‘Giving Ryde’s Past to the Future’

Historic Ryde Society Quiz Night Thursday 29th June 2023 at Yelf's Hotel, at 7p.m. for 7.30pm.

Isle of Wight Observer August 21, 1858

ROYAL VISIT – The Princess Alice and Princess Helena, attended by a lady in waiting, paid a visit to the shop of Mr Henry, of Union-street, jeweller to the Royal Family, on Monday evening last, and made extensive purchases.

IGNORANCE PERSONIFIED – It is with indignation that we record a scene we witnessed in Union-street the other evening, on the occasion of the visit to Ryde of two of the youthful Princesses. Did the gaping fools who surrounded and almost mobbed them, suppose that they were not made of flesh and blood, like other mortals? We really thought better things of our towns-people, than that the two young ladies (indeed, almost children) could not be allowed to walk through our streets without exciting such vulgar curiosity as is usually reserved for mountebanks. It is true that many of the persons who made themselves ridiculous on the occasion were visitors; but we beg to present our compliments to all, and to assure them we should like to place them, individually, in a position where they would be objects of notoriety for a like space of time in a public thoroughfare – which could only be accomplished successfully by the aid of the pillory.

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