Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2009 | Page 41

ISLAND HISTORY
building.

Across the street is Ladbroke’s,

once Sheridan’s Boarding House that has

the row of figures on the parapet.
“They represent the Four Seasons of

life

was moved to Green Street when the
area became popular and people didn’t

luckily retained its distinguished looks

the Year,” says Roy. “And Jabez may

want raggedy children running round the

above ground level.

have bought them from a shop in the

street.

Further down we find the Royal Victoria

arcade that stocked Grecian figures.” The

Arcade, named to commemorate Princess

retailing side of the photography business

garden in the centre is surrounded

Victoria’s visits in 1831 and 1833 before

was on the ground floor with the studios

by beautiful houses from around the

she was queen. The shopping arcade was

at the back of the building to catch

1830-40s and I fall in love with a

built in 1835 by Dr. William Houghton

the maximum light from the large glass

fairy-tale cottage where the chimney

Banks for £10,000 with Princess Victoria’s

windows.

stacks go sideways between the building

coat of arms over the entrance. Years

The houses in Union Street were later

Vernon Square is a gem. The railed

next-door. The garden was restored

ago two porters would have been on duty

enlarged and converted into shops, like

and opened in May 1999 by the Vernon

at the entrance.

Gibbs and Gurnell, a chemist’s shop

Square Preservation Society who own and

established in 1839 and famous for

maintain it.

Decorated in pale green, the arcade’s
faded grandeur lingers from those

dispensing medicines to Queen Victoria.

days. Each shop was a separate unit

Opposite is Fowler’s old store where the

Esplanade, past the Pavilion built by

with a stock room below the shop and

traditional shop front has been preserved.

Walter Macfarlane in 1926. It was built

a flat above with a staircase from top to

Roy suggests we look at Vernon Square

The next day I walk along the Eastern

on a metal framework, rather like a

bottom. A fountain was built over a local

so we leave Union Street and turn into

Meccano kit, and there’s an identical one

well and there was an ice house under the

Cross Street and then into Melville Street.

at Rothsay on the Isle of Bute.

building and an exhibition hall adjoining

We pass Vectis Hall, a

the rotunda. The arcade was restored in

Grade 11 listed building that was started

In 1782 Britain’s largest warship, HMS
Royal George heeled over and sank

1974 and is one of the earliest arcades in

by Lady Spencer in 1812 as St. Thomas’s

in Spithead and nine hundred people,

the country.

School. She persuaded the Lady of the

including the women and children visiting

Manor to lease the land for a peppercorn

the ship, were drowned. Hundreds of

coffee at the café under the rotunda.

rent and the school was supported by

bodies were washed up and buried under

But Roy wants to show me R Vv