Do you remember this Portsmouth shopkeeper? – Nostalgia

Gone are the days when every corner shop offered personal service and not a serve yourself / supermarket-style encounter.
Pictured in her shop at 67, Toronto Road, Landport is Mrs Ethel Morse. Nestles Milk seemed to be popular. Photo: Tony Davis collection.Pictured in her shop at 67, Toronto Road, Landport is Mrs Ethel Morse. Nestles Milk seemed to be popular. Photo: Tony Davis collection.
Pictured in her shop at 67, Toronto Road, Landport is Mrs Ethel Morse. Nestles Milk seemed to be popular. Photo: Tony Davis collection.

Who can remember Mr Barstow on the corner of Wisborough Road and Napier Road, Southsea? And Mr Miller on the corner of Napier Road and Collingwood Road?

I can remember as a boy women taking an age to shop. It seemed to be the social highlight of the day.

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The lady in the photograph, above, is Mrs Ethel Morse who owned a grocers in Toronto Road, Buckland. She was the mother-in-law of Tony Davis who loaned the photograph to me. 

A very flat Portsea Island with Horsea Island to the forefront taken from the tower of Portchester Castle in 1886. Photo: Barry Cox collection.A very flat Portsea Island with Horsea Island to the forefront taken from the tower of Portchester Castle in 1886. Photo: Barry Cox collection.
A very flat Portsea Island with Horsea Island to the forefront taken from the tower of Portchester Castle in 1886. Photo: Barry Cox collection.

As can be seen, everything was personally served. Nestle’s Milk seems to have been a favourite judging by the stacked shelf behind Ethel. On the front display can be seen Cookeen advertised as giving ‘That golden touch’.

Ethel closed the shop in the late 1940s and the building is now a house.

n Below, we are looking towards a misty Portsea Island from the top of the tower of Portchester Castle in 1886. To the forefront is Horsea Island.

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Apart from a couple of gas holders at Rudmore, there are no high-rise buildings. Even St Mary’s Church bell tower is hidden.

Seen standing in Victoria Road South, Southsea, is a taxi used by Streamline drivers in the mid 1950s. To the rear is the Nelson Hotel.Seen standing in Victoria Road South, Southsea, is a taxi used by Streamline drivers in the mid 1950s. To the rear is the Nelson Hotel.
Seen standing in Victoria Road South, Southsea, is a taxi used by Streamline drivers in the mid 1950s. To the rear is the Nelson Hotel.

At this time Horsea Island was just that, an island. In the early years of the torpedo a test lake was built, later used for diver training.

The island is no longer an island, since infilling and the land reclamation making Port Solent has made it part of the mainland. Although I’m glad to say it still bears the name.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what the buildings on the left are?

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nThese days all taxis look the same, so imagine the monster, below left, turning up? I believe it’s an Austin A90 but stand to be corrected.

Milk delivery float dressed overall for Coronation of king George VI

Seen dressed overall for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 is a Hayling Island milk float. Photo: Denise Baker collection.Milk delivery float dressed overall for Coronation of king George VI

Seen dressed overall for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 is a Hayling Island milk float. Photo: Denise Baker collection.
Milk delivery float dressed overall for Coronation of king George VI Seen dressed overall for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 is a Hayling Island milk float. Photo: Denise Baker collection.

The photograph was sent in by Tony Davis whose father drove it.

The car is parked in Victoria Road South in the mid 1950s. Note the redundant tram line – not used since 1936 and still in situ under the modern road surface.

The white building to the rear is the Nelson Hotel on the corner of St Vincent Road, opposite the Marmion Road junction.

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nI wonder whether people will dress up and parade for coronations like they did in the past?

But judging by the street parties we have had in recent years for the Queen’s jubilees, I’m sure they will. 

One thing is for sure, there will be no milk floats to dress like the one seen below because milkmen are as rare as coronations these days.

The picture was taken on Hayling Island in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI on May 12 that year. They are all employees of Mill Farm Dairy situated in North Hayling from the mid-1800s.