Tricorn Club Portsmouth is remembered in former DJ's new book: RETRO

Many of my readers often mention the former nightclub, the Tricorn Club, named after the sprawling shopping centre in Charlotte Street, Landport, pictured above.
By Bob Hind
Published 11th Sep 2019, 17:29 BST
The cover of Pete Crosss new book, A Nobody with Dreams: the Tricorn Club Story, to be released shortly.The cover of Pete Crosss new book, A Nobody with Dreams: the Tricorn Club Story, to be released shortly.
The cover of Pete Crosss new book, A Nobody with Dreams: the Tricorn Club Story, to be released shortly.

In the late 1960s and 1970s the club was packed with revellers wanting to see the many home-grown and international bands and singers. 

There were no doubt some great memories made there.  You can relive them with a new book by one of the Tricorn DJs, Pete Cross. 

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A Nobody with Dreams: the Tricorn Club story is packed with photographs, Pete relives his time as the star DJ at the club and the many famous entertainers he got to know.

A programme of all the matches Pompey played in during the London War League.A programme of all the matches Pompey played in during the London War League.
A programme of all the matches Pompey played in during the London War League.

Some even ended up at his mother’s house for supper.

Pete is now a presenter on Angel Radio in Havant and on Saturday, September 21, he and other presenters will be playing non-stop 60s tracks from 9am.

To order a copy of the book, email Pete on [email protected].

Some weeks ago I published a photograph of the weed covered north terrace at Fratton Park and I was sure no matches were played there during the war. I was wrong. 

Some of the original members of the Horndean family reunion committee. Jim Merrel was absent.Some of the original members of the Horndean family reunion committee. Jim Merrel was absent.
Some of the original members of the Horndean family reunion committee. Jim Merrel was absent.

The London Football League did, with many guests turning out for the clubs as so many players had been called up for service.

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In this booklet of match reports, below, compiled by Roger Holmes and Paul Boynton, all the matches played are recorded.

The booklets are available from New to You Books in Cosham.

Last Tuesday was the family reunion day held at Horndean Football Club in Five Heads Road, below. 

Can anyone remember the grounds west of Southsea Castle before landscaping? Photo:Roger Young collection.Can anyone remember the grounds west of Southsea Castle before landscaping? Photo:Roger Young collection.
Can anyone remember the grounds west of Southsea Castle before landscaping? Photo:Roger Young collection.

More than villagers and former villagers from the 1940s to the present day, turned up to meet old friends.

There were many photographs of the village displayed, thanks to John Merrill of the organising committee.

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The event has been going  since 2000 and gets bigger every year.

Any profits from the event are going to a memorial to two young Australian airmen killed when their plane crashed on February 5, 1945 of which more in later columns.

How many of you can remember the grounds to the west of Southsea Castle looking like the image below? 

There appears to be redoubts and concrete buildings but I cannot remember them. Can you?

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The area was landscaped by the Portsmouth Parks Department. On the right, leading from the castle to Clarence Esplanade is a walkway, still in situ, named after Brian Kidd who was the head gardener for the Portsmouth Parks Department for many years.

He now writes the gardening column in The News.