“Uncovering the people who fill these pages has been a delight. Standing in a churchyard, staring at a name on a gravestone, stepping inside the building where once they stood, seeing the view that they looked upon is its own reward.” This book is an exploration of those characters in history with a strong association with the Isle of Wight, many of them making it their final resting place. Packed with fascinating anecdotes and photographs, Pushing up the Daisies remembers ‘The Famous & Forgotten on the Isle of Wight’.
“On May 20th 1835 in the dead of night, a coffin was manhandled across the fields from East Cowes Castle to nearby St. James’ Church. Due for burial the following day, it was rumoured that angry creditors might seize the corpse against outstanding debts. Ensconced within were the mortal remains of 83 year old John Nash (1752 – 1835), architect, self-made gentleman and friend of George IV…”
Isle of Wight author Jan Toms is an expert story-teller, and this opening to Chapter One of Pushing up the Daisies turns the potentially dull lives of architects into an intriguing mystery. This chapter explores the life of long-time Island resident John Nash, including his friendship with the then King George IV, his financial difficulties and his architectural accomplishments such as Northwood House in Cowes, and Newport Town Hall, as well as famous buildings on the mainland. Jan goes on to discuss various other architects with strong Isle of Wight connections, including George Ward, James and John Pennethorne, Frank James, and Michael Hoy.
As with every chapter in this book, Chapter Two ‘Let Battle Commence’ takes its sub-heading from a pre-existing and relevant quotation. In this case, occasional visitor to the Isle of Wight W. H. Auden provides a profound introduction to a chapter exploring the impact of war on the area:
To save your world
you asked this man to die:
Would this man,
could he see you now, ask why?
Mentioned in this chapter is Sir John Oglander, author of the seventeenth century ‘Royalist Notebook’, giving ‘as it happens’ accounts of life during the time of the English Civil War. His diary does not glorify war in the way that one might expect of a supporter of royalty at this time, instead describing the death of a young soldier in rather a matter-of-fact way, concluding that “all the nerves and sinews in the poll of his head were either broken off or, with the fire, shrunk up and his brain turned in his head”.
The book continues through six more chapters, featuring authors, poets, artists, musicians, sailors, smugglers, royalty and people of God who lived on the island.
Chapter Six entitled ‘Naughty Naughty’ is certainly for those who enjoy the tale of a loveable rogue, suggested at once by Jan's use of an Oscar Wilde quotation to begin the chapter. Here are recounted stories of theft, murder and promiscuity that make society today seem positively tame!
As the title might suggest, Pushing up the Daisies features various photographs of gravestones and provides explanations and interesting anecdotes associated with them. Reading the book, there are also several occasions where one finds oneself thinking, “Ohhh, so that’s where that came from”. One landmark to elicit such a response is what seems to be an ornate shed on top of a hill just outside Havenstreet. Others include the bowling-green at Carisbrooke Castle, the statue-surmounted computer shop on Union Street, and the ostensibly meaningless pile of rubble on Stenbury Down.
Combined with the abundance of interesting subject matter and Jan Toms’ fluent writing style, Pushing up the Daisies certainly ensures that the famous on the Isle of Wight are not forgotten.
