Portsmouth gridlocked by herd of elephants | Nostalgia

The wonderful top photograph is looking north up Fawcett Road on a hot summer’s day in 1906.
Looking north up Fawcett Road in the summer of 1906 and the circus was in town. Picture: costen.co.ukLooking north up Fawcett Road in the summer of 1906 and the circus was in town. Picture: costen.co.uk
Looking north up Fawcett Road in the summer of 1906 and the circus was in town. Picture: costen.co.uk

It shows elephants vying for space with the tram.

No doubt the circus had come to town and the elephants were probably making their way back to Fratton goods yard from Southsea Common to join a circus train.

The man on the horse looks like a policeman but on closer inspection we can see there is no saddle so he was probably a member of the circus.

The Cigar Box, Fawcett Road, Southsea.The Cigar Box, Fawcett Road, Southsea.
The Cigar Box, Fawcett Road, Southsea.
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In the distance you can see the roof of Rugby Road church which still stands although now flats.

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