Around Yarmouth, Totland and Freshwater

Within these covers are over 200 high-quality images from the fascinating past of Yarmouth, Totland, Freshwater and the whole of the western end of the Isle of Wight. This area is world-famous because of its unique geographical and topographical features as well as being the scene where so many celebrities o the Victorian era lived and greated some of their finest pieces. Alfred Tennyson composed many great works whilst living in his mansion at Farringford, George Frederick Watts and his artistic friends foregathered at the 'Briary' to portray evocative scenes of the Wight and Julia Cameron pioneered her photographic art here. This collection of photographs and pictures has been carefully selected from local record office archives, private collections and the authors' own possessions. Together with expertly written captions, they give the reader a glimpse back to life as it has been lived in West Wight for over a hundred years, from the mid-nineteenth century until the 1960s. Included in the selection are images that show local people at work and leisure, the changing environs of the area, distinctive buildings, changes in transportation, and some of the famous people that have lived on, and celebrated, the island. This book is a beautiful pictorial history of this fascinating area. Streets may have changed, horses may have given way to cars, paddle-steamers to motor ferries, the railway to coaches, whilst fashions and occupations may have redically altered, but these three towns still retain their own individual character and atmosphere - the changes and continuities of which are recorded in these images.