Then and now: the four-road Southsea junction 40 years on ‘“Â Nostalgia
I am aware that I posted the older image here earlier this year, but since I visited there lately, I thought you might
like seeing a comparison of this landscape before and after.
Naturally, it’s the four-street intersection of Castle Road on the right, St Edward’s Road heading away from the
camera, Great Southsea Street directly to the left and the stretch of Castle Road that leads to Elm Grove behind the
building with the Barley Mow pub on the corner.
At 41 & 41a Castle Road was Parker Thomas motor dealers who ‘˜could supply any car’. I’ve been reliably told the
building is being demolished to make way for flats.
A window of the Clock House, which at the time housed Fleming’s antiquities merchant, can be seen to the left. He
continued to operate for many years. It is currently a hair salon. Observe how many bicycles are parked on St.
Edward’s Road.
The vehicles on St. Edward’s Road are from the late 1940s, according to the picture. Take note of the statue outside
the building on the left.ÂUntil the 1960s, the elaborate lamp standards remained in use. You will also notice that
nothing is stopping the men on the scaffolding from tumbling backwards. Can you picture that happening today?
If you go to Oyster Street in Old Portsmouth now, you’ll see that it’s lined with elegant homes and apartments, many
of which were constructed following the Second World War.
At one time the street was lined with tradesmen such as those in this view showing Snook and Sons. They were a
firm of egg and butter importers. Butter I can see, but eggs? Next door is Charpentiers the printers.
Oyster Street used to run all the way from High Street, Old Portsmouth, to Town Quay at the junction with White
Hart Road. Snook and Sons used to be on the right hand side of the street heading north.
Leave a Reply