Milton and Bransbury parks

The land for Milton Park was purchased in 1911 when the death of the local farmer and recluse James Goldsmith brought a large wooded area on to the market. Anxious to provide open spaces within the increasingly developed a Portsea Island, the Town Council acquired the property for £28,840 as well as some additional land in Bransbury Road. Both areas were converted into parks, which is how they remain today.

A cutting in Portsdown Hill

The first cutting through Portsdown Hill was made in about 1800 to ease the route out of Portsmouth to the north and on to London. It is still in evidence today by the George Inn. The debris was taken down the hill and placed in Cosham High Street to lessen the gradient of the road through this section. In the short term this resulted in the road being much higher than the front doors of the adjacent small farm cottages.

As Cosham developed with an increase in through traffic, these dwellings gradually vanished and no trace remains today.

The Mary Rose

Said to have been named after Mary Tudor, Henry VIII’s youngest sister, the first Mary Rose is one of the nine warships to bear the name. One of the earliest ships to carry heavy guns, she sunk in 1545 during an engagement with a French invasion fleet, in full view of the King as he looked on from Southsea Castle.

Rediscovered in 1971, her remains were eventually recovered in 1982 after one of the most complex and expensive maritime archaeology salvage projects ever undertaken. The remarkable find is considered something of a Tudor time capsule, with 19,000 artefacts providing a unique insight into naval life and technology in the 16th century.

Taken from Ships Monthly April 2011 which has a 15 page special on Portsmouth: http://www.shipsmonthly.com/

A Violent Storm

In 1820 a violent storm lifted the East Indiaman, Borneo, from her moorings at Spithead and left her stranded on Southsea Common.

The Spinnaker Tower

The Spinnaker Tower is the tallest publicly accessible building in the UK.
To find out more about the history of the Tower: http://www.spinnakertower.co.uk/About_The_Tower/History_Of_The_Tower/index.php

George Meredith

The famed novelist, George Meredith, was born in High Street, Portsmouth on 12 February 1858. The house was one of many destroyed in the Blitz.

Hilsea Lido

In the 1930s there was increased interest in leisure pursuits. In Portsmouth the Hilsea Lido was opened by the Mayor in July 1935 and flourished. It was a sizable undertaking having a café, paddling pool, sunbathing deck, a diving board, chutes and facilities for 1,000. Built by the council and used as an unemployment reduction scheme, it cost £36,000 and took seven months to build. Its striking architecture is typical of the era.

After World War II, the Lido reopened in 1947 but never regained its original popularity. After many problems, it is now supported by a lively community group. To find out more: http://www.hilsea-lido.org.uk/

Dickens’ week

In 1929 Portsmouth school teachers organised an ambitious event to celebrate the author Charles Dickens and his links with the city. A parade dressed as Dicken’s characters went from the Guildhall to his birthplace in Commercial Road, pageants and concerts were held and the culmination was a ball in the Guildhall. The event was a resounding success.

2012 will be the 200th anniversary of Dickens birth. To celebrate, Portsmouth City Council has a large community archive project which aims to reach out to everyone in the city celebrating both archives and Dickens. The culmination will be a exhibition at the City Museum.

http://www.charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk/charles-dickens-birthplace/ATaleofOneCity.htm

Portsmouth’s most important industry

The leading industry in Portsmouth was surprisingly the dress sector represented by the many milliners, dressmakers, staymakers, shirtmakers, seamstresses, tailors, hatters and shoemakers. This dominance was evident throughout the years 1841 to 1911, by which time it occupied 39.6% of the workforce (metalwork and engineering were 23.6% and shipbuilding 20.8%).

Demand was led by the large presence of naval and military personnel requiring uniforms and a willing workforce was to be found among the female workers of the town. Portsmouth was particularly famous for its specialism in corset (stay) making.

To find out more read the excellent Portsmouth Paper no 25 by R C Riley.

