John Sadden – författare

This fascinating book brings together over 300 photographs of Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent that date from the late Victorian period to more recent times. They tell a story of an area that has changed beyond recognition. The images range from commercially produced postcards to informal, amateur snaps and include a diversity of often unexpected subjects, from Edwardian soldiers with their barrack-room pin-ups, Victorian workers at Priddy''s Hard, the upper deck of the floating bridge in the 1940s and boys training to be seamen, furling and stowing the head sails aboard HMS St Vincent. Views of bustling streets, long-lost pubs, shops that are open all hours, historic events and notable people offer a wealth of social history and will inspire memories not only in local residents but in anyone who has ever known the town. Those who thought that perhaps the last word has been said about Gosport are sure to find much here that will engage and surprise.

This fascinating book brings together three years'' research together witha collection of photographs and memories from local people. It provides a comprehensive and very readable social history of the Portsmouth area during the tumultuous years of 1914 - 18. The prelude to war in Britain''s premier naval port is described, including the area''s important role in the arms race, public reaction to the outbreak of war and the subsequent changes in attitudes to the conflict. The introduction of women into traditionally male workplaces like the dockyard, the efforts to encourage men to enlist and the fear and confusion as Portsmouth became the target for spies and Zeppelin attack are outlined in this well-researched and often moving account.

Taking you through the year day by day, The Portsmouth Book of Days contains a quirky, eccentric, amusing or important event or fact from different periods of history, many of which had a major impact on, or reflect, the social and political history of England as a whole.Ideal for dipping into, this addictive little book will keep you entertained and informed. Featuring hundreds of snippets of information gleaned from the vaults of Portsmouth’s archives, it will delight residents and visitors alike.

The photographs in this fascinating collection enable the reader to explore the differences that passing time has wrought on the urban landscape of Portsmouth and Southsea, and place unrecognisable scenes in context in place and time. Archive images, including Victorian scenes, Edwardian postcards, and unique colour photographs from the 1960s and '70s, are compared and contrasted with a similar view today. These absorbing images, from professional and amateur photographers, include many street scenes alongside subjects ranging from a military band at Clarence Barracks in the 1910s, commercial shipping at the Camber in the 1930s, Billy Smart's circus in the 1950s and Dockyard pickets in the 1970s. Portsmouth Through Time is sure to evoke a wealth of personal memories and interest to anyone who knows and loves the city and would enjoy a trip into its recent past.