Ventnor Blog

Many thanks to VentnorBlog reader, Fazioli for sharing this piece of history about the wonderful musical resource that is held at Ventnor Library. It came up in a ‘conversation’ surrounding Edward Elgar. Ed

When the late Mr Snow was librarian at Ventnor in the 60s and 70s, Victor Fleming the famous musician who retired to Honeythorne on the seafront (other oldies will remember this was the house that used to have metal railings in the shape of music staves with quotes from Wagner and Schubert on) donated his vast private collection of sheet music and books to the library.
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This being the 150th anniversary of the birth of Edward Elgar, it’s highly appropriate that yesterday saw the unveiling of a blue plaque commemorating Elgar’s honeymoon stay in Ventnor.

Around 15-20 people braved the cold winds and gathered at 3 Alexandra Gardens in Ventnor today to hear Graham Bennett, the walking encyclopaedia of Ventnor history, deliver a short introduction about Elgar and Ventnor. He handed over to Andrew Neill, Chairman of the Elgar Society who completed the picture of Elgar’s stay and how his musical career really came together following his marriage … and trip to Ventnor. Elgar musical output was formidable, as you can see in his Wikipedia entry.
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If, like us, you’re someone who walks along Alexandra Gardens on a regular basis, you may’ve noticed that the plaque outside number 3, commemorating Sir Edward Elgar staying there has disappeared.

Don’t worry, we don’t have a plaque thief on our hands, the old one, which admittedly was looking very tired and rusty, has been removed to make way for a brand spanking new one.
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A MEDIEVAL seal matrix unearthed by metal detectors on the Isle of Wight is set to go on display at the British Museum later this month.
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If you haven’t been down (or up) to Ventnor Library recently, you won’t have seen the new exhibition.

It’s a very extensive exhibition that covers the history of St. Catherine’s Lighthouse and its predecessors.

Michael Walter, the curator of the lighthouse has done a tremendous amount of work pulling together the history of the workings of the lighthouse and it sounds like a very interesting exhibition.

Well worth checking out and if it makes an impression on you, why not write a review of it for the Blog?

[image courtesy of Isle of Wight Historic Postcards]

If you haven’t been down to the Ventnor Heritage Museum in while, do take some time out over the next few weeks to pop along.

Apart from all the brilliant displays and wealth of knowledge about the area that the museum holds, they also have a rather nostalgic “then and now” collection of photographs on show.

The collection includes pictures of the 1930/1940’s amateur dramatics that used to take place in Ventnor. I’m interested to see how different the shows and costumes were compared to now.

The museum (on Spring Hill) is open Tuesday-Friday 10 am to 4 30 pm. Saturdays 10 am to 12.30 am. It will only cost you £1 to get in. Seniors and kids get in for 75p.

We promised you an official statement from English Heritage in relation to their historic area adviser, Graham Steaggles’ last letter to the council regarding the Mill Bay Development.

Some elements of the letter surprised us, while other remarks confused us. We’re publishing the statement in full and have reserved our comments to the end. The highlights in the statement are ours.

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For all of you with a few quid in your pocket rattling around, fancying a des res just off the Island, The Daily Mail is covering the sale of No Mans Land Fort, in the Solent.

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Every time we drive past one of the three ‘Welcome to Ventnor’ signs, our daughter, Alpha, reads the sign and declares proudly “We’re in Ventnor”.

She was in an inquisitive mood yesterday and after telling me we were definitely now in Ventnor, asked “Why has the sign got a lady on it?”

“She’s Hygeia,” I explained, “the goddess of health and well being.”

It reminded me of an article that Brian Lucas wrote for the Blog some time ago, that I hadn’t got around to using. Now seems like the perfect opportunity, so if you don’t know much about this beautiful lady, who has not only been adopted by Ventnor and it’s brewery, but also immortalised by Gustav Klimt, then read on ….

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If you like digging around in the ground or have a keen interest in dinosaurs, then you should make your way to Newport Roman Villa on 14th July to take part in a “Finds Roadshow.”

Between 10am to 4pm as part of National Archaeology Week, the Villa will be hosting a free fun packed event. You’ll have a chance to meet and chat to experts from the worlds of archaeology, history and dinosaur studies who’ll be able to answer questions about not only the Island but also Britain’s past.

So what’s on offer? Well, how about identification of your archaeological finds by Finds Liaison Officer of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, Frank Basford. Take the chance to meet a curator from the British Museum (Barry Ager, Curator of Continental and Early Medieval and Viking Collections) and tap into his knowledge of all things ancient.
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Whilst looking up the phone number for the local History Society on their website today (in response to Zetec’s query about a button he found in his garden) I noticed an interesting entry.

“The Isle of Wight Council’s Conservation & Design Team are inviting nominations for inclusion in the Island’s first ‘Local List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest’

The list will be supplementary to the National Statutory Listed Buildings list (which includes 119 buildings in Ventnor) and as well as including Buildings and Structures may include Parks and Gardens and places of social, cultural and religious interest etc”.

Anyone can make a nomination for a building to be included, criteria and full details are available on the Council Website.

