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Restore The Story CIC
(opens in a new tab)Not-for-profit CIC on the Isle of Wight uncovering, preserving & sharing local history through immersive tours, talks, exhibitions & projects. We bring forgotten places & hidden stories back to life for communities & visitors alike.
A great tour today at Steynewood Battery, and the rain stayed away for us! Thank you to all those who joined us.
Still looking for something to do this Bank Holiday Monday? 👀Why not step inside one of the Isle of Wight’s hidden historic sites?Tomorrow, Monday 31st August, we’re opening the gates to Steynewood High Angle Battery for two guided tours at 11am and 2pm.Explore this fascinating Victorian fortification, discover its underground magazines and learn about the history of the Battery and its role in defending the island. 🏰We still have spaces available on both tours, so if you’ve been looking for something a little different to do this Bank Holiday Monday, why not come and explore Steynewood with us?🎟️ 11am & 2pm – Monday 31st August📍 Steynewood High Angle Battery🎟️ Book your place through our website.www.restorecic.org Come and discover a part of the Isle of Wight that most people never get to see!#IsleOfWight #BankHoliday #BankHolidayMonday #SteynewoodBattery #History #Heritage #ThingsToDoOnTheIsleOfWight #ExploreTheIsland
Do you want to learn more about the story behind the Sandown Spy?Pop along to our exhibition on Saturday 5th September at the White Lion pub in Niton between 11 and 3. You can see a photo album that once belonged to Dorothy O'Grady, as well as reading about the facts behind her arrest and her life in pris#ww2historys#espionageo#isleofwightw#historystory
🦖 Dinosaurs arrive at Blackgang Chine – 1972An extraordinary sight at Blackgang Chine in May 1972, as the park's new life-size fibreglass dinosaurs are carefully airlifted into position by helicopter.The dinosaurs had been manufactured by Beck Engineering in Hunmanby, North Yorkshire, before making the journey south to the Isle of Wight. Their arrival was spectacular enough to attract the attention of Blue Peter, with presenter John Noakes taking part in the operation.The new attraction was initially known as Dinosaur Zoo, later becoming Dinosaurland. Six of the original dinosaurs formed the first installation, with more added in later years.Some of these wonderfully eccentric creatures survived for decades and became one of Blackgang Chine's most recognisable attractions. Sadly, some of the original fibreglass dinosaurs have now been disposed of and replaced with modern animatronic versions, while others have continued to survive.Feel free to comment and share.📸 May 1972 – Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight
🚁 RARE 1960s HOVERCRAFT CINEFILM – LEE-ON-THE-SOLENTWe've just released another fascinating piece of archive cinefilm, showing hovercraft trials at the former HMS Daedalus site at Lee-on-the-Solent.The footage features the SR.N5 and SR.N3 hovercraft flying down the slipway and heading out into the Solent, with a helicopter following the SR.N3 during its trials.The historic SR.N1 also makes an appearance, climbing back up the slipway.The footage is unfortunately in very poor condition, with the original film showing signs of deterioration, but despite this, the action and atmosphere of the day can still be seen.Filmed in the mid-1960s, this is a remarkable glimpse of Britain's pioneering hovercraft development, and the crowds of naval personnel, officials, photographers and members of the public who came to watch.🎥 Watch it here:youtu.be/WN6ACq7IY1cIf you enjoy historic Isle of Wight and local footage, don't forget to like, share and subscribe to Restore The Story for more archive films.
