On Friday we said a very heartfelt farewell to one of the Museum of Ryde’s most treasured volunteers, Alan Brading, who has decided to step down after an extraordinary 15 years of dedicated service. For a decade and a half Alan has generously given his time, knowledge, and enthusiasm to help bring the history of Ryde to life for countless visitors. His kindness, wisdom, and quiet dedication have made him not only a valued member of our volunteer team, but also a dear friend of the museum. His presence will truly be missed by all of us. Alan has helped preserve and share the story of our town with great care and passion, and we are deeply grateful for everything he has contributed over the years. We wish him all the very best for the future and sincerely hope that the museum will always remain a place he feels connected to. The door will always be open for him to come back and visit whenever he wishes. Alan’s retirement also reminds us how important our volunteers are. We are currently in urgent need of new volunteers to help continue the work of sharing Ryde’s remarkable history with the community. Anyone

  BREW – We would like to say a warm welcome to BREW who has joined us and the marvellous unique shops in The Royal Victoria Arcade in Union Street Ryde. BREW opened for the first on 18 February. BREW is just upstairs to our Museum which re-opened this week – The museum is open from 10.30 to 4.00 with last admission at 3.15 – Tuesdays to Saturday – £5 admission £1 children ( age 8-16) and under 8’s free and your ticket lasts for 14 days. Plenty of local history including ghosts and runaway bears Sportsmen, Policemen, An Ice Well and Cheeky Works of Donald McGill.

As the year draws to a close, we would like to extend our warmest Christmas greetings and best wishes for a Happy New Year to everyone who has supported the Historic Ryde Society and the Museum of Ryde throughout 2025. A sincere thank you to our volunteers, collaborators, supporters, and friends, as well as to all visitors who have taken the time to explore Ryde’s remarkable heritage. Your enthusiasm, encouragement, and commitment help us protect and share the stories that make our town so special. Museum Christmas and New Year Closure Dates Please note that the Museum of Ryde will be closed from Sunday, 20 December 2025 and will re-open on Monday, 17 February 2026. We look forward to welcoming you back in February, refreshed and ready for another year of exhibitions, discoveries, and community events. With best wishes,The Historic Ryde SocietyMuseum of Ryde

COME and SEE our friendly ghost LILLY DEACON on 30th and 31st OCTOBER and help her resolve her UNFINISHED BUSINESS! Learn about the HAUNTED HISTORY of Ryde – FANCY DRESS WELCOME! £5 Adults and free entry for children this half term week – ticket lasts for 14 days. We are open from 10.30am to 4pm last entry at 3.15pm. Also lots of other spooky bits and crafts for children to enjoy and adults of course.

The Arcade is a lot quieter today after last Saturday’s Steam Punk Festival but our unique Museum is open with a whole lot of local history, the saucy postcards of Donald McGill and a trip down Memory Lane – Closing at 4pm today – last entry 3.15pm. £5 adults and £1 children ( age 8-16) under 8’s free and a free return within 14 days. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30pm. Looking forward to seeing you!