Local Interest Books

Paperback By Brian Patterson and Stephen Courtney
170 Pages
A century of Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in photographs.

Ppaerback By Colin Hall
80 Pages
Ships Of The Solent - Portsmouth - Poole
Presents a pictorial voyage around the Solent and Southampton Water visiting the commercial ports and harbours reviewing the different types of ships. This work features 156 photographs.

Hardback By Eric Birbeck, Ann Ryder and Phillip Ward
113 Pages
Described as the noblest of institutions by Queen Victoria, the Royal Hospital Haslar has provided medical care to the Royal Navy for over 250 years and Sick Berth staff for service in all areas of global conflict. In more recent times it treated patients from all three services and since the 1950s has made the professional and technological expertise contained within its walls accessible to civilian patients. The photographs in this fascinating illustrated history will stir the memory of all those who have entered Haslar, as either staff or patients, and provide a unique record of a singular and celebrated institution.

By Lesley Burton
This booklet sets out to show Gosport's role in the very early days of aviation history and the town's inspiration behind the formation of the R.A.F. It tells of the men and women who in both world wars, played significant parts in many establishments in the town. Flight training, torpedo testing and aircraft repair were pioneered in the Borough, backed by the W.A.A.F and many Gosport women working in the establishments. These are things perhaps which are still remembered by some of the elderly residents, but unknown to the young of Gosport.

This publication illustrates Gosport as a Garrison Town for over 200 years. Written by Lesley Burton and Beryl Peacey.

This publication written by Lesley Burton and Beryl Peacey, shows the new look town in words and pictures.

This publication was written by Surgeon Commander Tony Revell in 1978 and updated in 2000, published by the Gosport Society. A brief history of Haslar Royal Hospital from its conception in 1745 up to the year 2000.

Paperback By Neil Marshall
168 Pages
A reflective look at the changes in the city, with past and present photographs.

Paperback - 128 pages'
Portsmouth at War' is a pictorial record of the events of the Second World War as they impacted on the people of the city. Illustrated with around 200 original photographs, many sourced from the archives of the city's Museum & Records Service, this book provides a unique insight into wartime life, recreating vividly the tragedy, heroism, austerity and humour of these years. Focusing upon the efforts of the city's Home Guard and women workers amongst many others, devastating attacks by the German air force and the city's contribution to the D-Day landings, this book represents the experience of everyone living in the city during the war. Meticulously researched by the curator of the Portsmouth's D-Day Museum, this work will stir powerful memories for any resident of the city during this turbulent time.

Paperback By Mark Bardell
128 pages.
This book shows the development of Portsmouth as a military and naval base, its place in national and international history and looks at its role today as a university city.

Hardback By Jonathan Coad
128 Pages
The Block Mills in Portsmouth Naval Base have long been known to students of naval and industrial history. Within this group of buildings a remarkable set of machine tools designed by Marc Brunel to manufacture ships' blocks laid the foundations for the subsequent world-wide development of industrial production-lines that used ever more sophisticated machinery to replace the work of individual craftsmen. In a very real sense, the modern world of factory mass-production using machine tools had its origins in this Georgian buiding overlooking the heart of the dockyard. The importance of the pioneering work in the Block Mills was recognised by discerning contemporaries and the building swiftly became an object of pilgrimage for many, its fame assured by its inclusion in a number of major 19th century encyclopaedias. Block-making ceased here in 1965, but a number of the machines still survive, in Portsmouth and in the Science Museum, while the Block Mills still remain much as completed in the first years of the 19th century, the interiors little altered.

This book has been written to coincide with the bicentenary of the installation of the final set of block-making machinery in 1805. It covers the construction and use of the building and its machinery and aims to set the Block Mills in the wider context of late Georgian dockyard modernisation

Hardback By Brian Patterson.
This volume contains over 150 pages, each with full page photographs, some never before published, supported by extended captions.

Paperback By Sarah Quail
160 Pages
Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths Around Portsmouth takes the reader on a sinister journey through centuries of local crime and conspiracy, meeting villains of all sorts along the way - cut-throats and poisoners, arsonists and assassins, mutineers, duellists and marauders, prostitutes and thieves, and the brawling seamen and common murderers who moved through the cruel underworld of this historic town.

Hardback By John Ambler and Matthew Little
A pictorial history of the Royal Marines from the date of the occupation of their purpose-built Barracks at Eastney to the recent past when the Barracks were converted to private dwellings. Profusely illustrated with pictures taken from the huge collection held by the Royal Marines Museum.

