By amateur theatre editor Martin Brisland. Some may think that the history of Southampton is boring but not when presented like this! Time and Tide is an excellent evening of stories, songs and sea shanties presented by the Maskers Theatre Company with the help of the Southampton Salty Sea...
Heritage
Free walking tour explores Southampton’s migrant history this weekend
Picture by Mike Daish. This Sunday there’s a great opportunity to learn about Southampton’s vibrant migrant history. The tour, which takes place on, September 3rd, will be led by Tony Kushner, who teaches and researches in the Parkes Institute and the History Department of the University of Southampton. He...
Heritage: Pride past and present
by People’s Pride Southampton volunteer Frida Eliasson. Picture: Mike Daish. Pride has undergone a growth spurt since its inception in the UK, with the first Pride Parade being held on the 1st July 1972, marking the three-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This first parade garnered a modest turnout...
Heritage: Miss Newman and the Titanic Relief Fund, ‘the lady on the bike’
By Martin Brisland. Image with permission from Southampton City Council Cultural Services. The Titanic story is one that continues to fascinate 111 years after the event. Out of the 908 crew onboard, there were around 688 crew deaths. Sadly, 550 people with a Southampton address perished in the sinking...
Heritage: Southampton street names’ connections to Britain’s ignoble colonial past
by Martin Brisland. When you walk through the Bedford Place area of Southampton, have you ever realised that some of the street names are linked to Britain’s ignoble colonial past and the East India Company? Southampton was a minor port in the 1830s at the end of its time...
Heritage: the real life King and I story, and its links to Southampton
by Martin Brisland. The much-loved musical play, which has recently been at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre, and film tells the real-life story of the tempestuous relationship that develops between King Chulalongkorn of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British school teacher whom the King brings to Siam (Thailand) to teach his many...
Black History Month South & SS Shieldhall are bringing a special Windrush 75th anniversary event
A momentous occasion is on the horizon as the SS Shieldhall sets sail from Southampton on 24th June as part of the Windrush 75 celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at the Port of Tilbury on 22nd June 1948. The event will be...
Heritage: the story behind the pineapple at Southampton’s Royal Pier
by Martin Brisland. Have you ever wondered why there is a pineapple at the top of the gatehouse to the Royal Pier? A golden pineapple sits on top of Southampton’s ornate Royal Pier entrance building. In fact, once you start noticing them you will see them on street railings,...
Heritage: Southampton scriptwriter N.J. Crisp
by Martin Brisland. Remembering the career of prolific Southampton scriptwriter N.J. Crisp, whose credits included Dixon of Dock Green, Colditz and Secret Army. Older readers probably remember major BBC TV series from the 1960s and 1970’ such as Compact, Dixon of Dock Green, Dr Finlay’s Casebook, The Expert,...
Steamship Shieldhall releases details of 2023 sailing programme
The volunteers at Steamship Shieldhall in Southampton have released details of the ship’s 2023 sailing programme. Commencing on Friday 16 June, with a final sailing on Sunday 17 September, there are a variety of 2hr, 3hr, 3 1/2hr, 4hr and all day sailings to choose from, including some returning...