Ryde
Encyclopedia
Ryde is a British
seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight
, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort
following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower Ryde in the 19th century. The influence of this era is still strongly visible in the town's central and seafront architecture.
As a resort, the town is noted for its expansive sands that are revealed at low tide, making its pier necessary on the wide beach for a regular passenger service. Ryde Pier
is a listed structure which is the fourth longest pier in the United Kingdom
, and also the oldest.
, which sank suddenly at Spithead
, were washed ashore at Ryde. Many were buried on land that is now occupied by The Esplanade. A memorial to them was erected in June 2004.
The hovercraft
to Southsea
is operated by Hovertravel
near the Esplanade close to Ryde Esplanade railway station
and the bus station. A catamaran
service run by Wightlink
operates from Ryde Pier to Portsmouth Harbour
which connects with both Island Line
trains and mainland trains to London Waterloo
. The Island Line Trains service runs from Ryde Pier Head
via Ryde Esplanade to Shanklin
, a distance of 8½ miles. Ryde St John's Road railway station
lies further south in the town. A major bus interchange is situated between Ryde Pier and the Hover Terminal on the Esplanade with frequent services to many island towns and villages. Ryde is the second busiest place in the Southern Vectis
network, smaller only to Newport
. The most frequent service is route 9
to Newport, running every 10 minutes in the daytime. Other main routes include services 2
, 3
, 4
, 8
and local route 37. An open top bus tour called "The Downs Tour
" is also run in the summer,
Ryde has few large public open spaces beyond the esplanade, but areas for public recreation include Appley Park, Puckpool Park, Vernon Square, Simeon Street Recreation Ground, St John's Park, St Thomas' churchyard, Salter Road recreation ground, and Oakfield Football Club.
At one time Ryde had two separate piers; the other being the Victoria Pier, no longer in existence. Ryde has its own inshore rescue service which mostly has to deal with people becoming stranded on sandbanks as the incoming tide cuts them off from the shore. The pier is also a feature of the 67-mile Isle of Wight Coastal Path
, which is marked with blue signs with a white seagull.
Ryde has a small marina located to the east of Ryde Pier. It is tidal and dries out at low water hence it is more suitable for smaller sailing (bilge keel
) and motor cruisers. It has provision for up to 200 boats, either on floating pontoons or leaning against the harbour wall. It has a full time harbourmaster
who posts useful snippets of information on the noticeboard outside the harbour office including weather information, tide times, cruise liner movements and events that occurred on this day in history.
The twin church spires clearly visible from the sea belong to All Saints' (the taller) and Holy Trinity churches. All Saints' Church
is located in Queens Road on a road junction known as Five Ways. It was designed by George Gilbert Scott
and completed in 1872. The spire is 177 feet tall. Holy Trinity Church
is in Dover Street. It was designed by Thomas Hellyer and completed in 1845.
The town’s Roman Catholic church, St. Mary's
, is located in High Street. It was built in 1846 at a cost of £18,000. This was provided by Elizabeth, Countess of Clare. The church was designed by Joseph Hansom
inventor of the hansom cab
. Other churches include St. James' Church, Ryde
and Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Swanmore, Ryde
. There are also Baptist, Methodist and Elim churches in the town.
Ryde Castle, situated on the Esplanade, was built c1840 as a private house in crenellated style and is now a hotel.
". Many bars, pubs and restaurants can be found on the Esplanade and on the town's main shopping street, Union Street.
The town's local football team was for many years Ryde Sports F.C.
, now replaced by Ryde Saints F.C. & Ryde FC SUNDAY.
Speedway is staged just outside the town. The Isle of Wight Islanders started as members of the Conference League before moving up to the Premier League.
. Ryde Carnival remains the island's largest carnival, with local crowds and mainland visitors totalling in excess of 50,000 spectators. Performers consist of community groups, schools, multiple samba and brass bands, stilt walkers and family groups, with over 2,000 performers taking part in August 2006.
