Shanklin Fire Station in 1906

Shanklin Fire Station with Horse Drawn Vehicle

Here are a couple of postcards posted in 1906 and 1907. They are of Shanklin’s Fire Station and the horse drawn fire vehicle, the building today is Shanklin’s Library.

Old Postcard Hope Road Shanklin

A late Victorian or early Edwardian postcard of Hope Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

Scheme Offers Girls of 13 The Contraceptive Pill

02 Nov, 2010
Isle of Wight
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The Isle of Wight has been chosen to pilot what is perhaps a controversial scheme. From today girls as young as 13 will be able to obtain the “Pill” from Island Chemists without their parent’s or Doctor’s knowledge.

Shanklin 1881

Old 1881 Postcard of Shanklin Deep in Snow

The photo for this Victorian postcard of Shanklin, Isle of Wight, was taken between 18th – 21st January 1881 when heavy snowfall covered much of the country, probably about 4 foot high on the Island and up to 10 foot recorded in Evesham. It shows the junction of the High Street and Victoria Avenue.

Martin Harvey Victorian Actor

I recently discovered an old postcard posted on 30th January 1904 at 8:30pm. There was something a little different about the man on this card that appealed to me, he didn’t seem as “straight laced” as most portrait real photo postcards spanning the Victorian/Edwardian era, the image seemed to have more life. At the time I purchased the postcard I had no idea who he was, what he did, that he had connections with the Isle of Wight or even that he was knighted in 1921.

Isle of Wight Colloquialisms

09 Jul, 2009
Isle of Wight
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Wight words explained by the excellent Mr Caulkhead using the wonderful “ipadio’ service. Discover the meaning of Stabbit, Squitters, Hugger-Mugger and more.

Isle of Wight County Flag

08 Jun, 2009
Isle of Wight
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You may have noticed that the the Isle of Wight has a new flag. Following a competition in the island’s newspaper the “County Press” John Graney’s design for the “Isle of Wight County Flag” beat over 350 entrants.

The Needles : Isle of Wight

05 May, 2009
Isle of Wight
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One of the most iconic images of the Isle of Wight is a group of rocks just off the Western most tip of the Island known as “The Needles”. Throughout the years they have attracted artists, photographers, writers, sailors and holiday makers each of whom have captured their chalky images in one medium or other.