H G Wells

H G Wells, the pioneer of science fiction, spent his apprenticeship as a draper at Hyde's Emporium in King Street, Portsmouth, from 1881 to 1883. He did not enjoy the experience and finally, after several entreaties had fallen on deaf ears, walked the 17 miles to the Uppark estate, where his mother was employed, to ask to be released from his apprenticeship. He was allowed to and resumed his education.

It is interesting to note that a young doctor, Arthur Conan Doyle, set up his practice just across the road in 1882 so two of our most famous authors resided in the same road at the same time in Portsmouth.

An 1883 bye-law

There is much in the local news recently about public disorder in Portsmouth. A bye-law passed in 1883 states that; ‘no person within the Borough of Portsmouth shall by shouting, singing, bawling, ringing a bell, or by playing on any instrument, make a disturbance in or near any thoroughfare or by any means, whatsoever, cause persons to collect so as to obstruct the free and uninterrupted passage.’ It appears that this was not enforced even at the time moving one commentator in 1910 to state: ‘If measures are not taken to prevent annoyance to pedestrians and residents, Portsmouth will soon get the reputation for being a badly governed town.'

Percy Boulnois

Few council employees have been as capable and have left a legacy in Portsmouth such as Percy Boulnois. Elected to the post of Borough Engineer in 1883, during his six year stay he built: a paved promenade; a road (part of the Esplanade) and retaining wall between the sea and the Common; a new customs house in the Camber; finished the public swimming baths; laid out Alexandra Park including one of the first bicycle tracks in the country; significantly increased the wharfage accommodation at Flathouse and constructed, despite some opposition, the Canoe Lake. He oversaw the plans for 3,025 new dwelling-houses and 636 miscellaneous buildings in three years. He even persuaded the Corporation to fit a salt water storage tank in the Square Tower to aid street cleaning. Percy remembered his time in Portsmouth with great fondness in later life. He left in 1889 to take up a similar position in Liverpool.