NOSTALGIA: Trafalgar dead remembered

Although Trafalgar Day on October 21 passes with little mention, except on special anniversaries, it was not always quite like that.

Here we see a postcard, sent in by Pete Smith, of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, London, in 1895 – 90 years after the battle.

As can be seen, the base is covered in memorial paraphernalia, garlands and wreaths. The event was organised by the Navy League.

The base of Nelsons Column base in Trafalgar Square covered in wreaths.
Picture: Pete Smith Collection. — The base of Nelsons Column base in Trafalgar Square covered in wreaths. Picture: Pete Smith Collection.

Since those days of course we have had two world wars and recognising the losses at the Battle of Trafalgar was overtaken by the loss of so many in those two conflicts and such occasions as seen here have all but disappeared .

• Following the modernisation of Havant water pumping station, Bedhampton Works were upgraded in 1963.

As a result of this modernisation, old boilers and the associated chimneys were demolished.

In the photograph below we see the felling of the Havant pumping station chimney in 1961.

With the modernisation of Havant water pumping station and the upgrade of Bedhampton, old boiler chimneys were demolished.

• And Here’s a view of Bishop’s Waltham in the late 1940s or perhaps early 1950s.

The town grew up on the crossroads of four roads from Portsmouth, Winchester, Botley and Corhampton.

During the Middle Ages it was the residence of the bishops of Winchester. This made it one of the key towns in the south of England.

There were plans for a railway line from Botley through to Petersfield and although these never came to fruition there was a line built from Botley which terminated in the town. It has long gone, unfortunately.