Club History - The Nineteen Thirties

The exact date of revival is uncertain but it seam likely that it was in 1930/31 that a John Lord came from the north of England as a member of A.V.Roe Ltd. John Lord called a meeting of former members and interested parties in Newport and brought the club back into life. The side commenced play again at Somerton Aerodrome, Cowes now the home of Plessey Radar Ltd using old railway carriages for changing accommodation (They breed them hard on the Isle of Wight). Two years here was the limit and increasing demands of aircraft took precedence over Rugby so the club moved again, this time to Whippingham were the players changed in an old sanatorium (Some were even allowed to go home in the week!).

For the first two years of the revival John Lord Captained the side but at the same time as the move to Whippingham an injury brought an end to his playing career and Howard Harvey took over for a five-year run as Captain. Bill Newnham took over as secretary, a position he was to hold up to the war years and new players included Wally and Charlie Peters. Round about 1935 the club moved again, staying in East Cowes but playing at Osborne until the war years brought the curtain down for a while.

During the 1930’s the Wheatsheaf Hotel, Newport was used as the clubs unofficial headquarters with many a lively evening, forged by the then characters of the club, such as the stunt pilot that played on the wing, a one armed “Hells Angel”, Rodger Dickson, designer of a well know glider but handicapped on the field by sever deafness, test pilot Pat Hornidge, later to establish a world endurance record in a Meteor and George Thompson, David Milne and John Sizer from the Blackburn Aircraft company. Bill Eldridge and Arthur Rowland came into the picture and the team was lead by A. Foudry, succeeding Howard Harvey up to the war years. These were also the days before the Referees society and the Club owed a great deal to the Vicar of Carisbrooke, the Rev. Ewbank, and Bill Newnham for their ever willing assistance.

The war brought a long break in the history of the club but after the end of the war Arthur Rowland had a big hand in raising money for a memorial to the players who did not return, A commemorative plaque can be seen today at Gatcombe Church and the congregation there owe their heating system to this fund.