In 2001 a London
carnival group called Kinetika was brought to the island to teach carnival skills to adults and young people in community workshops. Since Kinetika's input the carnival has been expanding, with its effects felt throughout the island's other carnivals. Near Ryde at Westridge is the Arts Council-funded Carnival Learning Centre, where carnival skills and crafts are taught.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower Ryde in the 19th century. The influence of this era is still strongly visible in the town's central and seafront architecture.
As a resort, the town is noted for its expansive sands that are revealed at low tide, making its pier necessary on the wide beach for a regular passenger service. Ryde Pier
Ryde Pier
Ryde Pier is an early 19th century pier serving the town of Ryde, on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England.- Before the pier :Before the pier was built, passengers to Ryde had the uncomfortable experience of coming ashore on the back of a porter and then, depending on the state of the...
is a listed structure which is the fourth longest pier in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and also the oldest.
History
In 1782 numerous bodies of men, women and children from HMS Royal GeorgeHMS Royal George (1756)
HMS Royal George was a 100-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Woolwich Dockyard and launched on 18 February 1756...
, which sank suddenly at Spithead
Spithead
Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds, except those from the southeast...
, were washed ashore at Ryde. Many were buried on land that is now occupied by The Esplanade. A memorial to them was erected in June 2004.
Transportation
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
to Southsea
Southsea
Southsea is a seaside resort located in Portsmouth at the southern end of Portsea Island in the county of Hampshire in England. Southsea is within a mile of Portsmouth's city centre....
is operated by Hovertravel
Hovertravel
Hovertravel is a ferry company operating from Southsea, Portsmouth to Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK. They are the only company operating in Britain with passenger hovercraft, after Hoverspeed stopped using their craft in favour of catamarans...
near the Esplanade close to Ryde Esplanade railway station
Ryde Esplanade railway station
Ryde Transport Interchange or Gateway serves the town of Ryde, Isle of Wight, England.The interchange consists of Ryde Esplanade railway station on the Island Line, the connected bus station and taxi ranks, and the nearby Hoverport. The existing facilities were due to be rebuilt from October 2007...
and the bus station. A catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
service run by Wightlink
Wightlink
Wightlink is a ferry company operating routes between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in southern England.Their core routes are car ferries from Lymington to Yarmouth and Portsmouth to Fishbourne...
operates from Ryde Pier to Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...
which connects with both Island Line
Island Line, Isle of Wight
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
trains and mainland trains to London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
. The Island Line Trains service runs from Ryde Pier Head
Ryde Pier Head railway station
Ryde Pier Head railway station is one of three stations in the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Situated at the end of the town's pier, it is adjacent to the terminal for the Wightlink fast catamaran service connecting the island with Portsmouth on the UK mainland...
via Ryde Esplanade to Shanklin
Shanklin
Shanklin is a popular seaside resort and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, England, located on the east coast's Sandown Bay. The sandy beach, its Old Village and a wooded ravine, Shanklin Chine, are its main attractions. The esplanade along the beach is occupied by hotels and restaurants for the...
, a distance of 8½ miles. Ryde St John's Road railway station
Ryde St John's Road railway station
Ryde St John's Road is a railway station on the Island Line, and serves the town of Ryde, Isle of Wight. The station is south of Ryde Pier Head—the Island Line's northern terminus. When the station opened in 1864, it was known as Ryde railway station, as it was the northern terminus of the...
lies further south in the town. A major bus interchange is situated between Ryde Pier and the Hover Terminal on the Esplanade with frequent services to many island towns and villages. Ryde is the second busiest place in the Southern Vectis
Southern Vectis
The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
network, smaller only to Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
. The most frequent service is route 9
Southern Vectis route 9
Southern Vectis route 9 is a bus route operated on the Isle of Wight by Southern Vectis between Newport and Ryde via Fairlee/Staplers, Wootton and Binstead. The general daytime frequency of the route is every 10 minutes in each direction, every 15 minutes on Sundays and every 15 minutes in the...
to Newport, running every 10 minutes in the daytime. Other main routes include services 2
Southern Vectis route 2
Southern Vectis route 2 is a bus service operated on the Isle of Wight by Southern Vectis between Newport and Ryde via Merstone, Godshill, Shanklin, Sandown and Brading. The general daytime frequency of the route is every half-hour each direction, although in the evenings and on Sundays fewer buses...
