Southampton has been the scene of many changes over the years - thankfully photographers and artists have been there to capture many of them.
A new book titled Southampton: The Postcard Collection by Peter Wardall, Ben Waring and Rod Andrews takes a look at postcards through the ages which help to paint a picture of the past.
The following is from the book:
Date unknown: Oxford Street
Oxford Street was once one of the busiest commercial districts in the town. The vast majority of the business there were focused on maritime interest. There were chart suppliers, sellers of crew uniforms, shipping agents and, of course, busy hotels for passengers travelling to and from England. There were also the required number of public houses and bars to cater for ships crews.
Late 1800s: Prospect Place
Something of a traffic jam at Prospect Place in Above Bar Street, now known as The Junction. This postcard clearly illustrates just how popular the tram system traffic was.
Early 1900s: Western Esplanade
On the left is Weymouth Terrace, and Marina Terrace is further along the road. When first built. these desirable residences had fine views across West Bay. However, residents paid the price at very high tides when their houses were prone to flooding. On the right the Municiple Baths, built in 1892 can be seen. The indoor swimming, slipper and Turkish baths proved extremely popular. Attached to the indoor baths was the outdoor lido, a facility still much missed by local people.
Southampton: The Postcard Collection is available from book shops and in Kindle, Kobo and iBook formats.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel