I was born at Cowes in 1941, and was "removed" by my Father in 1946, but returned frequently to visit the relatives who stayed. I had a Grandfather working in J. S. Whites until about 1962, as well as several cousins there too, of whom only one is left on the island. Since I now live in Poole, I make frequent visits back to the island, often for my main annual holiday, such is the charm of the place.

My mother went to Denmark Road school in Cowes (which is now a car park). She had hundreds of stories about Cowes, the school, and life for them in the depression, when work for my Grandfather was intermittent. I am sure that some of her stories are a bit far fetched but you never know. She claims to have been at school with Mr Beken Snr. whom I still see in Cowes occasionally although I haven't the nerve to ask him if this was true! She also claims to have sat next to Cliff Michelmore at Denmark Road, but I believe Cliff was a bit younger than that. I never cease to be amazed at how imaginative island bred people are, we are definitely different, and my wife (although an "overner") agrees.

It's amazing what some mainland people say about ships. I saw the "Queen Elizabeth" in heavy seas off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, a sight I will never forget, and totally different to how she looked in the 1950's when I used to admire her from Cowes Parade as a teenager. Nevertheless, while staying at the "Globe" with my wife soon after we were married, the "Queen Elizabeth" came up the Solent at dusk, beautifully illuminated. I stood admiring her, and an elderly North countryman standing nearby said " Does thee know what ship that is then lad?" Being a lot younger than I am now and not wanting to seem too cocky I ventured that it was the "Queen Elizabeth". "Naw! Naw!" he replied "That's the 'Flandres". It was an interesting moment, because the Flandres only had one funnel. From the conversation which followed I gathered that he relied entirely upon the newspaper shipping movements to tell him which ship he was looking at. I had plenty of contact with both ships when I was a Radio Officer in the Merchant Navy, on the North Atlantic in the early 1960's.

A few years ago I worked with Ken James another of Cowes' sons, whose Father had been Manager of Morgans. He is quite well known as a New Forest animal lover now. However when I mentioned to my Mum, who could not have seen Ken for thirty years at least, that I was working with him, she replied "and has he still got that ridiculous moustache?".... he had!

During the war, when I was no more than a baby, I remember that we lived in Victoria Road, and had a Morrison shelter in the room where I was born. The entire family including Grandfather had to try to get into it when a raid was imminent. In fact I am told that there were too many of us, and he used to sleep in a nearby armchair, and put his head under the shelter if the raid seemed to be nearby. How he managed to do this and go to work at J.S.Whites the next day I am not sure. Grandfather was a bit of a character. It is reputed that when things were short during the war, he made an aluminium bucket at Whites, and chalked "Timothy Whites" on it, and handed it to the Gate Security for safekeeping until he clocked off!

This was well before the demise of the small shop, and Victoria Road had two. Mr Light on the corner of Granville Road, and (now a Fish and Chip shop) opposite the Fire station a shop owned by Margery Knight. They were both characters.