In the 1840s, Ryde’s population was just 5840. Today, it has quadrupled to house over 24,000 individuals. The boom in population over the past 180 years is directly proportional to the increasing attraction of the Isle of Wight as a holiday destination. Sandy beaches, quaint cafes, and sea front walks, all make Ryde a picture-perfect representation of a classic British seaside holiday.
This is not exclusive to today’s tourists, Brannon’s engraving of the Ryde seafront in June captures the essence of the Victorian appeal of visiting the Isle in summer months, too. Depicting the thriving trade-by-sea of the working-class population and the bustling pier of the upper-class, Brannon’s representation highlights to us not only the changing landscape of Ryde but the lifestyle of the town which attracted many citizens. Ryde attracted so much attention during this time that Queen Victoria visited in August 1843, 2 months before Brannon finished this piece. The harbor, pier, and distant Highstreet engraved by Brannon were the same that Queen Victoria would have seen and enjoyed. So much so she bought the Osborne Estate in 1845, near Cowes. The extant works of Brannon help piece together a holistic picture of what life entailed on the Isle of Wight.
This object was audited and researched by a volunteer as part of the National Lottery Heritage Funded Data Hunters and Story Gatherers project.
