NEWSLETTER February 2021 NUMBER 52 Officers: Other Trustees: Roger Williams Chairman John Pullen Vice Chairman Tony Butt Secretary Jon Matthews Peter Almond Richard Day Treasurer Barry Sowerby Stella Watling Registered Charity no: 1180926 Please address all enquiries to: The Secretary, Friends of Northwood Cemetery, 16 Church Road, Gurnard, PO31 8JP; Tel: (01983) 295807 Email: [email protected] Website: www.friendsofnorthwoodcemetery.org.uk

Chairman’s Report Welcome to the February 2021 edition of our newsletter - and what a relief to see the back of 2020! Despite the on-going restrictions of Covid, it’s very much “business as usual” as far as the running of the Friends of Northwood Cemetery is concerned, with the Trustees continuing to hold regular monthly meetings online via ZOOM, which has proven to be highly successful. I expect many of you will have used something similar over the past few months, and to those who feel uncomfortable with modern technology, I strongly suggest you talk to a family member or friend to give you a demonstration of how easy it is and how beneficial it is to be able to keep in touch with those dear to you, particularly as we encounter another period of tighter restrictions. The Conservation Team had been continuing their Wednesday and Saturday morning sessions clearing overgrowth and tidying graves, but the latest restrictions mean we can no longer attend until further notice; however our resident historian and chief researcher, Barry Sowerby, continues to come up with interesting facts and stories, which invariably necessitates deeper research. On the 9th December, I was delighted to give our High Sheriff (Caroline Peel), who was raised in , a socially distanced guided tour of the Cemetery together with our Vice-President, Lora Peacey-Wilcox. It was Caroline’s first visit to the Cemetery, and she was highly complementary of the work carried out by the volunteers in maintaining such a wonderful green space in the town, providing historical records through our website and continuing research into those interred.

President: Jon Matthews

Vice Presidents: Geoff Banks, B E M David Jones Graham Lloyd Lora Peacey-Wilcox 1 Whilst we haven’t yet been able to open the Heritage Resource Centre, Stella has been working hard, selling via the Internet to provide much needed funding which supports the work of the volunteers, our commitment to the restoration of headstones and contributes towards the costs of running the Friends of Northwood Cemetery. We hope to re-commence transcribing again in the spring when the weather should have improved and there is a likelihood of an easing of restrictions as the vaccine is rolled out across the country. Following the severe storms over the past months our regular visitors will have noticed a number of trees have fallen or have lost major limbs and I ask you all to be extra vigilant when walking in the Cemetery. A Portland stone flower vase has been installed on the west ‘teardrop’ for anyone wishing to place flowers in memory of lost loved ones. Our application for the 2021/22 Green Flag Award is in hand, for submission by mid- February, and will be our chance for a fourth successive award! We are actively pursuing a solution for the installation of CCTV towards the southern end of the Cemetery to cover the gazebo and access through to the copse on the eastern boundary. One of the ideas Stella introduced at the Coffee Mornings was for attendees to take a “Comments and Suggestions Slip” for feedback at later sessions. I’m delighted to say that further in this issue you will see a particular response by which we were deeply touched. If anyone has any comments or suggestions they would be willing to share with us, please contact Stella by email at: [email protected] Similarly, if you have a family tale to share with us, or would like help into research of past family members or friends, please contact Barry by email at: [email protected]. I hope you find the articles in this issue interesting - and I wish you all a happy and healthy new year. Roger Williams Chairman

2 Events and Fundraising On Wednesday 11th November 2020, at 11.00am, a lone cornet player, and near neighbour, Jodi Urry played the Last Post alongside the memorial display on the west teardrop lawn. Because of Covid restrictions only a few of the Conservation Team were on site to observe the event.

