King James Gate in Old Portsmouth protected the city from invaders: RETRO

United Services Sports Ground, Burnaby Road. Photo: Roger Young collection.

The aerial view, above, is of the United Services Sports Ground in Burnaby Road.

When the photograph was taken – in about 1950 – the entrance was in St Michael’s Road.

The entrance gate was the former King James Gate which once stood on Broad Street, Old Portsmouth, where it separated Point from the rest of the city – and prevented Portsmouth from invasion. It was taken down and put up as the entrance to the officers’ sports ground.

My knowledge of cars (on the left) isn’t what I thought it might be. Frank Jarvis corrects me. Photo: Jackie Baynes.

In the corner which is circled in the picture, we can see the gate before it was removed and placed in Burnaby Road, where it remains today.

We can date this photo to the very early 1950s as the Guildhall has been partly rebuilt after it was blitzed during the war.

The ruined building at the bottom of the photograph has since been rebuilt and is now part of HMS Temeraire, the naval sports ground, which is also in Burnaby Road.

With my limited knowledge of cars, especially from the past, I was taken to task by Frank Jarvis over what I wrote last Monday about the picture, below.

In January 1969, the Metal Box factory in Farlington had a second fire within three days. It is thought to have been arson. Photo: Roy West

I thought it was a Ford Consul on the left of the page but Frank believes I am wrong.

He says: ‘The Ford Consul could never be described as sit-up-and-beg. Introduced in 1950, it brought us transatlantic-inspired styling in the form of the 3-box design, bonnet (engine bay), body and boot.

‘Anglias and Populars were sit-up-and-beg and I’m not so sure the car in view is either of these, though possible. It may even be a V8 Pilot Ford. I’m sure you must remember the Consuls, Zephyrs and Zodiacs, all of similar style. They continued into the 1970s, even after the birth of the first Cortina in 1962.

'I enjoy your columns even when they aren’t 100 per cent accurate! Keep it up.’ Thanks Frank.

Fishmonger and amateur singer Ted Legg retired from the trade after 50 years in 1975. Photo: Roy West.

Can any of you remember two fires that took place within days of each other back in January 1969 at the Metal Box factory in Farlington, below?

They were believed to have been arson attacks by disgruntled former employees. The factory was destroyed, no doubt making many unemployable for many weeks.

If you know more of this incident please let me know.

On another note, can anyone remember the personnel officer at the factory, the late Harry Hind?

I wonder if anyone in Portchester knew the late Ted Legg, below, a former fishmonger.

Ted retired in 1975 after 50 years as a fishmonger.

He was an amateur singer of some repute.