The Birth of Portsea

According to tradition, when the shipwrights from Portsmouth Dockyard began to build in West Dock field early in Queen Anne’s reign, the Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth, General Gibson, took fright believing that any buildings erected so close to the town would mask and interfere with fortifications. He ordered all building operations to cease and threatened to turn the guns of the Garrison upon anyone who was rash enough to ignore his instructions. However, shortly after this ultimatum was delivered the Queen was in Portsmouth accompanied by her husband, Prince George of Denmark, and while she was at the Commissioner’s house the indignant shipwrights memorialised Her Majesty on the subject. Through the kindly mediation of the Prince the Governor was sent for, the matter settled and the shipwrights met with no further interference. The names of Queen Street and Prince George Street commemorate this event. Portsmouth Records Office I152

The beginning of State education

Portsmouth was one of the first areas in Hampshire to set up a School Board following the passage of the Elementary Education Act in 1870. Board members were local people directly elected by voters each having as many votes as there were places to fill. In Portsmouth 11 new elementary schools were built in 1870 – New Road, Cottage Grove, Swan Street, Flying Bull Lane, Eastney Road, Fratton Street, Kent Street, Church Street, Conway Street, Albert Road and Portsmouth Town. This great period of exertions was followed by a slack period in the next decade, due in part to the growing dissatisfaction of rate payers over the greatly increasing expenditure on education. In fact, the Education Department threatened to stop Government Grants altogether if the Portsmouth Board did no spur itself on to greater activity. Portsmouth Records Office I162

A Flying Circus

Sir Alan Cobham brought his Flying Circus to Portsmouth in 1932, the same year that Portsmouth Airport opened. He took the members of the Corporation on joy rides over the city. On the occasion he said, ‘It is about the best aerodrome I have landed in’.

Ragged Schools

At least four ragged schools were founded in Portsmouth – the home town of John Pounds, the disabled cobbler said to have inspired the Ragged School movement for the education of homeless and orphan children. St George’s School, Richmond Place was originally an example of an early Ragged School. In 1858 a Shoe Black Brigade was formed at the school. The children each had a station and the pence they earned went to buy boots and clothes for them. Portsmouth Records Office I162

Clarence Esplanade

In 1848, Southsea seafront changed forever with the building of Clarence Esplanade. It was partly financed from public subscription, with the War Office donating the land free of charge, and the Treasury contributing £300. The driving force behind the initiative were the Lt Governor, Lord Frederick FitzClarence, and Alderman Emanuel. They employed convict labour and took advantage of thousands of tons of mud and shingle being excavated from the Dockyard Steam Basin being built at the same time. The section from the King’s Rooms (now Clarence Pier) to the Castle was opened in August 1848 during the Royal Portsmouth Regatta. It was attended by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and other members of the royal family.

An early blizzard

On 18 October 1893 a great blizzard swept through the Portsmouth area. Two soldiers were frozen to death on Portsdown Hill.