Chairman's Newsletter - March 2024
Monday 18th March 2024
Dear Members,
The evenings are getting lighter and with Easter so early this year, Osborne is getting ready for the new season. February proved to be one of the wettest on record. However, one of our members showed some advantage of all the rain by taking a wonderful picture entitled ‘Osborne, after the Rain’, which was voted winning photo of the month.
Please click here to see February’s entries - Friends of Osborne | February 2024 - Photo Competition Entries | Friends of Osborne.
One very good piece of news is that the Table Deckers Room in the basement, which has been closed to visitors over recent years, is to reopen at the end of March. The rooms are immediately below the dining room and give a fascinating glimpse of life ‘below stairs’. Table Deckers were responsible for laying the dining tables for lunch and dinner; and arranging displays of flowers from the kitchen garden.
All the rain has had a detrimental impact on the House, causing some render and masonry to fall off. High level work needs to be done to the guttering and cornices, and hoarding and scaffolding will be going up around parts of the House. This could potentially be up for a year.
Due to this, some of our planned events have been changed. There will be no 360 degrees tour this summer, as access to the Tower will be difficult, if not impossible. Instead, Christopher Warleigh-Lack, Osborne’s curator, will give a ‘Hidden Osborne Tour’. He will take two groups of members into the basement and unseen parts of the House. This will be in June; final details and booking forms will follow soon.
Our other summer event will be a ‘Walled Garden Drinks Party’ in July. Again, when final arrangements have been organised, details and booking forms will be released.
However, we have many events organised which you can book now.
The first talk of the year on Thursday, March 21st is now fully booked. Sarah Burdett is talking about Norris Castle.
It is highly likely that this talk will take place in the Duchess of Kent Suite. This is because the usual venue, the Education Suite, is being redecorated. Friends of Osborne are paying for this work to be done and David Bailey has asked me to pass on his thanks to all. It is quite a major job and is likely to take the whole of March to be completed. All walls, ceiling and woodwork are being painted and the floor is being sanded and wood stained. Committee members will meet those who have booked on to the Norris Castle talk by the green gate at 10:40 and walk them to the Duchess of Kent Suite.
On Friday, April 19th we have organised Spring Flower Arranging with Sue Sawby. Sue has previously held workshops for members at Christmas, so this is a wonderful opportunity for those members who were unable to attend previously to create a centre piece for Spring. Further details and booking forms will follow shortly.
Toby, Osborne’s Head Gardener will be taking members on a Spring Walk on Wednesday, April 24th.
Please lick here for more details - Friends of Osborne | Spring Colour Walk with Head Gardener Toby Beasley
On Tuesday April 30th Mark Earp is giving a talk on ‘Curiosities of the Isle of Wight’. Mark is always a very entertaining speaker. We will be back in the Education Suite for this talk and so numbers will not be restricted.
Please click here for more details - Friends of Osborne | Talk 'Curiosities of the Isle of Wight'
On Tuesday 9th May Rosemary Cooper is giving a talk on Princess Beatrice and the Carisbrook Museum. Princess Beatrice had strong links with Carisbrooke Castle even before she took up residence there. In 1898 she opened a museum in the gatehouse, which had been restored as a memorial to her husband.
Please click below for more details - Friends of Osborne | Talk on Princess Beatrice and the Carisbrooke Museum.
We have also investigated holding a Ladies Lunch once a month. We have been in touch with the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and they are happy to accommodate us. More details will follow in April.
On Wednesday 22nd May at 14:30, a visit to Quarr Abbey has been arranged. This will include a tour of the Abbey and a talk by Dr. Fontana, as well as refreshments in the garden afterwards.
Please click here for more information and to book - Friends of Osborne | Visit to Quarr Abbey
A visit to East Cowes Classic Boat Museum has been organised for Wednesday 10th July at 10:30.
The museum will be closed to the public on this day, so members of Friends of Osborne will have the opportunity to have a personal tour of this fascinating museum.
Please click here for details - Friends of Osborne | Visit to East Cowes Classic Boat Museum
As well as funding the redecoration of the Education Suite, it was agreed we would fund another defibrillator, which will be placed by the Beach Café.
Our Friends of Osborne Education Award is due to be launched this month. We are funding this award, which will be open to all Isle of Wight Primary Schools. Children will have a year to work on a project connected to Osborne. They must make at least one visit to Osborne and present their project by June 2025. It can take a variety of forms (written, dramatic, artistic or using I.T.) and be historical, geographical, technical or environmental in nature. The winning school will be awarded a £250 cash prize.
We hope that many schools take up the challenge and that this continues for many years into the future. The shortlisted entries will be displayed in the Education Room and judged by the FoO Committee.
English Heritage is organising some exciting events at Osborne over April and the Easter holidays. The Easter Adventure Quest runs from 23rd March to 14th April and children can follow clues to track down Easter Eggs, with a tasty treat at the end. It costs £2.
The Big Brick Build runs from 6th to 14th April. The challenge is to create a sculpture of Queen Victoria in brick form.
Click here to access EH’s website with more details - Osborne | English Heritage (english-heritage.org.uk)
I wish you all an enjoyable Easter and look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events.
Best wishes
Allison Rogers