Southsea Rock Gardens

The glorious Rock Gardens in Southsea have an interesting history. Originally built in the early 1920’s, they suffered from neglect during World War II when the whole seafront was given over to the military. They were one of the first areas to be restored post WWII but subsequently suffered from flooding during one of the worst storms in living memory, in 1949, when the fire brigade limited the damage by quickly pumping off over one million gallons of salt water. In the 1950s electicity was introduced including coloured lights in the fountain.

When first conceived, it was hoped they would, ‘provide shelter from the cold winds which are occasionally felt in all seaside resorts’. Over 90 years later the Rock Gardens are still a much loved feature of the seafront.

To find out more:
http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/living/10079.html

Public Conveniences

‘Please adjust your dress before leaving’ was the sound advice placed on tiles in Portsmouth public conveniences in the early 1900s.

Passengers from a lost airport

During 1934 nearly 20,000 passengers flew from Portsmouth airport. At this time Amy Johnson was working here as a test pilot for The Portsmouth Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviations Co.

Portsmouth Records Office I169

Verrecchia ice cream

Portsmouth, like other coastal towns, saw Italian ice cream makers appearing by the late 1800s. Initially there was some local hostility with regular fines being imposed for obstruction. However, attitudes had softened by the inter war period enabling Augusto Verrecchia to open his popular coffee house and ice cream café by the railway bridge near Guildhall Square. In the post WWII period, this café was much loved by the students of the nearby Municipal College as the individual booths were ideal for courting.

One of these booths is now preserved and on view in the City Museum.

Holland 1

Built in 1901, this tiny submersible was the Royal Navy’s first submarine and formed part of the "First Submarine Flotilla" based in Portsmouth Harbour. In her life she was both blown up and sunk, but now she rests peacefully at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

For more information: http://www.submarine-museum.co.uk/museum-collections/our-submarines/holland-1

It’s Shorter by Water!

The Gosport ferry, which shuttles people between Gosport and Portsmouth, is by far Britain’s busiest short route with passenger numbers of roughly 4 million per year. This despite a fall in numbers from nearer 10 million in its heyday.

Gosport Ferry Limited can trace its ancestry back to the 1880s.
http://www.gosportferry.co.uk/aboutus.php

Dickens and Highland Road

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth and kept connections with the town for most of his life. Highland Road cemetery has a plethora of connections being the last resting place of:
o Maria Winter (nee Beadnall), his first sweetheart
o Ellen Robinson (nee Ternan), his mistress
o Georgina Margaret Haymen, believed to be the model for Little Dorritt
o Alfred Arthur Seale, first curator of the Charles Dickens Museum in Portsmouth.

2012 will be the bicentenary of Dickens’ birth and to celebrate Portsmouth City Council will be arranging a series of celebrations including a large community archive project.
http://www.dickens2012.org/dickens-community-archive-project

Jane’s Fighting Ships

Fred T Jane, although not a native of Portsmouth, spent most of his working life in the town. He is best remembered for his international standard reference work, All the World’s Fighting Ships. However he was active in local life in many ways including the burgeoning scouting movement and politics.

To find out more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_T._Jane

HMS Dreadnought

When HMS Dreadnought was laid down on 2 October 1905 in Portsmouth naval history was made. It became the predominant type of naval battleship of the twentieth century, so much so that those built after her were referred to as 'dreadnoughts', and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts.

The Admiral Superintendant of Portsmouth Dockyard, Jackie Fisher, was a man of enormous energy and drive. He spearheaded the revolutionary design and under his leadership HMS Dreadnought was launched by Edward VII on 10 February 1906 after only 130 days. She sailed for sea trials just a year and one day after the laying of her keel, a huge feat which it was said at the time would not have been possible anywhere else in the world.

Modern admiralty procurement could perhaps learn some lessons!

To find out more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadnought_battleship#Anglo-German_arms_race

Swedish sea fight

On 1 May 1647 there was a sea fight off Portsmouth involving 5 Swedish ships.

Loathsome Portsmouth

'that loathsome place subject to ague and the infection of so many poor sailors'

The view of Secretary Cope, one of the Commissioners of The Admiralty, writing in May 1628.