POMPEY IN 15 ITEMS EXPLORING THE HERITAGE OF PORTSMOUTH
Through Journeys Festival International and Journeys 2018, ArtReach celebrates the creative talent of exceptional refugee and asylum seeker artists and shares the refugee experience through great art. The Festival (19 – 28 October 2018) takes place annually in Portsmouth with additional activities taking place year-round. It explores the refugee experience through a whole range of free arts activities including live music, hands-on artist-led workshops, theatre, performance, film, discussion, exhibitions, storytelling and pop-up events! Journeys Festival International aims to bring the talent of local, national and international refugee artists to the general public - creating a positive interface with the community.
www.Journeysfestival.com
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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION MARY ROSE MUSEUM
• The Mary Rose – Haisam Gendy • Pepper Mill – Lynne Harvey • Royal Cannon – Phillip Williams
NEW THEATRE ROYAL
• Fire Curtain – Rohima Begum Sadik • Sun-burner – Aleidah Orinda • Theatre Lights – Rohima Begum Sadik
PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL
• Ship Wind Vane – Christopher Broughton • Portsmouth Cathedral – Mohammed Javed Khan Sadik • Tondo of Madonna and Child – Emma Beatty
PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL
• The Bodkin Cup – Eleanor Hawkridge • Charter – Phillip Williams • English Football League Division 1 Trophy – Elise Soffack
PORTSMOUTH MUSEUM
• Portsmouth Football Club Match Recording – Amanda Partridge • The Lost World – Miles James Lister • Victoria Park by Garrick Palmer – Nathan Golding-Lamble
POMPEY IN 15 ITEMS The project Pompey in15 Items was inspired by and made with members of the refugee and asylum seeker community in Portsmouth as many were unaware of Portsmouth’s heritage and most had not visited the city’s top heritage attractions. ArtReach, supported by Heritage Lottery Fund, created the concept of Pompey in 15 Items to introduce a small number of individuals to Portsmouth’s history personally and to give them the opportunity to share a portion of what they learnt with others. The project brought refugee and asylum-seeking individuals together with Portsmouth residents, to experience tours of five of Portsmouth’s historic attractions. Following the tours, the participants each selected one or two items that they found particularly interesting or inspiring and wrote a short piece introducing the history of that item, which have been put together in this booklet. Beyond this project ArtReach continues to work closely with partners across the city to provide opportunities for the local Refugee and Asylum Seeker Community through Journeys Festival International and the ongoing Journeys strand of activity. ArtReach would like to thank Heritage Lottery Fund and National Lottery Players for supporting the project, British Red Cross, MAKE at Aldingbourne Trust and the venues that supported the visits: Mary Rose Museum, New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth Cathedral, Portsmouth Guildhall and Portsmouth Museum. And of course, a huge thank you and congratulations to the participants for contributing their time and hard work to the creation of Pompey in 15 Items. Claire Woollard Producer, ArtReach
MARY ROSE MUSEUM On 19 July 1545 the Mary Rose was lost in a few minutes. It took over 400 years to recover her. The first reference to the Mary Rose comes from 29 January 1510, and in 1522 she was involved in the capture of the French port of Morlaix. In many ways she represented a step forward in naval conflict, being a dedicated warship. Previously, merchantmen had been armed and pressed into service while Mediterranean galleys were employed on both commercial and military ventures. The Mary Rose was a prototype, being a model of a dedicated warship. She was extensively refitted in 1535-36, being extended and reinforced, although mystery surrounds the exact nature of the redesign. It is probable that this refitting contributed directly to the tragedy that overcame her. In May 1545 diplomatic intrigues left England alone against the might of France, whose King, Francis I, began to plan an invasion and gathered a fleet in the Seine estuary. The Mary Rose was pressed into service. She was lost on 19 July, with hundreds of men – and one dog – going down with her. Recovered from the depths of the Solent in 1982, the Mary Rose is a direct link to one of the most turbulent periods in English history. Henry VIII (1509-1547) himself almost certainly travelled aboard her. Between 2009 and 2013 extensive building work was done to create the Mary Rose Museum which now houses the ship and 19,000 objects recovered with her. Introduction by Phillip Williams
THE MARY ROSE HAISAM GENDY WHAT IS THE OBJECT? My object is the Mary Rose. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? It is in the Mary Rose Museum inside the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth. DO YOU KNOW WHEN WAS IT MADE/USED? It was built in 1512. WHAT IS ITS USE? It was one of King Henry VIII’s warships. WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT TO UK (credit Hufton+Crow) OR PORTSMOUTH HISTORY? It is significant to Portsmouth because it sank off the coast and the wreck was found and kept in Portsmouth. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like this object because it’s a great piece of history and it’s a really interesting story of a great ship.
