Life in Milton

‘The roads in the rural district of St Mary’s ward are at all times in a very bad state of condition, and much infested with gypsies and loose cattle. There is a very obnoxious drain that runs through the village of Milton, which last year was the principal cause of the death of six inmates of one house. There are also in this village several private roads…, the ditches of which are filled from the drain of a large cow-house, and the filth of the same is frequently placed on the road, much to the annoyance of the inhabitants. Jonathan Gain, Lumps Villa, Southsea writing to the Report to the General Board of Health on the sewage, drainage and water supply of Portsmouth, 1850.’

Women playing cricket

The open spaces in Portsmouth have always been used for recreation and informal sporting events. In what was probably an unusual event, an unnamed diarist records that on 17 May 1813 a cricket match took place in Milton between 22 women. There was a prize fund of £5 and many thousands turned out to watch. The two teams wore white with orange and blue ribbons respectively. As the diarist notes, ‘the Orange beat’.