Airport To Anchoraga (1) mini blog

Stagecoach In Portsmouth - Coming

Way, way back, Portsmouth was a small community at the south western end of Portsea Island.  One road crossed the Portcreek (map above top centre) and much of the island was uninhabited. But Portsmouth Harbour, a natural anchorage to the west of the island, became increasingly important for the British Navy.

So did Portsmouth itself. Defences pointing out to the water were, of course essential ...

... but a gurt big wall protected the approaches from the landward side. Now known as The Hilsea Lines, there were big gates that could be closed in the face of an approaching enemy ...

... although none ever did from either direction. Portsmouth's attacks came from the air as we shall see in a future Havant blog. 

Later the railway crossed Portcreek bringing a growth of industry on the Island, spreading alongside the tracks.

War brought expansion and the Hilsea Halt gained long platforms to serve the burgeoning factory sites.

There was a patch of low-lying scrub on the north east corner of the island ...

... between the railway and Langstone Harbour. It was here that Portsmouth Airport opened in 1932. It had, it only ever had, grass runways; but the opening day was for celebration and display of the many types of aircraft that might operate there.

Early routes served included all the way to the Isle of Wight ...

... to the Channel Islands and to nearby bits of Europe.

The map below shows the new Eastern Road, built to create a better access to Portsmouth from the rest of Hampshire. It opened in 1942.

As part of WW2 operations, aircraft construction and maintenance developed with a typical new-build being the Airspeed Oxford.

As aircraft got bigger it became obvious that Portsmouth Airport could not get bigger. There was water to the north and east, industry to the west and south. And as planes grew in size there was a tendency to miss!

Here one ended up on Eastern Road ...

... but no one was hurt.

The last commercial flight left Portsmouth City Airport in 1973 and the site was closed.

A new housing estate was developed on the runway area ...

... leaving the rest of the site for further industrial development.

Oddly, the roads on the estate are not named after types of aircraft; but one is named after an airfield. The estate might have been called "Airport Fields". but instead is named Anchorage Park, presumably after Langstone Harbour to its east.

One road named after an airfield is Sywell Crescent which is an airfield near Northampton. All the estate roads are named after Northampton villages but, sadly, there is no Little Billing one-time home to fbb.

The nearest is Ecton Lane ...

... map above, lower right.

It is the bus service via Anchorage Park that will be examined in tomorrow's blog.

 Next Havant Happening : Thurs 10 April 

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 The Easter Jigsaw 

Pigeons!

In his dealings with the religious and political authorities of the Holy Land, one thing Jesus wasn't was tactful.

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Temple and began to drive out all those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the stools of those who sold pigeons, and he would not let anyone carry anything through the Temple courtyards. He then taught the people: “It is written in the Scriptures that God said, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.’ But you have turned it into a hideout for thieves!”

Hardly "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild" - again! 

But the activities of the religion had become more important than a true faith. The Temple had become a money making scam!

Have you been to one of our great Cathedrals recently?

This aside, some would say the Jesus was provoking his end.  Was there a Greater Purpose at work here?

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