100 years ago - March 1, 1919

IMPORTANT Islanders met to discuss the National Housing Scheme.

Mr Slater, the borough surveyor, spoke of how women should be consulted on the design of new houses for better results.

Mayor Whitcher said many homes on the IW still resembled caves — long, narrow, dark, damp and dismal.

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The debate over a fixed link continued in the County Press letters page.

Mr C. Hobart put forward the case of for a train-ferry.

He wrote: “I fully agree as to the desirability of bringing the IW into direct communication with the mainland. This can be done by means of a train-ferry at approximately one-tenth the cost of a tunnel.”

75 years ago - February 26, 1944

What might have resulted in the destruction of a large house was averted by the prompt action of the fire service.

Puck House, Fishbourne, had a large thatched roof which had gone up in flames, but crews from Ryde and Newport acted swiftly.

One witness wrote to the CP stating the fire service was ‘magnificent’ and ‘efficient’.

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A Home Guard adjutant was charged with stealing charitable funds.

The man, 33, stole four times from a battalion fund and took money directed towards the military fund.

It was clear his own personal funds had been low and he said he would pay the money back.

50 years ago - March 1, 1969

Protestors walked along the footpath to Blackgang beach to protect its right of way status.

More than 80 people, including members of the parish council, WIs, and residents, walked between the cliffs and the beach in protest.

The council later agreed to maintain the rights of way order on the land.

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A strange object in the sky was noticed by multiple CP readers.

One wrote in to say: “I noticed a very bright object which looked about 3ft long.

Another said the object appeared to have four or five ‘tails’, which whirled around.

25 years ago - March 3, 1994

Traffic education officials defended their road safety campaign that targeted — and angered — motorists aged over 60.

They maintained the campaign, which urged elderly people to make sure they were fit to take the wheel, did not discriminate.

Mr Barton, council leader, said it was the young people determined the charge around at 50mph who were the problem.

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Red Funnel’s competition to Wightlink’s ‘super-ferries’ made an impressive first appearance.

The £8 million ship, the Red Falcon, attracted hundreds of spectators at its arrival off Cowes.

The interior lay-out and decor marked a radical shift in thinking for cross-Solent vessels.

10 years ago - Feb 27, 2009

The first two of the trio of controversial ferries heading to the Yarmouth to Lymington route arrived on the Island.

Natural England continued to disagree with Wightlink on the effects they could have on the protected salt marsh of the Lymington River.

Wightlink had said it was satisfied there would be no discernible impact.

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Planners ordered a house which did not conform with agreed plans to be demolished.

Members of the IW planning committee ordered a property at Denmark Road, Cowes, to be brought down after deciding not to allow retrospective permission.