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Cowes
Cowes maps
Historic maps of Cowes and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Cowes maps
Cowes area books
Displaying 1 of 4 books about Cowes and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Cowes
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Cowes.
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Hell And High Water!
I worked in my Aunts ladies wear shop (Kays), and remember being flodded when heavy rain combined with high tide caused the shop to have water running through from back to the front with my friend Maureen and myself sweeping the ensuing water out of the front door. In those days the floor was bare board and it soon dried out. As it was summer we thought it was good fun and no harm was caused.
Noris Castle
This was the Red Funnel ship Noris Castle an ex tank landing craft.
Change of Use.
The building on the left became an amusement arcade in the early 1950s and then a dental surgery. Later it was demolished and replaced by a new building of flats and a new HQ related to Cowes week which was opened by Prince Philip in 2005.
Special Ladies,Special Island.
My late father Donald Jack Baker was born at Cowes on the 18/8/1910, he would later become my father in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) on the 20/6/1940. Through no fault of our father we children grew up in homes and were later fostered out. All through the years we received little parcels from our grandmother and great grandmother Eva Irene, and Emily Ada Baker nee Baggs. I have recently stood at their unmarked graves and wept for what could not be, how I would have loved to embrace them and thank them for all the kindness, and for the wonderful man who would become our father. At some stage my grandmother sent me a little disc for a neck chain, it had a little triangular flag on it and I understood from my father that this was the emblem of one of the yacht clubs on the island, I lost it in chicken litter and wept for months. Our father never returned to the island, but the island should know of... Read more
Isle of Wight memories
Going to School
I have lived in Australia now for over 40 years. I still have very fond memories of my walk from Grenville Close to West Cowes High school as a 13yr old. The floating bridge was where I had my first smoke and my first kiss!!!! How I miss East Cowes and its natural beauty, if you were at West Cowes High school in 1961 - 1964 drop me a line. clemo10@iprimus.com.au
Life in Newport
I lived in Newport with my Mom Gladys, Father Jock and sisters Tina, Trisha and Jacky. We lived in Prospect Road for many years. My fondest memories are of meeting the gang in The Town Square outside "Mary Lambs" wearing our "Teddy Suits" and showing off to the girls and people staring at us from the buses waiting for passengers. We thought we were just the "bees knees". Some of the guys names I remember (I am now 70 so age does effect the memory a bit) are Duke Carden, Tony Woolcock, Nicky Price (I think from Prices Taxis) George Hall (joined the Guards Regiment for awhile).
We used to go most Saturdays to The Winter Gardens Ventnor by coach from Newport but depending "how lucky we were" the return trip might be on another coach entirely. Well I remember trying to convince the driver going to lets say Ryde I had lost my ticket and prompting my new found girl friend to support my story.
Toms Cafe at the... Read more
Fletchers Pond
I first used to cycle to this school - which was split between Newport Priory Boys' Secondary Modern School and Carisbrooke Grammar School - in 1961. The long, low building to the left of the picture was the Priory Boys' School, the taller building to the right was the Grammar.
Every day I cycled from my home in Clatterford Road, round the back of St Mary's Church, past Fletcher's Pond, and then down the track you can see in the photo to the school. The track crossed the old railway line from Newport to Freshwater just about where the first hedge line is, and Carisbrooke Station was to the right, out of shot. I only remember it as rubble, because the line was closed before I went to the school, and I think there was a fire at the station, but I may be wrong. Anyway, there was nothing much left.
I remember the school was set on several levels with a gymnasium at one end, and the canteen at... Read more