Paperback By David Yates
96 Pages
This book captures the unique charm and
eccentricity of the island and recalls the sights
and personalities the local author David Yates encountered along the
way as he passed a variety of beaches, visited
a number of bars and developed several
blisters on his feet.
The book is attractively presented, contains
several beautiful watercolours by island artist
Mandy Wheeler and is a must for both locals
and anyone who has ever ventured to or considered
visiting the Isle of Wight.

Hardback By Phil Hewitt
192 Pages
Postcards from Gosport .....and a few from Portsmouth
This title offers a fascinating insight into the traditions and quirks of this beautiful town. It is lavishly illustrated throughout with over 200 photographs.

Hardback By Sarah Quail
123 Pages
Southsea is the seaside suburb of Portsmouth, In this book the author provides a full and detailed acount of the history of Southsea from its 18th century beginnings to the present day.

Paperback By Keith Hall
128 Pages
The story of Gosports submarine base.

Paperback By Paul Brown
156 Pages
For three centuries Portsmouth has been the leading base of the Royal Navy, although its history as a port can be traced back to Roman times. From the Roman walls at Portchester to the best preserved Georgian dockyard in the world, and HMS Victory the most illustrious survivor from the sailing navy, Portsmouth can lay claim to being the most important naval site in the UK and, perhaps, the world. Certainly, no other dockyard can claim to be as complete and to have as varied a selection of buildings from all periods as Portsmouth. Of course, it is not just the port's naval heritage that is important. The town is one of the major ferry ports of the UK, with services to Gosport, the Isle of Wight and France. Shipbuilding is also important, with Vosper Thorneycroft still building vessels at the port. Maritime Portsmouth is an invaluable guide to this most historic of ports.

Paperback By Anthony Trigg
80 Pages
Anthony Triggs explores how
the city led the country and sometimes the world - from the invention of the unpickable lock by Jeremiah
Chubb to the creation of Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle, from the birthplace of Charles Dickens to the
scene of the last fatal duel in England. Anthony Triggs journeys down the highways and sidestreets of
Portsmouth's past to reveal the grand, the odd, the unusual but the always fascinating events, people and places
that have made Portsmouth First.

Paperback By Ron Brown
154 Pages
Pubs of Portsmouth From Old Photographs offers a captivating glimpse into the history of some of Portsmouth's most famous pubs. This charming collection of photographs provides the reader with a visual representation of Portsmouth's pubs. Drawing upon an eclectic collection of photographs, Ron Brown presents the reader with an insight into the history and life of the pubs in this area. Pubs of Portsmouth From Old Photographs provides something for everyone, whether they have lived in Portsmouth all their lives, or whether they are just visiting this vibrant town. It also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever-changing society.

Paperback By Nicola Sly
160 Pages
Life in the historic county of Hampshire has not always been peaceful, for over the years it has experienced numerous murders, some of which are little known outside the county borders, others that have shocked the nation. These include the killing of 'Sweet Fanny Adams' in 1867; the horrific murder committed by the postmaster at Grayshott in 1901; the mysterious poisoning of Hubert Chevis in 1943; and the gun battle in the village of Kingsclere in 1944, which resulted in the deaths of three people. Nicola Sly's carefully researched, well-illustrated and enthralling text will appeal to anyone interested in the shady side of Hampshire's history, and should give much food for thought.

Paperback By Rupert Matthews
96 Pages
This well-researched book showcases almost 100 ghostly encounters from around Hampshire. The stories are arranged as a tour around Hampshire, guiding the reader on a journey through the New Forest, Winchester, Southampton, the edge of the Downs, the Test Valley and the hills around Overton. Here you will discover ghostly seamen haunting the King's Bastion at Portsmouth, spirits of the Roundheads galloping through Crondall and a haunted megalith at Mottistone. Each entry includes not just the story of the ghost but also eerie eyewitness accounts. Exploring everything from pubs and churchyards to castles and ports, Haunted Hampshire will appeal to anyone interested in the supernatural history of the area.

Paperback By David Scanlan
92 Pages
This book gives a ghostly tour of the area, which is also illustrated with photographs. Read about the chilling apparition of a dress, which was glimpsed without anyone wearing it, the bloody hands of a mysterious woman who appears to be in some distress, and the eerie sounds of Gregorian chanting in long abandoned places ...