100 years ago - October 26, 1918

A COWES man was charged with stealing a spirit drinking glass from the Fountain Tap, Cowes.

The solicitor for the pub told the court that the case had been brought to put a stop to a serious practice where glasses were continually robbed from pubs.

The prosecutor had seen the defendant steal the glass while sitting in his living room, where he could view the smoking room.

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The IW mourned after a well known and loved commander, Lt. J. F. Eddis, died.

Lt. Eddis was a well known football player on the Island and had a distinguished career in the forces.

He died of pneumonia at 33.

75 years ago - October 30, 1943

A Newport boy went to Buckingham Palace to receive a medal from the King in memory of his father.

Roy William Curling, 14, travelled to London with his grandfather and received the Military Award for his late father, Lance Corporal Curling.

The citation stated he had shown great bravery in the war.

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It was a family celebration when parents in Newport welcomed home both their sons from the war.

Mr and Mrs Maybee’s oldest son, John, had been training with the RAF and their youngest, Cecil, had been captured in Crete in 1941.

50 years ago - October 19, 1968

Newport Borough Council announced its intentions to go ahead with the plans to build 58 three bedroomed homes in Pan.

The plan was to cost more than £175,000. The traffic problems likely to be caused by the build, along with the cost being well over the budget, led to multiple councillors leaving the meeting.

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The assistant county medical officer for the Island, Dr D. Quantrail, headed to Nigeria as part of a medical relief team.

Widespread malnutrition had been caused by the Biafran war, and Dr Quantrail was granted six months leave to accompany Christian Aid on the mission.

He was chosen because of his diploma in tropical diseases.

25 years ago - October 22, 1993

Beachcombing Carisbrooke High School pupils discovered more than £100,000 worth of cocaine when they stumbled across a small box in Atherfield.

The three girls, aged 13 and 15, found a package in green tape while walking just east of Shepherd’s Chine.

On opening, they discovered a box, soaked in sea water, containing a white powder.

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The closure of Chale Primary School was put forward as a possible option when the future of Chale, Chillerton and Godshill Primary Schools were discussed.

The suggested options from education director Dr Williams came as a shock to the governors of the three schools.

Chairman of Chale, Rev Jon Russell, said: “We do not take the closure threat as a serious option at all.”

10 years ago - October 24, 2008

Patients were sleeping on sofas because of a lack of beds at Sevenacres, the County Press revealed, just months after the Island was branded the lowest performing county for mental health care in the region.

Health bosses admitted Island mental health services had been pushed to the limit by unprecedented demand.

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Island schoolchildren lagged well behind the national average in the PE league.

Only 86 per cent of children did two hours of PE or after school sports a week, compared to 90 per cent nationwide.

The IW Council said they were making steps to remedy this.