Group Members (August 2024)

KEN WHEELER (Chair): Ken moved to the Island from Northampton in 2003. After being made redundant from an Island printing firm he has set up his own at home and produces most of the Friends' printed material.

MARGARET PRIOR (Secretary): Margaret moved to the Island from Essex in 1993 and moved to East Cowes in 1999. A former Town Councillor and Mayor, she has especially enjoyed the challenge of recording and digitising the burial database for the Friends' website.

MARGARET LLOYD (Treasurer): Born in East Cowes, Margaret has been Chair of Governors at East Cowes Primary School, and later Queensgate Primary, for several years. It was she who had the vision to set up the Friends' group. Margaret is also a former Town Councillor and Mayor of East Cowes, and is married to Peter.

PETER LLOYD: Also born in East Cowes, Peter recently retired from his own general building business. He has been Mayor of East Cowes several times. He especially enjoys the “hands-on” aspects of our projects.

SARAH and DAVID BURDETT: Members of the Isle of Wight Society and founder members of East Cowes Heritage Centre, David and Sarah moved to the Island from Shoreham in 1972. Sarah is a former teacher and David is a retired Master Mariner (Merchant Service). They work tirelessly to discover and promote the heritage of the Town.

BRENDA BROOKE-WEBB: Brenda is a valuable and longstanding member of the group. She joined us to help with the upkeep of the cemetery and is very community minded.

PREVIOUS MEMBERS

GLYN ROBERTS: A founder member who was involved in a great many projects throughout East Cowes and across the Island. He died in 2016.

ROGER McALPINE: Roger and his wife CAROLE came to the Isle of Wight from the US and were involved in several organisations on the Island including work with the Classic Boat Museum. He died in 2023.

JANET GRIFFIN: Janet moved to the Island in 1966 from Hampshire, and to East Cowes in 1976. She was a founder member of the IW Family History Society, and enjoyed researching burial records as well as joining in with the tidy-ups. She was also a member of the Ventnor & District Local History Society. She died in 2024.

Group tidy

Tea break

Thanks to ..........

Thanks to all who contributed to the website with information and photographs.

Especially to Margaret Prior and Janet Griffin who spent many hours researching and recording the database for the burials.

Many thanks go to Brian Prior who built the previous website for the Friends which ran for many years.

Thanks also go to Tony Barton for building this version of the site.