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About us
Ryde Social Heritage Group formed in 2002 aims to widen the appreciation of local history, help support people to learn about Ryde’s past and their own local histories, and record and preserve the local history of Ryde, Isle of Wight.
The Group is researching the social history of the citizens of Ryde, documenting their lives and businesses, recording their places of burial including the memorial inscriptions, and promoting and publishing the findings in electronic and printed formats.
Ryde Social Heritage Group Activities
Dec 2007 - New plaque for Display Case
Nov 2007 - A Cause for Celebration!
Sept 2007 - Heritage Open Days in Ryde Cemetery
Sept 2007 - Open Day at the Crematorium
Aug 2007 - Publications Group Outing
Jul 2007 - Greenmount School's 150th Anniversary
Nov 2006 - Exhibition at the George Street Centre
Aug 2006 - Presentation to IW Society
Aug 2006 - Exhibition in Library
July 2006 - Display Case installed in Ryde Cemetery
July 2006 - Arts Festival Cemetery Walks
June 2006 - National Federation of Cemetery Friends AGM - Nunhead Cemetery
May 2006 - History Week; Exhibition
May 2006 - History Week, Walks in the Cemetery
May 2006 - Family History for Beginners' Workshop
Mar 2006 - RSHG Project Launch Exhibition
Ryde Social Heritage Group Newsletter
Members of RSHG receive four newsletters each year, published to coincide with the Members' meetings, in January, April, July and October each year. From October 2006, Newsletters will have a theme for the articles. Contributions made by the members of RSHG, or stories provided by the public, are editied by the Publications Work Group.
Non-members can read past editions of the Newsletter by clicking on one of the links below.
RSHG Newsletter 7 - Volume 2, Number 3, July 2007
RSHG Newsletter 6 - Volume 2, Number 2, April 2007
RSHG Newsletter 5 - Volume 2, Number 1, January 2007
RSHG Newsletter 4 - Volume 1, Number 4, October 2006
RSHG Newsletter 3 - Volume 1, Number 3, July 2006
RSHG Newsletter 2 - Volume 1, Number 2, January 2006
RSHG Newsletter 1 - Volume 1, Number 1, October 2005
Ryde Social Heritage Group Membership
Ryde Social Heritage Group (RSHG) is a membership organisation, with an annual fee of £10 payable at the AGM in October. The active membership includes, in alphabetical order, the following founding members (the first ten members), and current Committee Members:
Ann Barrett is a Founder Member, the Leader of the Research Work Group, and Member of the Committee. Ann lives in the Haylands area of Ryde, and along with her late husband Les, started researching their own families' histories many years ago. When more time became available, they volunteered to help others around the world find details of their Island ancestors and over the years became even more interested in the unique history of the Island and its people. After reading about the work being done by RSHG, they decided to join the group and focus their research locally, on the people that lived in Ryde and who are buried in Ryde Cemetery. A walk in Ryde Cemetery is completely different now, as Ann "recognises" the names on the stones, which bring wonderful stories to mind. Sadly Les passed away in May 2007, but the work of researching the tales from the past continues. If you would like to help with research, for example by visiting the County Record Office, or searching for information on the Internet, please contact Ann.
Matthew Bell is the Treasurer for the Committee, and founder Member of the RSHG. He has a keen interest in local history. Matthew recognises that the Cemetery represents the largest area of green and open space in Ryde and is the resting place of many important local people who have contributed significantly to the development of the town. He hopes that through the development of the website, the rich and varied local history will be recorded for future generations to learn and benefit from.
Contact Matthew
Roy Brinton, Honorary President of the RSHG, is a well known local historian; he was the Curator of the Carisbrooke Castle Museum, and is a noted authority on the history of the Isle of Wight. He is well known for his lectures about the Ryde area, and leads tours of Ryde, for example, during Local History Week, pointing out specific houses, and telling the history of the people who lived there.
Contact Roy
David Earle is the Leader of the Mapping Group, and a Committee Member. He joined the RSHG after picking up a notice about the Group, when he accidentally wandered into the Cemetery one day. He is now carrying out work on mapping the whole of the Cemetery. If you would like to help David with surveying and mapping, please contact him.
Janette Gregson is a Founder Member, the Secretary of RSHG Committee, and Leader of the Transcribing Work Group. She moved into the Cemetery lodge in 1996 and feels privileged to live in close proximity to such a beautiful green space. Janette spends a great deal of time in the Cemetery finding it a relaxing and enjoyable place to walk. On these walks she has read many of the inscriptions and developed an interest and fascination in the lives of the people buried there. She has also became aware that erosion makes many headstones difficult to read and would like to record for prosperity as many of the inscriptions as she can before they too are lost. If you are interested in Transcribing, please contact Janette.
Contact Janette
Rachael Mead is a Committee Member and liaises with schools in the Ryde Area. She works in a local Primary School, and is well placed to meet with other educators, and support the work we hope to do, to encourage more schools to make use of the research completed by the Group. If you are interested in supporting this aspect of the work of RSHG, working with Schools in Ryde area, please contact Rachael.
Contact Rachael
Carol Strong is a Committee Member and Leader of the Publications Work Group. Carol is researching her own family history, and can help others to get started in this fascinating subject. If you are interested in helping with writing or editing materials that the Group will publish, for example leaflets and worksheets for schools, and the Newsletter, please contact Carol.
Contact Carol
Other significant members of the Group:
Kathie-Ann Gibbs is a founding member of the RSHG, and currently the Chairperson of the Friends of Ryde Cemetery Group. Kathy joined the RSHG as a result of reading an article about the Group in the Ryde Beacon. She has spent a lot of time in the Cemetery searching for family graves and said "I want to help others in their searches and give something back to Ryde".
Maisie Kitching (Founder Member), Elizabeth Graves, and Rosemary (Bubbles) Smith contribute time and energy in the Transcribing Group.
Contact Maisie, Bubbles or Liz
A group of students from Ryde School are working with the RSHG as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award, and transcribe memorials.
Many other members contribute at meetings, and support the work of the various Work Groups (Transcribing, Publication, Mapping, Research, Natural History, and Family History).
If you would like to join the RSHG, please send your details on the Contact Us page (below), or print off the Membership leaflet, and post to the Membership Secretary, with your cheque.
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