PEPPER MILL LYNNE HARVEY A pepper mill more than four centuries old which looks as if it could have been bought yesterday. Found on the wreck of the Mary Rose, King Henry VIII’s warship, the pepper mill is now preserved in a showcase of the ‘Finer things’ retrieved from wreckage of the Orlop or storage deck. Although the exact year the pepper mill was made is unknown, the Mary Rose sank in 1545 so the item is at least 473 years old. Used like its modern day equivalent, for grinding peppercorns, the pepper mill would probably have been owned by an officer, having been found in a chest belonging to a member of the ship’s crew. Pepper, inexpensive and readily available today, graces the kitchens in restaurants and homes of every social class; in the 16th Century however it was a luxury commodity and its grinder an item of worth. To be able to spice your food with pepper in Tudor times was the preserve of the wealthy and high ranking. Peppercorns were found on several decks of the Mary Rose, suggesting that some crew members may have found a way to get a small supply for themselves. The barber-surgeon may have had it for medicinal purposes, the cook, for preparing the officers’ food. Native to Southern India, peppercorns would have been transported to England via a long land journey through hostile territories or an even longer sea voyage in the 1500s. Although greater quantities could be transported by sea, the trip around the Atlantic coast of Africa could have taken years, but it would explain why pepper could be found in the possession of sailors. The Suez Canal, which cut over 4,000 miles from the journey was not built until 1869. The rarity and high price of the item in Tudor times compared with the common availability today is part of the story of change in worldwide travel and the exchange and availability of goods. The world has opened up in the passing four centuries in ways almost unimaginable to Henry VIII and the crew of his beloved ship the Mary Rose.
This 16th century pepper mill, made of Ash wood is constructed like a slim pestle and mortar, the conical handle presses into the sides of the vessel which would have had metal grinding plates originally, the crushed peppercorns would collect in the bowl at the base. The familiarity of a design relatively unchanged over the centuries attracts me to this item, being so similar to little wooden pepper mill I use daily to spice everything from risotto and pasta to fruit salads. Wealth and rank aside, this Tudor pepper mill connects me to those who enjoyed the taste of pepper in the 16th Century as they travelled through the city of Portsmouth, my home in the 20th and 21st centuries. This pepper mill is part of the story of the port of Portsmouth which has been a place of great strategic importance and a gateway for troops, and travellers of every kind for centuries and still is today.
ROYAL CANNON PHILLIP WILLIAMS WHAT IS THE OBJECT? The cannon royal, or heavy gun, of the Mary Rose. The Mary Rose is a Tudor warship that sank in the Solent, just off Portsmouth seafront, in 1545. The ship was recovered in 1981. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? It is on display in the Mary Rose Museum, in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyards. This is a new museum that opened a few years ago to house the hull of the Mary Rose, the Tudor warship that sank in the Solent in 1545. This museum is housed in a specially-constructed building. The hull has been restored and is now on display with a wealth of artefacts recovered from the seabed. DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/USED? The cannon was cast from bronze, and was manufactured by Robert and John Owen in 1535, possibly in Calais, in France. It may never have been fired in anger; at most, it was probably fired just once, as part of the broadside discharged against the French fleet before the captain of the Mary Rose attempted to turn the vessel, with fateful consequences. The cannon royal was recovered from the sea bed in 1836 by the Deane brothers. WHAT IS ITS USE? The use of the cannon was to fire heavy cannon balls at the enemy fleet, in this case (1545) at the invasion force sent by the King of France, Francis I, to attack England. In this sense, it was used to defend England against the French. At least, on the face of it, this was its basic purpose. WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? It was owned by the English crown, although this statement itself requires slightly more explanation than might at first seem to be the case. In this sense, the owner is probably the Queen, Elizabeth II. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? The significance of this object to Portsmouth and UK history is that it was, almost certainly, one of the reasons for the sinking of the Mary Rose. Nobody knows exactly why the Mary Rose sank, but by far the most probable explanation is that the captain attempted to turn the