I am delighted to report that our Tree of Remembrance was well supported again this Christmas with a total of 88 visitors. We conformed to all Covid restrictions so unfortunately could not offer refreshments or share live music, but the tree looked beautiful and I think everyone felt very welcome. It has become an important part of Christmas for many local people, myself included, and I would like to thank everyone for the generous donations we received. I was also delighted with the boost to our fundraising from the sale of our own Christmas cards this year. Although we were unable to display them in the real sense we sold a total of 466 cards through our November Newsletter and online advertising. Thank you to all who supported this new venture. The main source of our fundraising last year was through Wightbay where I trade as ‘Wight Elephant’. Please do have a browse through the 140 or so items I have for sale. There may be something you would like to buy, or it may suggest something that you could donate for me to sell. I hope that I will see some of you later this year when Coffee Mornings and other events are able to resume. Depending on restrictions, we are already planning an outside plant stall for a weekend in May or June. Stella Watling Fund Raising Officer

3 Wilfred ‘Wilf’ Souter - Plot 28 Grave 7407 Founder of the Cowes boatyard W.A. Souter & Son, Wilfred Andrew Souter was born on 20th December 1913 at his grandparent’s house in Connaught Road, . His great grandfather, a master mariner, had moved the family from Sussex to East Cowes circa 1875. Wilf, the eldest of the nine children (five boys and four girls) of Wilfred and Hilda Souter, was educated at Grange Road School in East Cowes. As a young lad he had a job on Saturdays, sweeping the floor of a local hairdresser for pocket money. At the age of fourteen he was taken on as an apprentice boatbuilder in the shipbuilding yard of John Samuel White & Co Ltd, which straddled both east and west banks at the mouth of the . Wilf built the very first boat of his own, in his mother-in-law’s back yard, in Brunswick Road at Cowes. During WW2 he worked for local boat designer and builder at his premises (Medina Yard) in Birmingham Road and also at Cove on the South Coast of the Island, where they performed sea trials on the Uffa designed airborne lifeboat. Many of these craft were built in various sizes and were designed to be parachuted from an aircraft; they saved the life of many an aircrew that unfortunately had to ditch into the sea. 4 Post war, Wilf acquired premises in Arctic Road, Cowes and with a few employees, began building small yachts including a design of his own he called the ‘Puffin’dinghy'. He eventually moved his growing business into what had previously been Marvin’s Boatyard, situated on the opposite side of Arctic Road and it was here that he developed the process of ‘cold moulding’ to manufacture the hulls of his boats (Note 1). Three of Wilf’s brothers became employees in his successful boatbuilding business; Raymond was a joiner, Leonard a buyer and manager of the stores and Arthur a boatbuilder. Wilf was a regular exhibitor at the London International Boat Show from its inception in 1957, winning a number of awards including Boat Show, Boat of the Year in 1966 with Quest of Paget and Boat Show, Boat of the Show in 1967 with Jolina IV.

Popular with both sailors and motor boaters alike, W.A. Souter & Son Ltd produced many yachts, cruisers and powerboats, with craft winning the Cowes to Torquay race three years running: Ghost Rider in 1966, Surfury in 1967 and Telstar in 1968. One of the best remembered in Cowes must be 'Surfury', pictured above. She could cruise at speeds in excess of 50mph and completed the 1967 power boat race between Cowes and Torquay in 3hrs 44mins. Many a lasting legacy from the Souter’s yard is still afloat on the high seas and memories of the very beautiful and successful boats, designed and built by Souter’s on the West bank of the River Medina abound in the minds of older Cowes residents. Wilf is laid to rest with his beloved wife Emily, on the western border of Plot 28. Barry Sowerby Historian

Note 1) The technique involves laminating together layers of wood veneers or very thin planks to create a hull that is watertight, extremely strong, and lightweight

5 William Walter Harris MM 1887-1979-Winifred Louise Harris 1904-1976

Northwood Cemetery is full of unsung heroes, about whom little is known. Thanks to David Moul the story of this quiet, unassuming man and his wife can be told. David explained that he and his two brothers always called William and Winifred “Auntie and Uncle”.

It soon became clear, talking to David, that they were more than this to the brothers, more like another set of parents. They are remembered with real affection as witnessed by the care given to their grave (Plot 38 Grave 14533); restored at the brother’s expense - with MM (Military Medal) added to William’s name.