1964 Hovercraft Trials | SR.N3, SR.N5 & SR.N1 at Lee-on-the-Solent
youtu.be
Rare cinefilm footage from 1964 showing some of Britain's pioneerin…
What a fantastic walk today! Excellent turn out and the sun shone for our walking tour of the 'Lost buildings of Niton. ' Thank you to everyone who joined us and to our volunteer Ruby for her help and photos. We will try and put another on soon for those unable to book onto the walk. Keep an eye on our facebook feed for annou#walking.#SunnyDays##isleofwights#historyt#nitono#lostbuildingstbuildings
Percy Loben Butcher MM – Sandown’s 18-year-old soldierSometimes, when we look at an old photograph of a First World War soldier, it is easy to forget that behind the uniform was a young man with a family, friends, a sweetheart and a life he had left behind.Percy Loben Butcher was just 18 years old when he was killed on the Somme.Born in Sandown in June 1898, Percy was the son of George Henry and Mary Emma Butcher (nee COLEMAN) of Ivy Cottage, Broadway, Sandown. He enlisted in the Rifle Brigade on 4 May 1914, when he was not yet 16 years old, but like others, lied about his age. Despite his youth, Percy quickly became a soldier of considerable ability, gaining his Third Class Certificate of Education and a Swimming Certificate before being sent to France in May 1915.He joined the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, serving in 'A' Company.And he wrote home.One of his letters, written after a particularly fierce engagement in March 1916, gives a remarkable glimpse into what life was like in the trenches:"All the 24 hours fighting we had, we were bombing all the time. In fact, it was nothing but a bomb-fight."He went on to describe being hit by a bullet through his hat and two more striking his equipment, but miraculously escaping injury.Then came the description of what the men looked like when they finally came out of the trenches:"We were covered from head to foot in mud, our rifles and swords were red with rust, nearly all of us were short of hats and puttees, and our clothes were torn to pieces by the barbed wire."Yet Percy finished by saying that they didn't mind, "as long as we were safe."That letter gives us a tiny glimpse of the young man behind the name on a war memorial.By 1916 Percy had risen to the rank of Corporal, and had also been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field.His final letter home was written on 7 October 1916, just over two weeks before his death.He had only just learned that he had been awarded the MM:"I expect you will all be pleased to hear that I have been awarded the Military Medal."He hadn't yet received the medal itself and expected only the ribbon to arrive initially."I will let you know how I got it later on."Sadly, he never got the chance.Percy's commanding officer later explained to his father how he had earned the medal. On 25 September, under heavy enemy fire, Percy had helped to dig men out of a deep dugout in which they had been buried.His C.O., Captain H. R. Price, wrote to Percy's father on 1 November 1916:"He was a very good soldier, and I am very sorry to lose him."He explained that Percy had gained the Military Medal for "splendid work" in helping to rescue the buried men under heavy hostile fire.But the letter also contained the news no parent ever wants to receive.Percy had been killed in action on 23 October 1916.He was serving with No. 3 Platoon, 'A' Company, 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, during the fighting on the Somme.The battlefield that autumn was a terrible place. Rain had turned the trenches and shell holes into deep mud, and the fighting around the German positions was brutal. Percy was killed during the battalion's operations in the Somme sector.He was only 18.Another letter, this time from a member of his platoon named Yates, was sent to Percy's sweetheart, Miss Ivy Price.It contains a particularly poignant detail:"I'm sorry to say he was killed and he was a smart little fellow…"Yates remembered joking with Ivy and added:“it was me who put your name on his arm. I don’t know whether you saw it or not when he was on leave …”That small sentence perhaps says more than any official record could.Somewhere on that young soldier was the name of the girl he loved.Percy's body was never recovered or identified, and so he has no known grave. His name is instead remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France, alongside thousands of other men who disappeared in the mud and fighting of the Somme.His name is also remembered much closer to home, on the Sandown War Memorial.Percy Loben Butcher was born in Sandown, enlisted before he was even 16, served overseas, rose to Corporal, earned the Military Medal for bravery and was killed at just 18.His Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette on 9 December 1916.Today, more than a century later, we can still see his photograph and his medals.But perhaps the most remarkable things that survive are his own words.Letters written by a young Sandown man who went to war, survived terrifying fighting, joked about his experiences, worried his family might worry about him, and was proud to tell them that he had been awarded the Military Medal.Two weeks later, he was dead.Percy Loben Butcher MM1898–1916Remembered. 🇬🇧#IsleOfWight #Sandown #PercyButcher #FirstWorldWar #WW1 #MilitaryMedal #Somme #RifleBrigade #Thiepval #LestWeForgetFeel free to comment and share.Various sources including Noonans Mayfair, IWFHS, IWM.
🎉 SOLD OUT! 🎉We are absolutely astounded to announce that our Lost Buildings of Niton Undercliff Guided Walking Tour has SOLD OUT!We’ve already had a few enquiries from people hoping to book, so we're aware there’s plenty of interest in this fascinating tour.We are considering running another date in the near future, although nothing has been confirmed just yet. 👀If you missed out this time, keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates – we’ll announce any new tour dates as soon as they’re confirmed.A huge thank you to everyone who has booked. ❤️ We’re really looking forward to bringing the forgotten stories of Niton Undercliff to life and sharing the results of Jo’s extensive research with you all.Thank you for your incredible support!Restore The Story CIC#NitonUndercliff #Niton #IsleOfWight #LocalHistory #LostBuildings #HistoryTour #RestoreTheStory #SOLDOUT