ship, having fired a broadside against the French galleys. This proved to be a disastrous mistake. The ship was caught by a breeze and this caused it to topple over. When the ship began to tilt to one side, water rushed in through the gun ports or windows through which the cannon fired. The cannon, of which there were many, may well have started to roll, causing further imbalance aboard the ship. With the weight of the water, the cannon, and all the equipment, the Mary Rose quickly toppled over and sank, taking nearly all of her crew with her. Some 500 men were lost. The King, Henry VIII, witnessed this disaster from Southsea Castle. He had most probably travelled aboard the ship on previous voyages to France. On the face of it, then, the Cannon royal is a gun used to fight the French by this most celebrated of English kings. Henry VIII rejected the continent, having begun the Reformation a dozen or so years prior to the sinking of his ship. But this gun was made in France. It was also emblazoned with an inscription that read: ‘Henry the Eighth, by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, Lord of Ireland’. In other words, not only was the cannon cast in Calais, but it was also dedicated to the idea that the King of England was also, by law, the King of France. This idea – that England and France were one people, or were united under one legitimate ruler – had been the great theme of Henry VIII’s reign. In many ways, it was his great ambition. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like this object because I am interested in history and in fleets. The French fleet, led by galleys or long, thin ships with lots of oars, may have been more effective than the English navy in 1545. Still, the idea that the Mary Rose and its guns represents – that England must control the sea if it is to thrive – was to shape much of the history of the country in the centuries after 1545. The Mary Rose was gone, but never entirely forgotten. The spectre of failure and defeat was always there, a reminder that things could go wrong very quickly at sea. Many of the great admirals of the later centuries would have been aware of the history of the ship, and probably their great warships weighed anchor directly above the hull and the resting place of this magnificent cannon and the crewmen who died in sight of shore on a breezy summer day in Southsea.
NEW THEATRE ROYAL The New Theatre Royal is legacy of the golden age of Victorian music and popular entertainment. Like the world it originated in, the theatre was designed to separate rich from poor, the respectable from the more raucous. For many years, it was a profitable business that was run in competition with some six other theatres in Portsmouth. In 1954 it was the venue for the first ever Rock ‘n’ Roll performance in the UK. A 1972 fire resulted in the loss of much of the stage and dressing rooms and it was only through remarkable dedication of local supporters that it was saved from demolition and eventually resuscitated as a working theatre. Laurel and Hardy and Morecambe and Wise both performed here, and Charles Dickens may have visited it. Many of the greats of nineteenth and twentieth century theatre walked her planks. Introduction by Phillip Williams
FIRE CURTAIN ROHIMA BEGUM SADIK WHAT IS THE OBJECT? Fire curtain WHERE IS THE OBJECT? The New Theatre Royal DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/ USED? It was used in 1972 WHAT WAS ITS USE? The safety curtain prevents any fire spreading. The theatre had a fire in 1972. Children were playing with fireworks on the stage. The theatre was burnt but the fire curtain came down and stopped the fire burning the seating area down. WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? The New Theatre Royal WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? It stopped the fire destroying everything. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like the fire curtain because I liked the speed of the curtain coming down and it was very interesting.
SUN-BURNER
(VENTILATION CHIMNEY) ALEIDAH ORINDA Located in Guildhall Walk, the first theatre on the site was built in 1854 and the one we know today opened its doors to the public in 1900. The theatre boasts Victorian ornamental plaster decorated with musical instruments such as guitars and saxophones and precious stone called alabaster which originated from Italy and thus on the alabaster rescue records. During the Victorian era, the doors would open to the ticket paying rich and prominent people and the poor who would naively join the queue for the rich would be thrown out through another door not to inconvenience another rich person trying to get in. This would prove that people were to sit according to their class, the rich sitting in the dress circle which sat 180 people, the middle class would sit in the upper circle and those that seemed prominent, for example MPs, would sit in the boxes which had individual chairs and would hold the most expensive tickets not because they had a better view as they faced outwards and did not have a clear view of the stage but were there with an intention of being seen, catching the attention of the audience in the regards to getting votes during elections. The most heart-wrenching part would be the balcony where the poor people would be flocked with no comfortable chairs, just a bench to seat. The item that caught my eye was on the ceiling above the stage. What looked like a mere interior decor was actually a chimney. The theatre was built in 1854, and the chimney was added in 1900 to meet the needs at the particular time. During my visit at this location, I was intrigued to learn that the chimney would serve a purpose of eliminating odour due to poor sanitation during the Victorian era. The chimney would therefore be lit after the end of shows upon the departure of the audience to freshen the air for the arrival of the next audience due to the high demands of the live theatre. The doors to the theatre would be shut when all had departed and a little boy would be sent up the ceiling using a ladder to light it up and would burn using the oxygen of the departed audience to keep the room fresher. Given the differences in treatment of the two social classes, it would have been a child from a poor family.
