A look back at Christmas on the Isle of Wight 50 years ago

It’s the week before Christmas and in the charts, Slade are number one with Merry Xmas Everybody.

But it’s not all bad news – there are some bargains to be had in the “For Sale” pages.

Under the heading: Livestock, an impressive selection of pets are on sale – budgies for 75p, baby rabbits and guinea pigs for 25p each and baby hamsters are just 30p.

Lower High Street, Newport, in the mid '70s. They’re all there – Creasey and Jeffery, Staggs, Vectis Office Equipment, Spanners and more. What a busy old High Street it was. (Image: County Press)

But that’s nothing. Also on sale, sadly unpriced, are a black whippet, Friesian bull calves, Siamese kittens, labrador pups, a Springer spaniel, a Chestnut filly and even a pedigree Hereford bull.

If real live animals were not your cup of tea, in the small ads one seller was advertising a wonderful job lot of a tortoise on wheels, a large rocking horse, with a selection of Max Bygraves LPs thrown in.

If you wanted carpets, you were also in luck.

Islandwide Carpets of Ryde were offering them from 95p per square yard.

If it’s a gun you wanted for Christmas, an exchange was offered, ‘Guns. 12-bore single, excellent condition, in exchange for boat engine. Ryde.’

Demolition work in Lower Pyle Street to make way for the Somerfield supermarket and what is now TK Maxx. Dear Brian Greening never quite got the hang of the name and used to call it: T. Rex. (Image: County Press)

On the ’Letters’ page, Mrs Winifred Hibberd of Brook Cottage, Shalfleet, set a poser under the headline ‘No Prize Offered!’

Referring to some proposed traffic plans, she writes: “Here is a conundrum which your readers might like to amuse themselves with over Christmas.

“Two new roads are proposed.

“One, the Shalfleet Bypass, urgently needed to divert fast main road traffic (up to 6,000 vehicles a day), including a great many enormous lorries away from the beautiful and extremely dangerous village street.

“A simple and straightforward job, unanimously approved by residents and public. Estimated cost: £300.000.

“Or two, The Shanklin Relief Road.

Blimey, it must be Christmas! One child free with every adult, and adult fare just 85p. (Image: County Press)

“It seems likely to benefit no one but motorists anxious to waste petrol by driving from Ventnor to Whiteley Bank by way of Cowleaze, involves cutting into a number of private gardens, a new unsightly roundabout, the demolition of several perfectly sound buildings and the ruin of a pleasant residential corner of the town.

“Bitterly opposed by the general public. Estimated cost: £1,000,000.

“Which of these two roads is the IW Council determined to build immediately, and which is to be postponed for ten to 15 years?

Good question. But sadly, Mrs Hibberd has missed a trick pondering on which one would be built.

She forgot to include the option ‘neither of them’ which was, of course, the correct answer.

While we’re on the subject of pie in the sky, a civic hall and shopping precinct for Cowes was under discussion.

The County Press reported: “A development scheme for the former Cowes railway station and surrounding area was discussed by Cowes Council on Tuesday.

“The outline planning application by S.G.J. Holdings, included residential development, a shopping precinct, a supermarket, a large central car park and a civic hall.” – And a partridge in a pear tree.

It had been a busy week in the courts; 46 six cases were heard, of which the bulk, 35, were for motoring offences.

They included (deep breath here) failure to exhibit a licence, using a car with no insurance, using a car with no mot, driving without due care and attention, overtaking within the limits of a zebra crossing, rear tyre not conforming to regulations, not displaying L plates, insufficient direction indicators, using a trailer not fitted with wings, exceeding 30 mph limit and stopping on a zebra crossing.

There are lots more, but you get the picture.

Cases not involving motorists included a breach of the Litter Act, trespassing in search of game, theft of a record player, theft of drugs and syringes from Whitecroft hospital, possession of cannabis, and occasioning GBH at the Birdcage Disco, Sandown.

On the brighter side, unemployment was low.

The many jobs advertised that week included: “Bricklayer required at Whitecroft Hospital. Newport. £26.88 for a 40-hour week. Apply in writing, giving age, experience and names of two referees.”

A private employer in the next ad wasn’t bothered about referees – he had other requirements: “Bricklayers wanted, Ventnor area. — Phone 852XXX between 6-7 p.m. No cowboys.”

Finally, Christmas 1973 wasn’t a good time for everyone.

Under the headline: Ruling On Pension To Stand, the County Press reported on the sad and, on the face of it, mean-spirited treatment of a former employee at a time when the state pension was just £7.75.

 “There is nothing Newport Borough Council can do to restore the pension of Mr. Bill Johnstone, 82-year-old former council roadman,” said the County Press.

“Mr Johnstone of Caesars Road, Newport, had retired when he was 70 after 42 year’s service.

“During a discussion on the problem by the borough's finance committee, it was pointed out that the £2.67 a week which Mr. Johnstone had been receiving until recently was not a pension, but a gratuity — the equivalent of two years pay spread over 12 years.

“It was purely discretionary and some councils in the Island did not pay it at all.”

“There is nothing we can do,” Alderman Steele said.

And on that note – A Merry Christmas.