This week, historian Alan Stroud takes a look at the Isle of Wight’s history of cars and subsequent motor traffic boom.

On the County Press letters page, a mainland reader once wrote: “We have had considerable motoring experience in many lands, and frankly the good manners of the average Island motorists surprised us.

“Where will you see such courtesy, such well-timed hand signals, or such neat parking?

“Or the drivers of commercial vehicles, all keeping to their proper side of the road, driving quietly without exceeding their legal speed?

“As to your cyclists, they are superb. We ‘Overners’ must hand it to the Islanders. — I am, Sir, yours faithfully, BXQ 485”

Well, he can’t be talking about today, can he? No, that letter was written in 1936!

Isle of Wight County Press: A ‘point-to-point’ race meeting at Southdown in Chale in 1926 saw an ironic end for one of the 50 cars attending – it had to be pulled out of the field by a horse!A ‘point-to-point’ race meeting at Southdown in Chale in 1926 saw an ironic end for one of the 50 cars attending – it had to be pulled out of the field by a horse! (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

BXQ 485’s letter did not go unnoticed.

‘Nerve Racked’ had his say a few weeks later: “Sir, - I have travelled a good deal and I must say that the Island is the noisiest place that I have ever come across.

“Buses do not hoot in the ordinary way; they go screaming down the roads.

“Private cars lose all sense of proportion and hoot when it is quite unnecessary.

“All this goes on till well after the time when most visitors would like to go to bed to sleep and forget the tumult of the day - I am, sir, yours faithfully, Nerve Racked."

By the time ‘Nerve Racked’ put pen to paper, the Island’s roads had long since given way to the motor car.

Isle of Wight County Press: This poor quality, undated glass negative came in an ancient envelope labelled ‘Curled up at Knighton Shute.’ No doubt some readers will be able to identify the model of car. This poor quality, undated glass negative came in an ancient envelope labelled ‘Curled up at Knighton Shute.’ No doubt some readers will be able to identify the model of car. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

As early as 1922, County Press columnist, Vectensis, reported: “Travelling from Southampton to Bournemouth recently, I noticed only two horse-drawn vehicles in the entire journey, but at hardly any point was the road-view clear of motorcars or lorries.”

To prove the point, just four years later, in 1926, the Isle of Wight Council issued more than 2,000 car licences on the Island, which was nearly double the number issued just two years earlier.

The first traffic jam on the Island occurred a few years later, in 1928, when the public flocked to see the recent massive landslip at Blackgang: “Few anticipated the huge crowd which came from all parts of the Island on Sunday.

“On the Blackgang side, there was a queue of cars stretching from the barrier near the landslide all the way back to Chale Church - about 1½ miles - and local refreshment places were almost overwhelmed.

“On the Niton side there was also a continuous stream of visitors.

“Police were on duty on both sides of the slip controlling the traffic and doing their best to prevent people entering the danger zone, but it was an impossible task.”

Isle of Wight County Press: It’s the sixties, and thanks to HP loans and a strong economy, Britain has become a nation of car owners, including these ones parked on Cowes Esplanade watching the Cowes Week yachting. It’s the sixties, and thanks to HP loans and a strong economy, Britain has become a nation of car owners, including these ones parked on Cowes Esplanade watching the Cowes Week yachting. (Image: Alan Stroud/County Press)

The next year, 1929, the Schneider air race took place over the Island.

Under the headline: Record Motor Traffic, the County Press reported that Ryde had been invaded by more than 5,000 cars in one day.

It wrote: “Although there has never been such a concentration of motor traffic in the town before, not a single accident was reported, although it is computed that about 5,000 cars entered the town during Saturday afternoon and evening.

“From about 8am until after midnight, traffic was moving along the various routes, and it is a compliment to the efficiency of the police and the good common sense of motorists that no congestion or inconvenience occurred.”

From the first days of motoring the Island had been allocated the number plate prefix of DL.

In October, 1935, the last registration in that series – DL 9999 – was issued.

The County Press noted the occasion: “The number of motor vehicles registered in the Island passed the 10,000 mark this week and consequently the additional index letter ‘A’ preceding the familiar ‘DL’ is now being displayed.

“Number 9999 was the last ‘DL’ registration and the next one issued was ‘ADL 1’.

“The distinction of having first ‘ADL’ plate fell to Lady Rowbotham of Brook Hill House, and the last ‘DL’ licence was issued to Mr. M. Wavell, of Yarmouth.”

Barely 18 months later, in February 1937, ‘BDL’ arrived: “The first motor licence with the index letters ‘BDL’ was issued this week.

“The change to ‘ADL’ took place in October 1935, so there have been 1,000 new cars licensed locally in five months.”

During the war petrol was rationed, and private car manufacture all but ceased.

In June 1948, petrol rationing was eased, the County Press reporting: “There was ample evidence of the popularity of petrol restoration on Tuesday.

“Union Street at Ryde regained much of its pre-war atmosphere and during the morning, no fewer than 60 cars were parked there.”

Petrol rationing came to an end two years later in May 1950.

Finally, these words of wisdom come from a Vectensis column in a 1937 County Press: Betty: "Mummy, what happens to a motorcar when it is too old to run?" 

Mother: "Someone sells it to your father."