Seaview, High Street, Family Hersey

Alan Hersey was born in 1931 and died in 1999. 

To honour this former renowned County Councillor an area of great beauty has been named Alan Hersey Nature Reserve; it is in Nettlestone and Seaview and famous for being an extensive bird hide. It's a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

                                          View on the Alan Hersey Nature Reserve

Mrs.Robyn Hersey died in Wootton, in a nursing home, aged 70 in 2010.

She was born in Colchester, Essex and moved to the Isle of Wight in 1949 when her father became head herdsman in Mottistone.

She went to school in Ryde and to college in Portsmouth.

                                                      Mrs.Robyn Hersey

Mrs.Hersey had a passion for athletics and made it to being the champion hurdles for Hampshire County.

After her active years in sports she went coaching athletics, starting with her own children.

Later she became a PE teacher at Bembridge School.

She retired when the Bembridge School and Ryde School were combined.

Alan Hersey and Robyn married in 1956 in St.Peter's Church in Seaview. 

She was a member of the Seaview Regatta Committee and ran the regatta-tug-of-war competition. The winner got the Hersey Shield, named after her husband.

                                          Seaview Regatta in 1985

When Mrs.Hersey died she left four children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild behind.

This plaque was - as I presume -  placed on the same bench to honour the grandparents of Alan Hersey, the County Councillor. He must have been fond of his grandparents.

                                         View from the bench. It is the old spot from where the regatta was started.