, 3
Southern Vectis route 3
Southern Vectis route 3 is a bus service operated on the Isle of Wight by Southern Vectis between Newport, Ventnor and Ryde. It also runs via Rookley, Godshill and Brading. The general daytime frequency of the route is every half-hour each direction, although in the evenings and on Sundays fewer...
, 4
Southern Vectis route 4
Southern Vectis route 4 is a bus service operated on the Isle of Wight by Southern Vectis between Ryde and East Cowes via Haylands, Binstead, Wootton Bridge, Whippingham and Osborne House. The general daytime frequency of the route is every 30 minutes in each direction...
, 8
Southern Vectis route 8
Southern Vectis route 8 is a bus service operated on the Isle of Wight by Southern Vectis between Newport and Ryde. The route travels via Pan Estate, Robin Hill, Arreton, Winford, Lake, Sandown, Yaverland, Bembridge, St Helens, Nettlestone, Seaview and Pondwell. The general daytime frequency of the...
and local route 37. An open top bus tour called "The Downs Tour
Island Breezers
Island Breezers is the brand name given to the open top bus services run by Southern Vectis, which is the main bus operator on the Isle of Wight....
" is also run in the summer,
Amenities
The town's large and long esplanade area has always been an attraction for tourists, especially those day-tripping from the mainland, as the amenities are all available by walking from the pier. A swimming pool, bowls club, ice rink, bowling alley, and boating lake are among the attractions, and there are various children's playgrounds, amusement arcades and cafés.Ryde has few large public open spaces beyond the esplanade, but areas for public recreation include Appley Park, Puckpool Park, Vernon Square, Simeon Street Recreation Ground, St John's Park, St Thomas' churchyard, Salter Road recreation ground, and Oakfield Football Club.
At one time Ryde had two separate piers; the other being the Victoria Pier, no longer in existence. Ryde has its own inshore rescue service which mostly has to deal with people becoming stranded on sandbanks as the incoming tide cuts them off from the shore. The pier is also a feature of the 67-mile Isle of Wight Coastal Path
Isle of Wight Coastal Path
.There are a couple of cafes on the cliff path which I believe are open in the summer months. The only public convenience on the cliff path now appears to be closed permanently ....
, which is marked with blue signs with a white seagull.
Ryde has a small marina located to the east of Ryde Pier. It is tidal and dries out at low water hence it is more suitable for smaller sailing (bilge keel
Bilge keel
A bilge keel is used to reduce the hull's tendency to roll. Bilge keels are employed in pairs . A ship may have more than one bilge keel per side, but this is rare. Bilge keels increase hydrodynamic resistance to rolling, making the ship roll less...
) and motor cruisers. It has provision for up to 200 boats, either on floating pontoons or leaning against the harbour wall. It has a full time harbourmaster
Harbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
who posts useful snippets of information on the noticeboard outside the harbour office including weather information, tide times, cruise liner movements and events that occurred on this day in history.
Buildings
All Saints' Church, Ryde
All Saints' Church, Ryde is a parish church in the Church of England located in Ryde, Isle of Wight. The building is a landmark of the Island and is sometimes referred to as the "Cathedral of the Island".-History:...
is located in Queens Road on a road junction known as Five Ways. It was designed by George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
and completed in 1872. The spire is 177 feet tall. Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church, Ryde
Holy Trinity Church, Ryde is a parish church in the Church of England located in Ryde, Isle of Wight.-History:The church was built in 1845 by the architect Thomas Hellyer in Dover Street, and was the first parish church in Ryde. The church contains stained glass windows by James Powell and Sons and...
is in Dover Street. It was designed by Thomas Hellyer and completed in 1845.
The town’s Roman Catholic church, St. Mary's
St. Mary's Church, Ryde
St. Mary's Church, Ryde is a Catholic Church in the parish of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. The parish was created in the 19th century when the Countess of Clare built St. Mary's Church.-History:...
