Holidays At "Shoreside", Seaview I.O.W

A Memory of Seaview.

Our September holidays were spent at "Shoreside", the grand old house in the centre of the photo.
Back then it was owned by Colonel and Mrs Farquhar and Colonel Summers, my nan worked for the Farquhars in Wiltshire and was given leave to use the house for her families' annual holidays.
there was quite a tribe of us, Nan,Mum & Dad, myself and two brothers and sister. My other Nanny (dads mother) My Aunt Kath, Uncle Dan and cousin and my Uncle Fred, Aunt June and two more cousins.
The house was a magical place for the seven of us children from the cellar to the attic, we could explore to our hearts content, all except the second floor which was out of bounds, as it was where the owners had their belongings.
we told our younger siblings that the second floor was haunted which was why we couldn't go there. Kid stuff, but frightened the stuffing out of the younger ones.
This marvellous house have a library, a music room and even a secret door through to another room. there was a fog horn in the day-room to warn ships of pending doom and a huge horse chestnut tree at the back which supplied many nuts for games of conkers. Colonel Summers' boat house was also "out of bounds" so we never did know what the boat was like or even if there was one in there.
At high tide the sea level rose up the steps to the beach side garden and then at lower tide we'd make our way out to the pontoon. At low tide we'd go on rambles along the beach and walk all the way to Ryde always fearful of the areas of quicksand that we had to pass.
We'd explore this little island paradise to our hearts content, so many memories, so many fun times spent with family.
I was devastated when I saw this stately home sold and turned into a hotel , one day I will get back there. We emigrated to Australia in 1967 and this house and its surrounds will always have a place in my heart.
Mary Maillou