Nostalgic memories of Portsmouth's local history

Share your own memories of Portsmouth and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Add Your Memory for Portsmouth

Displaying Memories 21 - 26 of 26 in total

"Kiss Me, Hardy"

I've only been onboard the Victory once. It was enough to profoundly strike my imagination. I stood where Nelson fell ! It brings tears to my eyes to think of it now as I write. She is an incredible vessel. You can almost hear the cries and commands shouted out during naval battle. And what a genius Nelson was. To break conventional naval tactics and completely fool the Spanish Armada by a frontal attack compared to ...see more

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Added 26 January 2008

The Best Place In The World

This was to me, as a young lad, one of the best places in the whole world! There was nothing more appealing to me than being at this great vantage point for the Portsmouth Dockyard. I could have stayed there all day watching our British Navy aircraft carriers, battleships, submarines and cruisers contrasted to the masts of our most famous ship of all time, the HMS Victory, watching the ferries plying ...see more

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Added 26 January 2008

The Mudlarks

We used to go down to Sallyport from 1954 -1958 ..there were a lot of local 'urchins' called the 'Mudlarks' who would stand in the knee deep, sloppy black mud below the pier to the ferry when the tide was out and people would throw them pennies which they had to find in the mud.They'd end up covered from head to foot. A lot of them had great characters and had developed great 'carny' skills to get people to toss them ...see more

Portsmouth, Victoria Pier and the Sally Port c1960

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Added 26 January 2008

Art Exhibition, Old Portsmouth.

My grandparents Bert & Dorrie Hedger started this amature exhibition in about 1965, and carried on until my grandfather died in 1982. I recognise several of the paintings as being by my mum Rita Grant, as I was taken down there every weekend from the age of three.

Portsmouth, Artist's Corner, the Sally Port c1965

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Added 17 January 2007

Swimming At Sallyport

The outfall from the power station made the water warm here so that we swam all year round - not for those who didn't know the currents. The visitors were amazed at our apparent hardiness, or perhaps foolhardiness.