A modest man, it was only after his death that the brothers found that he was a First World War hero. He enlisted on 25th August 1914, joining the 76th Company Royal Engineers as a fitter (his peacetime occupation); he was demobbed on 17th April 1919. It was 9th October 1917 that (by then) Sergeant Harris won the Military Medal.

The action was part of the second Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) the ill-fated attempt to capture Belgian ports, in an effort to lessen U-boat activity which was threatening to starve Britain into submission. Not only did he win the Military Medal but he was also mentioned in dispatches.

Following demob he worked for the Iraq Waterways and elsewhere before moving to Cowes, working for Saunders Roe until retirement.

He married Winifred Louisa Russell in St Mary’s Church on the 3rd October 1942; he was 55 and she was 38. Both were heavily involved in war work. William was in the Home Guard while Winifred joined the WVS and was an ARP warden.

For many years they lived in Thanet House, Birmingham Road, now demolished (it stood where the entrance to Cowes Yacht Haven is today) and latterly in Gordon Road.

Although childless they are remembered with great affection by those children they cared for, as witnessed by this dedication on their grave from Leslie, David and Peter.

David Jones Vice-President 6 Membership Report

The income from subscriptions continues to be a significant contributor to the financial health of the Friends of Northwood Cemetery and focus on it must be maintained.

With that in mind, here’s a reminder that 1st April is the start of a new fiscal year when ‘subscriptions’ become due. In the year 2020-2021 we very were pleased to have 324 ‘Friends’ supporting our endeavours, the 3rd year in a row that 300 was surpassed.

Of course, that’s the goal in the upcoming year starting 1st April 2021 and your help to achieve that is now sought. If you are Internet savvy, the easiest way to do this is a trip to: www.friendsofnorthwoodcemetery.org.uk/about-us/become-a-friend/subscriptions-renewals

If you don’t ‘do’ the Internet, then a cheque to me at Glencoe, 8 Beckford Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 7SE would be most welcome; it’s £10 single or £15 joint (or £100 for Life membership if you feel so inclined) – unchanged since the Friends of Northwood Cemetery’s inaugural year of 2008-2009!

Existing ‘Friends’ need not complete a Membership Application form as their details are already known to us. Apart from our 72 Life members, there’s 252 other members from whom we receive a subscription annually; are you one of them?

Happily 74 of these pay by Banker’s Standing Order (or recurring PayPal) so that brings the number that need to take action to pay their renewal to below 200; that’s still a challenge for a Membership Secretary of advancing years!

So, I hope that you can help me by taking the initiative yourselves; I will be very grateful for your cooperation.

Thank you in advance for lightening the load.

Jon Matthews Membership Secretary

Death Announcement

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Neil Groves, who was a Friend of Northwood Cemetery and regular visitor to the Cemetery with his beloved wife Carly.

Our thoughts go out to Carly as well as to his family and friends.

7 Comments and Suggestions

At one of the monthly Coffee Mornings, Stella Watling introduced a Comments and Suggestions slip on which people were encouraged to give feedback on anything related to the Cemetery.

We always welcome any comments, be they positive or negative, or any suggestions about possible future events. The slips for comments will be available in the Heritage Resource Centre when we are able to re-open.

We were touched by the words from one of our members recently, which, with her permission, we felt we would like to share with you:

"When I lost my husband in 2019, I wanted a memorial bench at the foot of his grave, so I could sit with him; the Friends of Northwood Cemetery

made this happen. They comforted me and made me feel so welcome in my time of need. I have supported them ever since and have become a Life member. A huge thanks to them all.” I hope that in the future some of you will be able to contribute in a similar way.

In the current situation, if you would like to get in touch with us please do so by using any of these options:

 Go to our website and under the ‘About Us’ tab click on ‘Trustees’ to find our email addresses and telephone numbers;  Write to our Secretary at the address at the top of Page 1;  Contact us via our Facebook page, which is a private group with currently over 350 members; or  Simply leave a note in our postbox situated near the side door to the West Chapel.

Roger Williams Chairman

Jo Mckinnie Editor

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