Photograph of The Oyster House in Langstone Harbour dates back years - here is the story behind it

A small black and white image of The Oyster House in Langstone Harbour was sent to The News from a family in New Zealand who have kept hold of it for years. In 1999, Maggie Cutler rescued the image from a ‘heap of stuff’ that belonged to her father, Clifford Pain, before it went on the bonfire after he died on the Isle of Wight.

Clifford was born in 1919 and he lived in Portsmouth for the majority of his life apart from when he was drafted to Bristol during the war. As a youngster, he would sail from Eastney Lake to Langstone Harbour and he spent his time trying to learn photography which is where the photograph would have come from.

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He found his love and married her, Mary Hayward, and they then bought their home in Drayton where they raised their three children in Mansvid Avenue.

Clifford was a butcher, and he worked at 224 London Road, North End, Portsmouth and life for Maggie revolved around the Tudor Rose Sailing Club where she spent time with her family.

Maggie said: ‘There was never a house standing when I sailed around, just a pile of rubble and sharp stones and a straggly tree.

‘As kids we were told it was demolished by the "Customs" after discovering a tunnel, from this small isle to the mainland.

‘Langstone was our playground.’

The image of Langstone was different for Maggie and her father who spent their time there when they were both young but they both carried memories of the place throughout their lives.

Maggie now lives in New Zealand with her husband Jeremy and they moved there back in 1973 with a small baby and a toddler.