Charles Dickens

"He can touch every chord of human sympathy with an intensity of power which would be almost painful if it were long sustained."

The Hampshire Telegraph describing the last visit of Charles Dickens to his birthplace of Portsmouth in 1866 when he gave a reading.

Emanuel Emanuel

This prominent member of the long standing Jewish community in Portsmouth became its first Jewish Mayor, and one of its finest civic leaders, in 1866. He was a successful jeweller operating from the High Street but it is his involvement with civic affairs that has left an outstanding legacy in the City today. He, together with the then Governor, Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, decided to construct Clarence Parade along the seafront, and he was also instrumental in the creation of the People’s Park, now known as Victoria Park, the first public park in the Portsmouth. A glorious memorial in his memory stands near Canoe Lake: http://www.memorials.inportsmouth.co.uk/southsea/emanuel.htm

Death of a Temperance Advocate

In 1866 a temperance advocate, Noah Wareham, was violently kicked to death outside his house in Montagu Street, Portsmouth. There was a preponderance of beer houses and brewers in the town at this time who, together with naval and garrison elements, did not take kindly to the thought of someone preaching abstinence. There was a national outcry and a book entitled, ‘The life and martyrdom of Noah Wareham (late of Portsmouth)’ was written the following year by Frederic Beck.

Curtailing of drinking hours

Prior to the adoption of the Public House Act at a special meeting of the Portsmouth Town Council in 1866, there was no regulation of drinking hours. This, coupled with the enormous number of drinking establishments in Portsmouth, led to growing concern regarding the effects of the ‘Demon Drink’. Even so, this Act only required closure between the hours on 1 and 4 in the morning!