, is located in High Street. It was built in 1846 at a cost of £18,000. This was provided by Elizabeth, Countess of Clare. The church was designed by Joseph Hansom
Joseph Hansom
Joseph Aloysius Hansom was a prolific English architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style, who invented the Hansom cab and was one of the founders of the eminent architectural journal, The Builder, in 1843....
inventor of the hansom cab
Hansom cab
The hansom cab is a kind of horse-drawn cart designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York. The vehicle was developed and tested by Hansom in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. Originally called the Hansom safety cab, it was designed to combine speed with safety, with a low...
. Other churches include St. James' Church, Ryde
St. James' Church, Ryde
St. James' Church, Ryde is a proprietary chapel in the Church of England located in Ryde, Isle of Wight.-Organ:The organ was built in 1911 by James Ivemey of Southampton. It was later replaced by an organ originally in a Methodist church on St. Peter's Street in Winchester. A specification of the...
and Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Swanmore, Ryde
Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Swanmore, Ryde
The Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Swanmore, near Haylands in Ryde is a parish church in the Church of England located in Ryde, Isle of Wight.-History:...
. There are also Baptist, Methodist and Elim churches in the town.
Ryde Castle, situated on the Esplanade, was built c1840 as a private house in crenellated style and is now a hotel.
Entertainment
Sited on The Esplanade is an ice rink and a pavilion, converted to house a nightclub and bowling alley feature on the Esplanade, the former being the home of the Isle of Wight's ice-hockey team, the "Wightlink RaidersWightlink Raiders
The Wightlink Raiders are an ice hockey team based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, England. They are sponsored by Wightlink and play in the third-tier English National Ice Hockey League...
". Many bars, pubs and restaurants can be found on the Esplanade and on the town's main shopping street, Union Street.
The town's local football team was for many years Ryde Sports F.C.
Ryde Sports F.C.
Ryde Sports Football Club was an English football club based in Ryde, Isle of Wight.Before its demise, Ryde Sports was for many years a successful and significant club on the Isle of Wight and in Hampshire, and an important part of the town of Ryde.-Foundation:Ryde Sports F.C. was founded in 1888...
, now replaced by Ryde Saints F.C. & Ryde FC SUNDAY.
Speedway is staged just outside the town. The Isle of Wight Islanders started as members of the Conference League before moving up to the Premier League.
Carnival
Ryde is noted for its carnivals. There are five throughout the year - an Arts Parade in June; Children's, Main and Illuminated processions at the end of August and a Lantern Parade in December. The Carnival at Ryde is the oldest in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Ryde Carnival remains the island's largest carnival, with local crowds and mainland visitors totalling in excess of 50,000 spectators. Performers consist of community groups, schools, multiple samba and brass bands, stilt walkers and family groups, with over 2,000 performers taking part in August 2006.
In 2001 a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
carnival group called Kinetika was brought to the island to teach carnival skills to adults and young people in community workshops. Since Kinetika's input the carnival has been expanding, with its effects felt throughout the island's other carnivals. Near Ryde at Westridge is the Arts Council-funded Carnival Learning Centre, where carnival skills and crafts are taught.
Famous connections
- Raymond AllenRaymond Allen (scriptwriter)Raymond Allen is a British television writer most notable for creating the 1970s sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.-Early life:...
- TV screenwriter (Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'EmSome Mothers Do 'Ave 'EmSome Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em was a BBC situation comedy, written by Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice.The series followed the accident-prone Frank Spencer and his tolerant wife Betty through Frank's various attempts to hold down a job, which frequently end in...
), attended Ryde Secondary Modern School. - William BoothWilliam BoothWilliam Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
- the founder of the Salvation ArmySalvation ArmyThe Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
spent the first part of his honeymoonHoneymoon-History:One early reference to a honeymoon is in Deuteronomy 24:5 “When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him...
in Ryde. - Sam BrowneSam BrowneGeneral Sir Samuel James Browne VC GCB KCSI was a British Indian Army cavalry officer in India and the Afghanistan, best known today as the namesake of the Sam Browne belt...
- the soldier after whom the belt was named, retired and lived the last years of his life in a house called Argosy on East Hill Road, Ryde. - Sir Charles Clifford, 4th BaronetSir Charles Clifford, 4th BaronetSir Charles Cavendish Clifford, 4th Baronet was an English barrister and Liberal Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament for over 20 years, representing seats on the Isle of Wight, and served as private secretary to the Liberal statesman Viscount Palmerston.- Family and early life...
