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About Ryde Social Heritage Group

Ryde Social Heritage Group  (RSHG) 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.

In June 2008 RSHG successfully completed a Lottery funded project called Ryde's Heritage, Our Town, Your Histories.  Details about the project can be found throughout this website.

Ryde Social Heritage Group Membership

Ryde Social Heritage Group is a membership organisation. The Membership year runs from 1 October to 30 September members are requested to pay when they join and to renew subscriptions at the AGM in October. The annual subscription is currently £12 for an individual, £20 for a couple (or small family) lliving at the same address.

We also offer a Lifetime Membership for individuals at a one off payment of £100.

To become a member of Ryde Social Heritage Group you can either print the Membership leaflet and send a cheque to Kate MacDonell, our membership secretary, or join online and pay your membership through the Parish Chest.

DOUBLE CLICK ON THE PARISH CHEST IMAGE ABOVE TO ENTER OUR ONLINE SHOP AND PAY MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS.

Ryde Social Heritage Group Activities

Ryde Social Heritage Group Magazine -

BEYOND THE GRAVES

Members of RSHG receive four magazines each year, published to coincide with the Members' meetings, in January, April, July and October each year.  From October 2006, our quarterly magazines have had a theme for the articles.  Contributions made by the members of RSHG, or stories provided by the public, are edited by the Publications Work Group.

Non-members can read past editions of the Magazine (i.e over one year old) by clicking on one of the links below.

Below we include Information on some of our most active members, in alphabetical order, and the current Committee:

Ann Barrett is a Founder Member, the Leader of the Research Work Group, and Member of the Committee and a Member of the Publications Team. 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.

Contact Ann

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.

Shelagh Gaylard, Committee member and member of our Research and Publications teams. Shelagh has lived all her life in Binstead, has studied her own family history and likes to help others with their research. She also organises social events and participates in Open Days.

Contact Shelagh

Janette Gregson is a Founder Member, Chairman of RSHG, Leader of the Transcribing Work Group, is actively involved in most aspects of the Group's activities and attempts to keep the website updated. Janette represents RSHG on the Project Board for the IW Council's Ryde Cemetery Restoration Project and has received training as an Archive Ambassador as part of the Hants & IW Record Offices' Living Links Project.  Janette says "I moved into Ryde Cemetery Lodge in 1996 and feel privileged to live in close proximity to such a beautiful green space.   I spend a great deal of time in the Cemetery and find it a relaxing and enjoyable place to walk.  On these walks I have read many of the inscriptions and developed an interest and fascination in the lives of the people buried there.  As I am aware that erosion makes many headstones difficult to read I decided to try and record for prosperity as many of the inscriptions as possible before they too are lost." 

Contact Janette

Colin and Barbara Hunt are our newest Committee Members voted on to the Committee at the 2011 AGM.

Contact Colin & Barbara

Kate MacDonell is Membership Secretary, an active member of the Transcribing, Publication, Research and Natural History Groups, Kate is a teacher in Ryde and took a lead in preparing our Education page..  Kate has always been interested in history and researched and published a book on her mother's family dating back three centuries.  Kate has now lived in Ryde for almost twenty five years and is a teacher in a local primary school.  She really enjoys working with RSHG and considers it more playing than working!

Contact Kate

Carol Strong is a Committee Member and Leader of the Publications Work Group and is an extremely active and committed member of the Group. Carol is researching her own family history, and can help others to get started in this fascinating subject.   The Publications Group produces quarterly newsletters, publicity material and display sheets and folders for exhibitions and Open Days.  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

Arthur Williams is a Committee Member, Treasurer and also a member of the Publications Group. He is a retired accountant and native of Ryde who has always been interested in history.

Contact Arthur

David Earle has produced the RSHG maps that can be found on the map page.   He joined RSHG after picking up a notice about the Group, when he accidentally wandered into the Cemetery one day and is a great asset to the group.  He is our 'Map Master, and for several years was on the committee as Membership Secretary.  He then took a year out from the Committee but still remained actively involved in the group and at the October 2009 AGM was re-elected to the committee. David stood down from the Committee at the 2010 AGM he is no longer an active member although he is still Honorary Ryde Cemetery Consultant for the group.

Many other members contribute at meetings, and support the work of the various Work Groups (Transcribing, Publication, Mapping, Research, Natural History, and Family History).

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