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Today in Gosport’s Past:-  on 13 June 1777, the first American prisoners-of-war arrived at Forton Prison. At this time, the prison largely consisted of what remained of Fortune Hospital – described earlier as ‘a shambles no more than a clutter of tumbledown shacks, …..an unhealthy …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 5 August 1914, these were the headlines that Britain woke up to. At precisely 7 pm the previous day, the 4 August, Britain declared war on Germany, effective from 11pm that day; the news didn’t make the headlines until the …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 3 August 1981, “Prince Ivanhoe”, the former Isle of Wight ferry “Shanklin”, managed to rip a 60ft gash in her hull on rocks near Port Eynon, on the Gower peninsula of South Wales, whilst on a cruise. The ship was …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 13 March 1912, the funeral of the crew of HM Submarine “A1” took place at Haslar Naval Cemetery, Clayhall Road. “A3” sank off the Isle of Wight on 2 February 1912 after being accidently rammed by the submarine depot ship …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 19 March 1966, ‘The New Forester’ railtour, organizws by The Locomotive Club of Great Britain (LCGB), visited Gosport station, hauled by Bulleid ex-SR ‘Q1’ class 0-6-0 33006. The tour started from Eastleigh, and travelled to Gosport via Botley & Fareham, …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on Sunday 20 March 1966, Gosport station was visited by the second railtour in two days; this (the third of 1966) was ‘The Solent Rail Tour’ was organized by the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society (RCTS), originating from London Waterloo. The …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 26 March 1916, Gosport’s first cinema, The Picturedrome, in Avenue Road, burnt down. The cinema had been opened in a former corrugated iron church (‘the tin tabernacle’), and besides, or possibly before becoming a cinema, the hall had been used …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 3 February 1883, public services began on the tramway extension from Anns Hill to Brockhurst. The first horse-drawn tram service from Gosport Hard to Anns Hill operated on 17 July 1882, routed via the High Street, Clarence Road and Forton …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 6 February 1986, the Huhtamaki factory adjacent to Rowner Road & Grange Road was officially opened. Huhtamaki is a Finnish company which owned the name Polarcup, under which name the nearby factory at Holbrook (Rowner Road) was opened in 1980. …

Today in Gosport’s Past:- on 20 January 1966, local inventor & entrepreneur Victor (Vic) Hutfield died, at the age of 78. Vic was born in Gosport on 26 May 1887, and became one of the town’s most enterprising characters, dabbling in motorcycles, aircraft, building, and …