Graham Hall on Navigation

It is in fact, the landing place for Osborne House. It’s the official landing place for Osborne House and in my day when I was there, there was a red carpet there that was provided by some ministry or other, that used to be rolled out in the event of anybody needing to land there and indeed, when Earl Mountbatten was the Governor of the Island he used to use the Depot as the landing place for him.

He often used to come across in a barge from Portsmouth and he was very keen, when he did the ‘Churchill’ would be berthed in Cowes and he would come alongside the ‘Churchill’ to make it easier for them, then they could … he used to come and meet the crew. He was an elder brother of Trinity House and he was a very big supporter of Trinity House.

He used to come and meet the crew and then walk ashore from the ship to fulfil whatever function he was going to fulfil on the Island but, you know, it was then the official landing place for Osborne House and I do believe and I have no knowledge if this is right or wrong but the rumour used to go around that it could not be used at that time for commercial purposes as it had been virtually loaned to Trinity House for the use of a thing but it was really the official landing place for Osborne.