The Isle of Wight: Women, History, Books and Places

Discover the Isle of Wight through the remarkable lives of its women—from medieval rulers to aviatrixes, suffragettes to spies.

Susanna Hoe brings to light the fascinating stories of:

• Isabella de Fortibus, medieval ruler of the Island;

• Queen Osburga of Arreton, mother of Alfred the Great;

• Princess Beatrice, wartime Governor at Carisbrooke Castle;

• Royal figures who shaped Carisbrooke Castle’s legacy;

• Explorers of the Roman villas, now preserved for public visitors;

• Fossil hunters on “Dinosaur Isle”;

• Smugglers, witches, and ghost mythologies under the “Ghost Island” lore;

• Adventurous women who were aviatrixes, suffragettes, photographers, marine engineers, powerboat racers, and even spies narrating their daring lives 

Richly illustrated with a cover watercolour by Berthe Morisot, the volume invites readers into Isle of Wight’s storied past, weaving together history, landscape, and women’s voices in a vivid narrative.

Ideal for fans of Alice Albinia’s The Britannias—a feminist journey across Britain’s islands , and Daisy Plant’s A History of Women’s Lives of the Isle of Wight—a deeply personal social history .