During my visit, I found this item of significance not because of its use in the Victorian era but how it was operated at the particular time. I was left puzzled by the fact that a child would have been used to operate the chimney and bearing in mind the gap between the rich and poor was a factor at the time, I have been left questioning whether if the child in question would have belonged to the well to do families or the poor of the society? Given the distinct differences in the classes, a poor child would have done this job.
THEATRE LIGHTS ROHIMA BEGUM SADIK WHAT IS THE OBJECT? Theatre lights WHERE IS THE OBJECT? The New Theatre Royal DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/USED? Electric lights were first used in theatres in 1882. The lights are used to light up the stage and to create special effects. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? The lights at New Theatre Royal were magic. The technician used his phone to put the lights on. I liked it because it was interesting and how did he use his phone to put the lights on?
PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL Not many cathedrals have been bombarded by enemy forces, but then again Portsmouth is not like many other cities. The history of what is now the Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury can be traced back to 1188, when a French merchant donated land for a chapel to be built and dedicated to the martyred Archbishop. It was consecrated as a parish in the 14th-century and became a cathedral in 1927. It has been shaped by many of the most famous figures in English history – Richard the Lionheart, Charles I and the Duke of Buckingham, Charles II and Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson. Elizabeth I worshipped here in 1591, while fragments of Nelson’s flag from the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) and even wood from HMS Victory are preserved here. During the first year of the Civil War (1642-1646), it was used by the Royalists to spy on the movement of enemy forces and in turn the Parliamentarians, stationed in Gosport, fired upon it. The medieval tower and nave were lost. Like Portsmouth itself, the building has been redesigned and extended over the centuries, bearing witness to the traumas and triumphs of the last 800 years. Introduction by Phillip Williams
SHIP WIND VANE CHRISTOPHER BROUGHTON WHAT IS THE OBJECT? Model Ship WHERE IS THE OBJECT? Portsmouth Cathedral DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/ USED? It was made in 1770. WHAT IS ITS USE? It is a wind vane to tell the wind direction WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? Portsmouth Cathedral
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? It is a ship because Portsmouth has a lot of ships and it tells people which way the wind is blowing WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like it because I liked the cathedral and I liked that it was gold. I liked the funny story about the wind vane falling off the roof of the cathedral until they kept it inside. In 1954 the wind vane fell down from the roof during a gale.
PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL MOHAMMED JAVED KHAN SADIK I like the cathedral, it was very old fashioned and famous. I like the cathedral’s history, they built a new wall, modern glass and I saw separate seating for the mayor of Portsmouth and his chair and diary and pen. I also like the pulpit where the preacher speaks to people and people learn about Christianity and history and people understand about how to work together. The cathedral has a lot of names inside for people who have died. I saw a man from Russia who died and his name is still on his grave inside the cathedral. There was a special prayer place for people in the navy which I liked. I saw the place where water gets poured at the font, where new born babies are baptised. I like the modern part of the cathedral. The nave of the cathedral is really large and peaceful and people can pray here quietly. And also after the tour I met two ladies who work for God and make nice cake and a good cup of tea.
TONDO OF MADONNA AND CHILD EMMA BEATTY WHAT IS THE OBJECT? Tondo of Madonna and child by Andrea della Robbia, a circular ceramic plaque, showing Mary and the baby Jesus, surrounded by fruit and flowers, with two winged cherubs. The main image is all in white ceramic on a bright blue background. The fruit is brightly coloured and includes apples, lemons and cucumbers. Andrea della Robbia, Florentine sculptor lived 1435–1525, so it’s 15th/16th-century. Andrea was the nephew of the more famous Luca della Robbia, who developed the blue and white glazes used on terracotta sculpture with which the name della Robbia is associated. Very high relief for a plaque, almost a sculpture, very sweet, gentle mood which must be difficult to achieve on a hard medium like ceramic. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? The north tower transept, slightly hidden away on a wall half-way along the right-hand side of the cathedral. WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? The tondo was given to the cathedral as a gift in 1945 by church architect Sir Charles Nicholson. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? It’s unknown how Nicholson came to own the tondo. It’s an overtly catholic image in a Church of England cathedral, one that was cleared of such imagery in the Reformation, so that tells a story of how the Church of England has changed over time. WHAT’S ITS USE? Decorative, devotional – it holds your eye and helps you think about the story depicted.
