‘Who Do You Think Lived Here’ is the title of a fascinating exhibition mounted by Cowes Heritage. It is their 12th exhibition and can be viewed, for free, at the Regatta Office, Bath Road, Cowes until 10th November.
Dozens of the past residents of the Cowes area have interesting stories, some well-known with names that are chronicled in the history of the Island and the UK whilst others have more local stories to tell. Within the exhibition these stories are featured and we have selected just a few. By visiting the exhibition there is the chance to gain a view of Cowes in the past through the town’s residents and is of great interest.
Car designer
Owen Maddock lived his last 25years in the town, residing at Tower House, Newport Road. As the chief designer of the Cooper Car Company he designed the rear mounted engine that propelled (Sir) Jack Brabham to the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship in 1959 and 1960. Cooper won two constructors titles in these two years.
Owen, who had joined Cooper in April 1948 departed in 1963. He then set about designing a racing hovercraft. Then he worked at Saunders Roe-cum- British Hovercraft Corporation designing full scale craft.
When he left BHC he joined Elliott Turbine Machinery, whilst still working as a freelance F1 engine designer for Bruce McLaren and March.
Bouncing Bomb
Another engineer whose name is chronicled in the history of Great Britain is Barnes Wallace. Most well known for the Bouncing Bomb of ‘Dam Busters’ fame he lived in Gordon Road, Pelham Road and Pallance Road whilst working in White’s drawing office.
Dentists and sailors
Bobby Lowein was born in Medina Lodge, Birmingham Road in 1921. His father Arthur was dentist to Princess Beatrice so it was no surprise when Bobby decided to join the same profession.
An accomplished sailor Bobby started offshore racing in 1946. Aboard his own yacht ‘Danegeld’ built by David Cheverton he amassed an impressive record with 15 victories and 6 placings from 22 starts during the boat’s first season.
‘Danegeld’s’ lead keel was said to have been made from melted gargoyles that once adorned East Cowes Castle which Bobby had inherited and in 2012 the boat was one of the featured boats at the PSP Southampton Boat Show. Bobby was named ‘Yachtsman of the Year’ in 1959.
He began helming for Sir Max Aitken in 1964, and represented the GB team on seven occasions in the Admiral’s Cup.
Sir Max acquired ‘The Prospect‘ in the High Street in 1947. He inherited his father’s newspaper empire and founded both the London Boat Show and the Torquay-Cowes- Torquay Powerboat Race.
‘Theo The Tramp’
Theodore Racine Searle was educated in Cheltenham and life was looking dandy. Then his fortune changed and he became known as ‘Theo The Tramp’. He was a well known character around Cowes and the rest of the Island. Home in the 1960s was in a garden shed at Tara House, the old Northwood Rectory.
Racehorse owner
‘Claymore’ a middle terrace cottage on the Parade was home to the extensive Johnstone family. Sir Frederick, the 8th Baronet was a very successful racehorse owner.
He won the 1883 Derby with St.Blaise and again in 1891 with Common, odds-on favourite, and was a close friend of the Prince of Wales.
Well-known TV flower arranger
In the 1950s and 1960s Julia Clements OBE was well known for Flower Arranging. She appeared on TV demonstrating her flower art and wrote several books on the subject as well as regular columns in national gardening magazines.
With a real name of Gladys she had moved to Cowes when her father had a job at JS Whites during the First World War and lived in Tennyson Road. When her father died in 1916 her mother, having seven children to support, opened a laundry in Cowes.
With her great love of flowers and gardens Julia was invited to Monaco by Princess Grace and they became friends. She was married twice with her second husband being Sir Alexander Seton. In 2006 she was interviewed by Alan Titchmarsh on TV at the Chelsea Flower Show just after her 100th birthday. Lady Seton was 104 when she died in 2010.
Running until 10th November
As well as the most interesting history of the houses and families of the Cowes area several display cases show items in common use in yesteryear. A series of pennies and halfpennies dating from the reign of Queen Victoria has been loaned by Cameo of Cowes and other domestic items have been loaned by Carisbrooke Castle Museum.
This exhibition was opened by Janet Griffin from the IW Family History Society (pictured with John Groves from Cowes Heritage.)
