HMS Victory sails into Portsmouth Harbour | Nostalgia

On the left is the old Customs House and to the right the Round Tower. The crowded Point with the masts of a ship in the Camber can be seen behind HMS Victory’s foremast.

Neil has pictured HMS Victory coming in under topsails and topgallants and they are just about right.

He even has sailors going aloft climbing the rigging. Marvellous.

Two pinnaces being rowed alongside may be used to tow the Victory to her final anchorage.

On the right two sailors can be seen way aloft on the fighting-top of another man-of-war and Neil has the twist in the ropes and hawsers just about perfect, even the stepping of the topmast.

Who wouldn’t want this painting hanging in their lounge?

To purchase a copy contact Neil on 07469 711700 or email [email protected]

• Are we going over the top with coronavirus and panicking for little reason?

Many thousands die of flu every year but no one goes around with face masks.

I see there is panic buying in supermarkets and I am just wondering if we will see the return of the Second World War spiv?

‘Ere lady, need some baked beans, only three pound a tin?’

‘Three pound a tin? They are only sixty pence in my supermarket.’

‘Ah, but there ain’t any in the supermarkets are there?’

‘No. you've bought them all. Buzz off!’

As ever, when there is a shortage of goods which there possibly could be, there is always someone who makes money out of everyone else’s misery.

Watch out if you are approached by a man in a smart suit wearing a colourful tie and has a pencil moustache.

You have been warned.

• In 1949 it was reported that the cleansing and haulage department of the Portsmouth Corporation had a contract with Messers. Cooper Bros, Purbrook for the removal of 10,000 yards of war damage debris from Baffins waste tip to a clay pit in Purbrook for the purpose of filling it in.

It was found that there was not enough material to fill the hole so it was ordered that household debris should top up the pit and it would be sealed with whatever material was available.

What the war damage debris consisted of I don’t know.

I wonder what future archaeologists will make of it if the site is dug up?

• The photograph of Commercial Road from about 1961 published on Tuesday, March 3 was seen by Jackie Percival, of Gosport, who says: ‘Bishop Bros was a shoe shop chain.

‘The Gosport branch in Bemister’s Lane became Clarks Shoes.

‘I did a bit of research on John Archibald Bishop who was killed in the First World War.

‘He was invalided home from Gallipoli in September 1915 and sent to Beaufort War Hospital which was originally the Bristol Lunatic Asylum.

‘The artist Stanley Spencer was an RAMC orderly there between 1915-1916.

‘Pte Bishop then rejoined his regiment and went first to Egypt then to Palestine and was killed in action in Gaza 26 March 1917.

‘He lived with his family on Dagmar Terrace, Prince of Wales Road, in Gosport (according to the 1891 census). He moved to 117 High Street, Gosport by the time of the 1901 census.

‘His father was a boot and shoe maker. There were 24 boot and shoe makers in Gosport in 1859, including seven on the High Street. By 1890 imported shoes and standard sizes were replacing bespoke shoes for all but the wealthy, and retail shops were gradually appearing in shopping areas. Bishop Bros survived in Gosport until the 1970s’.