A disaster in the castle

In 1759 disaster struck at Southsea Castle when sparks from a fire fell through floorboards and ignited gunpowder which was stored in the room below. Seventeen men, women and children were killed in the explosion.

Return of Hermes after the Falklands conflict

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h24wFe_zWUQ&feature=related

The return of HMS Hermes to Portsmouth Harbour after taking part in the Falklands conflict. A welcome that has been happening through the ages and one only Portsmouth can give!

Samuel Pepys

Samuel Pepys was a burgess in Portsmouth for the years 1662-1703. He had the management of the Admiralty department and Portsmouth features regularly in his diaries.

Pirates in the Solent

The cutter Childers was captured by a privateer under Dutch colours off the Needles last week. The Childers managed to escape later but the same privateer took four brigs and a sloop within the following two days, at the same spot. The Channel is now full of French and Dutch privateers, which come upon our coasts, and take merchantmen from the mouths of our ports’

Taken from the Hampshire Chronicle 29 April 1792

Tin canoes

'We like England very much. It is very beautiful.We have seen Salisbury Cathedral which is very fine and the ship where Nelson died which is all gold with wooden guns, and Westminster Abbey where they crown the kings of England and the Tower, where they cut thier heads off. But the best things in England are the tin canoes at Southsea.'

Andre Maurois, the French author, visiting Portsmouth in the 1920s

Salt

In the later 17th century, the salt production on Portsea Island was ranked second in the country. Although salt has always been an important local industry, with many pre Roman sites being known, and eleven salt works being mentioned in the Domesday Book, it was given a boost by the founding of the Great Salterns works in 1666. A local entreprenuer, Richard Alchorne, dug salt pans in approximately 100 acres of land that had been reclaimed at Gatcombe Haven.
Great Salterns and another large salt pan at Copnor supplied the Navy, providing refined salt that was more reliable at preserving meat by brining rather than dry-salting.

The Festival of Britain

To celebrate the Festival of Britain in 1951, the following events in Portsmouth were held: a Searchlight Tattoo at Fratton Park; a carnival procession; a pageant of physical training and sport at Alexandra Park; an aquatic gala at Hilsea Lido; a trade’s fair on Castle Field, an international youth camp and a children’s week on Castle Field.

Merton Road

 '... it was in a notoriously bad condition, full of holes in some places and in others a perfect pond. Those who drove through the road in carriages were put to great inconvenience and annoyance, for their wheels were no sooner out of one hole than they were into another. The road was highly dangerous.'

A description of Merton Road, Portsmouth, 1877

David Niven’s view of the Common

David Niven described Southsea Common in 1930 as, ‘flat, greasy, wet and windswept, with a dejected flock of dirty sheep morosely munching on its balding surface.’


Taken from D Niven, A Moon’s a Balloon, 1972.