Fratton Park records broken at FA Cup match – Nostalgia

I completely forgot that it was the 70th anniversary of a very big event at Fratton Park on Tuesday. It was the anniversary of the largest ever attendance at the Park when an estimated 51,385 fans managed to squeeze their way on to the terraces.
By Bob Hind
Published 1st Mar 2019, 15:04 BST
Updated 1st Mar 2019, 16:10 BST
February 26 was the 70th anniversary of Pompeys biggest ever attendance, an estimated 51,385 squeezed their way in.February 26 was the 70th anniversary of Pompeys biggest ever attendance, an estimated 51,385 squeezed their way in.
February 26 was the 70th anniversary of Pompeys biggest ever attendance, an estimated 51,385 squeezed their way in.

So many fans arrived  the club had to close the gates 80 minutes before kick-off.

A police officer, Sergeant Brian Morrissey, gave a running commentary to those that were locked out.

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It was the 1949 FA Cup quarter-final match against Derby County on February 26, 1949,  from which we came out 2-1 winners after going a goal down.

A Study In Scarlet, Conan Doyles first book, has been produced in a facsimile version.A Study In Scarlet, Conan Doyles first book, has been produced in a facsimile version.
A Study In Scarlet, Conan Doyles first book, has been produced in a facsimile version.

The sound of the Pompey Chimes must have been fantastic.

Sadly, Pompey lost to Leicester in the semi-final and the hopes of being the first team to do the ‘double’ – First Division Champions and FA Cup winners – was lost.

I must thank David Jenkins for sending me the front page of the Evening News, right, which cost 1d in those days.

In the photograph there is a young girl holding up a Pompey mascot and to the left of her we can see a rattle – so popular in those days.

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For those of you many Sherlock Holmes fans out there, you must purchase a facsimile version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s first book A Study In Scarlet, bottom left. 

It was published in 1887 in Beeton’s Christmas Annual. At the time it was a simply story about a brilliant detective written by an obscure Scottish doctor living in Southsea.

Nobody could have known at the time what an impact Sherlock Holmes would have on the world of detective fiction.

There are just 34 copies still in existence, of which only 11 are complete. One is in Portsmouth History Museum.

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The facsimile contains all the pages of the original edition. There are also all the original adverts and two plays to perform in the parlour, (today’s lounge) making this book an historical document indeed.

It is available from New To You Books, 56B, Cosham High Street.Call (023) 9232 1089 to order. 

Another sent to me by Rosemary, wife of the late Rob Jerrard, below right. 

Rob was a Portsmouth boy and is in this team photograph but I have no names. Can you assist me?

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We go back to the Barry Cox collection, on the opposite page, and he believes this is a view along the old A27 in Farlington, possibly outside of St Andrew’s Church.

On the right today would be  the houses in Westways and further on Forty Acres.

I believe the white building on the right may have been there many years later.

If anyone recognises the scene, please let me know.