I am sure there are plenty of buildings in Ventnor that are worth nominating (if they aren’t already protected).

If swinging is your thing, then this event organised by the Friends of Brading Roman Villa should be right up your street.

But you can forget about dropping your car keys into a bowl on the coffee table, for it is the dancing form of swinging that we’re talking about.

Singing and Swinging is a fundraising event in the grounds of the Villa and aims to raise funds and awareness for the Friends of Brading Roman Villa and St Lawrence Churches.

From 7pm you can enjoy (if that’s your thing) the favourites of Gilbert and Sullivan, performed by the very able Island Savoyards. Then to really get you going, the Unity Stompers will have you swinging your hips and thumping your fingers from 8pm for at least two hours.

Tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the gate, there’s a licensed wine bar and you can chance your luck in the raffle. If you want to take the kids along, any under 8 go free.

Why not take a picnic too and cross your fingers for warm dry weather!

The event is sponsored by TL Risk Solutions.

Anyone who heard the interview on R4 this morning with a former Radar worker may’ve had some old memories sparked.

If you did, prepare for more, as we are very pleased to have had contact with a former RAF member who has agreed to put together his account of the previous life of the Radar Station up on St Boniface Downs.

The seemingly lifeless National Air Traffic Site at the top of St. Boniface may be well known to all Ventnorians, but fifty years ago the scene up there was very different. It was the home of an Early Warning Radar Station and the area was dominated by a huge rotating radar and three weird looking nodding height finding radars.

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For anyone interested in finding out out a bit about their family’s hostiry, a new course will be starting in Ventnor on Thursday 19th April. Running for three weeky between 1 - 3pm at the Community Cafe in Albert Street, this short course is aimed at beginners who wish to research their family’s history. Places are limited so if you’re interested get in touch on 527529 or email lb@learninglinks.co.uk to book a place.

Total cost £6 per person.

Organised by: Learning Links (Southern) Ltd,
(127 Pyle Street, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1JW)
Tel: 01983 527529
Website

Those ever-innovative kids at Bestival HQ are throwing open a stage on Sunday night at Bestival to all-comers, giving them a chance that many bands that would give their last plectrum for.

It’s under the auspices of The Dulwich Ukulele Club, or The DUC to their friends, those who have the determination to grab hold of a Ukulele and learn to play a few songs on it will be able to regale their future grandkids with tales of the time _They_ played at Bestival. Think Hendrix at Woodstock, Orbital at Glastonbury, Night of 100 Ukes at Bestival.

If you haven’t heard of The DUC, you’re clearly not getting out enough. The Guardian hold them in high regard saying such lovely things as ‘The Dulwich Ukulele Club are a must-see. No kidding.’

Listening to their tracks on MySpace, Bestival goers will be able to half shut their eyes and imagine the beauty of a stage full of enthusiastic amateurs (and some not so amateurs) twanging away to “Heaven,” while the seas of Bestival goers sway softly from side-to-side, warm sun on their backs, gently smiling to each other. Who could miss out on something as heart-warming as that.

Given the ownership of a Ukulele is a passport to play at Bestival, you just know that you’d better act sharpish and get down to your favourite retailer of stringed instruments to grab yourself a Uke - expect a similar run on them as Delia Smith generated for Cranberries one xmas. The owners of Duke of Uke, in London’s Brick Lane (Well Hanbury Street actually) will be smiling from ear to ear.

Forming a band by giving everyone a chance to twang themselves into festival history isn’t something that we’ve ever heard of anyone doing before and those who have been moved by I’d like to teach the world to sing (the sentiment, not the drink endorsement), will be able to live the dream.

Once the Uke is in your hands, simply point your Web browser to the Night of 100 Ukes MySpace in the run up to Bestival to get the details of songs, lyrics and chords you need to learn and pluck around by yourself, perhaps joining the rehearsal at “a central London pub” in August, or given enough demand there’ll be one organised on the Island too - tune back for further news.

We went through a period about 18-20 months ago of going to the Shanklin Auction Rooms on a monthly basis - both the antique and modern days.

Although the quality of the auction lots were very highly variable - especially on the modern days - there were quite a few items scattered around the house that came from there. What unites all of them is that they were a jolly good buy.

Knowing that you found a source of a bargain is always a bit of a dilemma. You’re torn between helping people out and sharing your source of good value buys or keeping it to yourself so you can keep getting the odd bargain when the urge arises. Clearly from writing this post, we’ve chosen the former.

As of 1 April, the Islands two auction houses, Ways Auction House and Shanklin Auction Rooms officially merged (no it’s not another April F. Ool story) and the winners will be residents of the South East of the Island as Ways will be upping sticks in Ryde and shifting themselves to Shanklin. Hurrah!

To mark the coming together of the two, they’re renaming to become …. you guessed it … Island Auctions.

The newly merged company will be holding their first auction tomorrow and Wednesday at 9 Regent Street, Shanklin and you get hold of them via their Web site or on (01983) 863441.

Ventnor Local History Society and Heritage Museum

Presents

Twelve Curiosities Of The Isle of Wight

by Don Margham

At the Masonic Hall

(Non-Members Welcome - Admission £1)