WHY DO YOU LIKE THE OBJECT? I like the realism of the fruit, especially the cucumbers that look like gherkins. I like the sad expression on the Madonna’s face and the sweet face of the chubby baby. I also like the colours. I like the round shape and gloss of the ceramic. It’s interesting to see such an Italian object in an English church. It’s a combination of very ornate and very simple and refined.
PORTSMOUTH GUILDHALL Portsmouth Guildhall, designed by architect William Hill, was built in 1890 and was originally used as the civic town hall. The building was renamed Portsmouth Guildhall when Portsmouth became a city on 21 April 1926. During the Second World War Portsmouth was heavily bombed and the Guildhall was hit by an incendiary bomb, destroying the building and leaving only the outside walls and tower. Rebuilt after the war, the building was reopened in 1959 and is now a major events and entertainment venue. The Guildhall is also home to The Portsmouth Music Experience, a free museum showcasing music in Portsmouth and Isle of Wight from the 1960s to the present day.
THE BODKIN CUP ELEANOR HAWKRIDGE We were invited down a dark corridor within Portsmouth Guildhall where, sparkling within dimly lit glass cabinets, we were able to view the city’s collection of silver, and hear some of the stories it represents. I am choosing to include one of the most prominent articles in the collection, the Bodkin Cup, which was made in 1525-6 from silver gilt. Its foot is engraved ‘F.B.’ for Francis Bodkin who was mayor of Portsmouth in 1553, 1560 and 1579. It was a gift to the city from Grace Bodkin, his wife, when he died in 1591. Around the rim of the wide cup are engraved the words ‘Deus Nobiscum Quis Contra Nos’ which means ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’; and the interior is embossed with a pattern of pineapples!
CHARTER PHILLIP WILLIAMS WHAT IS THE OBJECT? The founding charter or ‘compact’ of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. This was to establish Portsmouth, Rhode Island, in America. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? It is on display in Portsmouth Guildhall. DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/USED? It was made in 1638. It was a commercial agreement to establish a trading colony in what is now the United States of America. This was a trading business, run on the basis of profit and loss. It would have used Black African slaves; indeed, many economic activities in the British colonies depended upon slaves. WHAT IS ITS USE? It is a charter, or legal and commercial document. The signatories would have shared the responsibilities and profits. WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? It is owned by Portsmouth City Council. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? It is significant in world history because it reminds us that, from the beginning, America has been a commercial venture. In this case, land was bought and sold; America was owned by British companies, with a strong ethos to make a profit and avoid losses. The rights of those people living in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, were very limited. Above all else, this would have been the case for slaves. This ethos or set of ideas has shaped America from its beginning. American colonies had to be profitable or they would likely fail and be abandoned. The idea was that few taxes would be paid, as few as possible. But this was also a patriotic endeavour, the people of Portsmouth (in England) founded the colony of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, to make money and to serve their king. But they were not necessarily very keen on paying him taxes from their profits. Portsmouth, England, had a royal charter, conceded by Richard I and decorated with a
crescent moon and star. The other Portsmouth did not: it was owned by the signatories of this compact. This essential problem or theme – the idea of the other Portsmouth being part of England, but with no real political rights in the ‘mother country’ – was to shape the history of the English colonies in America and would lead to the revolution and Declaration of Independence in 1776. The USA was founded to be a government of the people, for the people, by the people. In this sense, the Declaration of Independence was the precise opposite of this document. But George Washington failed to extend these principles to all Americans. From the very beginning, the USA was a business venture, measured by profit and loss, shares and business contracts. But engaging in business was also a patriotic endeavour, a way of serving the country. And taxes were never particularly high up on the list of things that the new country liked paying. Slavery, moreover, also continued after 1776. Are all Americans equal? Or do some have more rights than others? When we look at much of the history of the USA, we find that these themes run through it. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like this document because of the consequences – good and bad – that would result from it. In many ways, it is impossible to understand American history without beginning with the charters that established the first British colonies. But I also like the way that it reminds us that the United States of America owes part of its origins to men from Portsmouth who had the enterprise and energy to try to establish a company and colony on the other side of the world. Portsmouth people can do great things when they set their mind to it! But we need to be thoughtful about how we go about forging the future.
ENGLISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 TROPHY ELISE SOFFACK WHAT IS THE OBJECT? A football trophy (the English Football League Division 1 Trophy)
(Although the trophy is no longer in the Guildhall, this document grants Freedom of the City to Portsmouth Football Club’s 2008 F.A. Winning Squad)
DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/ USED? The trophy was made in 1890. In 2003 Portsmouth Football Club won the League 1 trophy and were promoted to the Premiership. The celebration dinner was held at the Guildhall and the football team left the trophy behind and the Guildhall staff looked after it and took pictures with it!
WHAT IS ITS USE? For when people in Portsmouth play football and when they win. Sometimes when they drink too much they forget the trophy and leave it behind! WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? It’s important because it’s a celebration for all the city when the team win at football not just the players. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I liked the story about leaving the trophy in the Guildhall, it was very funny!
PORTSMOUTH MUSEUM The building that is now Portsmouth Museum was built as part of a Barracks in 1897 using convict labour. The date can be seen under the royal coat of arms on the front of the building, which sits alongside symbols representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The building, originally part of Clarence Barracks, formed part of the wider Barracks of Victoria, Cambridge and Clarence. Local residents dropped sweets and tobacco for the convicts as they marched between the site and Portsea prison each day. However, not all the convicts found the work unenjoyable; one convict, who worked on the heraldic carvings on the main building, asked to remain after his prison sentence ended so he could finish the work. Clarence Barracks were used throughout the First and Second World War and during the Second World War were occupied by Wrens. Most of the surrounding buildings were demolished in 1967 and eventually Portsmouth Museum moved into the building in 1972. Many of the city’s historic collections were destroyed during a bombing raid in the Second World War and the museum’s collections have been rebuilt since then. The museum now houses galleries exploring Portsmouth life and its residents, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
PORTSMOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB MATCH RECORDING AMANDA PARTRIDGE WHAT IS THE OBJECT? When we visited the Portsmouth Museum I put some headphones on and listened to what sounded like a Pompey football match. There were screams cheers and people shouting ‘come on Pompey’. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? This object was in the oral history collection where they held recordings of memories since the mid 1980s. They also held just over 425 recordings about working life in the dockyard. WHAT IS ITS USE? They use these recordings so that younger generations and people who weren’t around for the 1980s could understand the way of life back then and could really get a real feel for the atmospheres in certain places like the football match I heard for example. WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? These recordings were owned by people who lived in the 1980s, however some were made by volunteers or in partnerships with local groups such as Eastney community association, the Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Trust and the University of Portsmouth. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? These recordings were significant to Portsmouth and UK history because they allowed ordinary people to be heard and to contribute to their history and the history of their city, but also it allows us as a new generation to question the existing view of history in a new way. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I really like this object because it was really interesting, and I found it a fun way to learn about life in the 1980s.
THE LOST WORLD MILES JAMES LISTER WHAT IS THE OBJECT? The object I liked best is the showcase of ‘The Lost World’ at Portsmouth Museum. In ‘The Lost World’ people from London get trapped in another world and try to go back home. Lord John Roxton meets a cave girl from the Lost World. She is looking for her mum and dad. They find two big T-Rex eggs. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? Portsmouth Museum DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/USED? It was written in 1912 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? Arthur Conan Doyle lived in Portsmouth WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like it because it’s fun.
VICTORIA PARK BY GARRICK PALMER NATHAN GOLDING-LAMBLE WHAT IS THE OBJECT? The object I liked best was the paintings. WHERE IS THE OBJECT? At Portsmouth Museum. DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE/USED? It was made in 1956 it was on board. WHAT IS ITS USE? It was used for a decoration. WHO WAS IT OWNED BY? The artist of the paintings is Garrick Palmer but it is now owned by Portsmouth Museum. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS OBJECT TO PORTSMOUTH OR UK HISTORY? It is interesting to look at and the painting showed how things used to be. WHY DO YOU LIKE THIS OBJECT? I like this object because it is good to look at.
ArtReach would particularly like to thank Heritage Lottery Fund, National Lottery Players, Mary Rose Museum, New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth Cathedral, Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth Museum, British Red Cross, MAKE at Aldingbourne Trust, Emma Beatty, Christopher Broughton, Haisam Gendy, Nathan Golding-Lamble, Lynne Harvey, Eleanor Hawkridge, Miles James Lister, Aleidah Orinda, Amanda Partridge, Mohammed Javed Khan Sadik, Rohima Begum Sadik, Elise Soffack, and Phillip Williams. More information about the project can be found at: www.journeysfestival.com/portsmouth