(1821–1895) - barrister and LiberalLiberal Party (UK)The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
member of Parliament, lived at Westfield House, Ryde. - William HuttWilliam Hutt (British MP)Sir William Hutt KCB, PC was a British Liberal politician who was heavily involved in the colonization of New Zealand and South Australia.-Background and education:...
- colonial administrator, was educated in Ryde and resided at Appley Towers. - David IckeDavid IckeDavid Vaughan Icke is an English writer and public speaker, best known for his views on what he calls "who and what is really controlling the world." Describing himself as the most controversial speaker in the world, he has written 18 books explaining his position, and has attracted a substantial...
- is a Ryde resident. - Mark KingMark King (musician)Mark King is an English musician. He is most famous for being the lead singer and bassist of the band, Level 42. In the early 1980s King popularized the 1970s-era slap and pop style for playing the bass guitar by incorporating it into pop music.-Early life:King was brought up on the Isle of Wight,...
- the Level 42Level 42Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
musician, originally from GurnardGurnard, Isle of WightGurnard is a village and civil parish on the Isle of Wight, two miles to the west of Cowes. Gurnard sits on the edge of Gurnard Bay, enjoyed by the Gurnard Sailing Club.Gurnard's main street features a pub , a few shops and a few houses...
, opened a pub, Joe Daflos, in Union Street, Ryde in the 1980s. - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
- the title of the song "Ticket to RideTicket to Ride"Ticket to Ride" is a song by The Beatles from their 1965 album, Help!. It was recorded 15 February 1965 and released two months later. -Composition:...
" was inspired by a trip they took to Ryde in the 1960s supposedly visiting Paul’s cousin who worked in the Bow Bars public house in Union Street. McCartney also mentions the Isle of WightIsle of WightThe Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
in the song "When I'm Sixty-FourWhen I'm Sixty-Four"When I'm Sixty-Four" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and released in 1967 on their album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.-Composition:...
". - F. G. LoringF. G. LoringFrederick George Loring was an English naval officer, wireless expert, and writer.-Family:Loring was born on 11 March 1869 in Ryde, Isle of Wight, the eldest son of Admiral Sir William Loring , and his wife, Frances Louisa Adams...
- writer and naval officer, born in Ryde in 1869. - Karl MarxKarl MarxKarl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
- visited Ryde for health reasons in the summer of 1874, staying in Nelson Street. - Anthony MinghellaAnthony MinghellaAnthony Minghella, CBE was an English film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007....
- the Hollywood director was born in Ryde in 1954. His parents ran a cafe in Ryde High Street. - Philip NormanPhilip Norman (author)Philip Norman is an English novelist, biographer, journalist and playwright.Norman grew up in Ryde, Isle of Wight. He attended Ryde School, and his father, Clive Norman, ran the Seagull Ballroom on Ryde Pier. He described his childhood in his book Babycham Night...
- writer, attended Ryde SchoolRyde SchoolRyde School with Upper Chine is a co-educational independent day and boarding school on the Isle of Wight.-Charity 307409 - Ryde School:...
and has written about his childhood in the town. - Albert PollardAlbert PollardAlbert Frederick Pollard was a British historian who specialized in the Tudor period.-Life and career:Pollard was born in Ryde on the Isle of Wight. He was educated at Felsted School and Jesus College, Oxford where he achieved a first class honours in Modern History in 1891...
- historian, born in Ryde on 16 December 1869. - Michael SheardMichael SheardMichael Sheard was a Scottish actor who featured in a large number of films and television programmes.-Early life:...
- actor (Mr Bronson in Grange Hill; Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
) lived in Ryde and died there in 2005. - M. J. TrowM. J. TrowMeirion James Trow is a writer who writes under the name M. J. Trow.-Biography:Trow was born in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. He went to Warwick School from 1961 to 1968. In 1968 he went to King's College, London, to read history. After graduation he spent a year at Jesus College, Cambridge...
- military historian and detective fiction writer, taught history and politics at Ryde High School.