Published by the WEA Portsmouth Local History Group, 52 pages. A5 size booklet (NX1)
This booklet provides a fascinating insight into the history of part of Portsmouth, and includes lots of memories and recollections of what life was like in years gone by. The booklet covers parts of the area now known as Southsea, and is a must read for anyone who lived or grew up in the area, and will delight anyone with an interest in the history and development of Portsmouth
From the first inside page: Much of the land to the south of Port sea Island, which later became Southsea, was for a great many years unsuitable for building. A number of springs fed into streams that led south into marshy areas known as morasses. The Little Morass was at the Clarence Pier end of the common and was fed by a stream, the Hambrook, which ran from Kingston down through Somers Road, Green Road, Castle Road to the common. The stream was culverted and so is no longer visible until the culvert fails or some house/ road builder manages to find it. Much of the land was split between two owners, the Leeks and the Whites. They leased it out, most of it was used as small farms and as time went by was sold off as building land. One of the earliest developments was by a Mr Croxton and became known as the mineral estate after the road names.
The street listings are based on the 1960 Kelly's Directory with the details expanded where businesses were at the address for some years. In general the only premises listed are business premises so the gaps are private houses. It may seem odd to the reader that many seem to end in 1976 - this is only because that is the date of the last trade directory and the firm may have been there afterwards.
The condition of the booklet is generally very good. The cover is clean and tidy, the staple spine is intact, and all pages are clean, intact, unblemished and tightly bound