Southsea goes wild for the great Buffalo Bill Cody show

A Standard class 5 locomotive at the head of its train awaiting to depart Portsmouth & Southsea low level for Salisbury. (Barry Cox collection)

In the photograph on the facing page we see a Standard class 5 No 76009 waiting to leave Portsmouth and Southsea low-level platforms with a train for Salisbury.

I have no date or name of the photographer but more information from steam buffs would be appreciated.

n In August 1903, Buffalo Bill Cody brought his wild west show to town and here we see them in a parade heading south along Palmerston Road, Southsea.

WILD SOUTHSEA August 1903 and Buffalo Bill Cody arrived in Portsmouth with his wild west show. Here they are parading south down Palmerston Road, Southsea Picture: Barry Cox

Of course, in these PC days I should have written ‘native Americans’, but to we 1950s’ boys, cowboys is cowboys and injuns is injuns!

n Below right, a view along Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth at the turn of the last century or possibly earlier than that.

On the left hand side in Penny Street can be seen the bonding store belonging to George Peters’ brewery.

If you look closely you might be able see that, on the right, half-way up the wall, can be seen part of the street sign indicating St Nicholas Street.

LONDON ROAD North End possibly in the 1930s Picture: Barry Cox

Below the sign is another, but it is cut in half. It says: ‘To The Bac...’ Could this have been directions to a bacon factory perhaps?

n And in the picture immediately below we’re looking north up London Road, North End, towards the junction with Gladys Avenue. I should imagine it is the 1930s but stand to be corrected.

n All today’s pictures come from the Barry Cox Collection.