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New Discovery! Rossetti's lost drawings of Swinburne?
Sometimes, a strange coincidence occurs. A few years ago, I bought a battered copy of The Bonchurch Edition, Letters, a volume of the...
Sue Lowday
Dec 3, 20241 min read
33 views
1 comment


Algernon Charles Swinburne, Victorian Poet
A good read with lovely examples of Swinburne's poetry. Having read the piece, I am surprised his poems aren't celebrated more.
Sue Lowday
Nov 25, 20241 min read
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2024 Celebrating Charles Dickens's 175th Anniversary Visit to Bonchurch, Miriam Margolis and 'The Charles Dickens Trail' with the Ramblers
The Isle of Wight Walking Festival 2024 has been a momentous year celebrating Charles Dickens's holiday visit to Bonchurch in 1849, 175...
Sue Lowday
Nov 18, 20245 min read
113 views
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The Ventnor Volunteer, Major & Honorary Lieutenant Colonel, Albert Edward Jolliffe
Written by Douglas Edwards. At a recent medal auction, Lot 266 came up but with few details of the recipient apart from the basic...
Douglas Edwards
Aug 9, 20246 min read
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Charles Dickens with Family and Friends Watched the Children of Bonchurch Perform This Play in 1849
When Charles Dickens visited Bonchurch in 1849, he and his family and friends were present at a fund raising for the village school that...
Sue Lowday
May 25, 202328 min read
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A Christmas Story -"The Grandfather's Story"
This story appeared in Charles Dickens publication 'Household Words' in the 25th December 1852 edition. It may surprise many that we have...
Sue Lowday
Dec 14, 202215 min read
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The Phone Box that was Nearly Rescued (but didn't need rescuing)
First sweep and wash. The paint was peeling to reveal a darker colour underneath the layer, so the phone box looked very patchy and sad....
Sue Lowday
Jul 3, 20222 min read
64 views
1 comment

The Poet Swinburne in Bonchurch
This is the second text exploring the lives of famous writers who had strong links with Bonchurch. The first celebrated the life of...
John Goodwin
Jun 29, 20228 min read
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2022 Jubilee Celebrations in Bonchurch
As the sun was setting at 9pm with a glass to toast Queen Elizabeth in hand the crew started the countdown... The countdown is nearly...
Sue Lowday
Jun 3, 20221 min read
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East Dene and THE SNOWDEN HENRYS
East Dene after the Swinburne's ownership.
Dee Wright
Jun 3, 202219 min read
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The Recollections of Old John Green c1794 -1890
Bonchurch Village 1812. To the left is Flagstaff Rock now known as 'Hadfields Lookout 'and the view is towards The Maples. Note also...
Sue Lowday
May 28, 20228 min read
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Memories of Bonchurch Village Festival, June 1993
Memories of the Bonchurch Village Festival, June 1993
John Goodwin
Feb 14, 20223 min read
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FADED GLORY. The Story of Cliff House.
The story of the Bonchurch Hotel also known as Ribbands Hotel. Charting its glory days of patronage by Royalty to tragedy.
Robert Carter
Nov 20, 202114 min read
1,193 views
1 comment

1729 Maps of the Farms of Bonchurch researched by Peter Brett
With many thanks to Jane Ashe for passing on her father, Peter Brett's research. I shall be adding more of his information. The Brett...
Peter Brett
Jul 24, 20212 min read
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Bonchurch Open Gardens 2021
The Bonchurch Open Gardens was a huge success this year and our heartfelt thanks go out to all the people involved in making it a...
Sue Lowday
Jul 24, 20211 min read
81 views
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Under Rock Villa, Bonchurch and Gandhi
Under Rock and Gandhi by Simon Harrison Gandhi and Under Rock, Bonchurch - facts and conjecture Part of local folklore is the visit of...
Simon Harrison
May 6, 20214 min read
501 views
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Charles Dickens in Bonchurch and the Story of Miss Havisham's connection to Bonchurch
With Very Many Thanks to Alan Cartwright of Haviland Cottage in Bonchurch for allowing us to use his extensive research for inclusion in...
Alan Cartwright
Apr 13, 202113 min read
1,480 views
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Bonchurch Communion Cup c1470-1483 Reign of Edward IV
2023 Update. Researching in the Ventnor Heritage Museum I discovered a pamphlet printed to commemorate the Parish Church 100 years 1848...
Sue Lowday
Feb 12, 20218 min read
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Bonchurch Village School 1883 - 1915
With many thanks to Ventnor & District Local History Society for allowing us to copy and print their page from the Ventnor Chronicle....
Ventnor and District Local History Society
Feb 5, 20211 min read
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Percy Goddard Stone, Lays and Legends Of The Wight, 1912
I have been carrying out a bit of Bonchurch Village research and came across Percy Goddard Stone who was an architect, historian and...
Sue Lowday
Feb 4, 20211 min read
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