the absence of traffic.

If you decide to build a tramway, its customery to plan a route and if there are any buildings in the way, buy them up and demolish them.  Oh no! not in Ryde we don't.  We knock a ruddy great hole in them and send the tram right through.
The bemused onlooker in this photograph is admiring the archway after the tramway closed, because the railway decided to copy the idea and build a track from Ryde St. Johns to the Pier head.  They, however, built a tunnel.

Noahs Ark, Newport Harbour.  For many years it sat on the western bank filled up with a large Newport family.
In the end they left and it was burnt down as a dangerous and unhealthy structure.  No change there then?

Newport harbour again, this is the view up the channel between the railway viaduct on the left and the old warehouses that faced into Sea Street. Both were demolished in the 1960's, the area on the right now has had a couple of tatty prefabricated structures on the site for some years, housing the planning department of the Isle of Wight Council.
Now, there's a surprise, eh!

 Another one of Newport harbour, this was taken from the western bank where Little London now is joined to the Riverside.

Sorry about the quality, this is a little store in Oakfield High Street, Ryde, taken in the early part of the 20th century

Taken from the bell tower of Newport's St Thomas's church in the 1960's, the tower of the fire station features in this view towards Pan down.

Going back 40 years, this same 1920's view sees the infamous yards in South Street where Valentine Gray, the little chimney sweep met his miserable death.

There's a celebration on at Timothy Whites as the policeman directs traffic in Newport's St James Square.  The year is 1934.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wests Stores in St Johns Road, Ryde.  Notice the pussy cat by the door, I think his name was Homer.

Back to the Ryde tram and big holes in buildings.  Here it is approaching Ryde Pier head to pick up a very important gentleman in a top hat, he told me so himself!    No, just kidding.   God's in his heaven, the gent scans the Times, the British Empire is at its height and the tram's even on time.  Those were the days!
 

This was the brewery owner's house and part of the old Eagle Brewery which stood at the top of George Street, Ryde.   It was knocked down for a supermarket carpark to be extended. Shame really, twenty years later the supermarket went as well, history is very unforgiving to buildings.
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