Historic Southampton
@historicalsoton.bsky.social
I’m Russell and local history is my hobby.
One of the metal plaques given to the Southern Railway (who operated Southampton Docks during the Second World War) by the U.S. Army who transported over two million American troops through the docks between D-Day and the end of the war.
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November 28, 2025 at 8:02 AM
One of the metal plaques given to the Southern Railway (who operated Southampton Docks during the Second World War) by the U.S. Army who transported over two million American troops through the docks between D-Day and the end of the war.
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20 White’s Road, Bitterne. 1909 and 2025.
November 27, 2025 at 8:29 AM
20 White’s Road, Bitterne. 1909 and 2025.
Postcard from Hamble. Sent to Hampstead in London in 1906. The Bugle (on the right) is still a popular pub today. The message on the back reads: ‘This is a little yachting village on Southampton Water. The children standing on the shore wish you good day.’
November 26, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Postcard from Hamble. Sent to Hampstead in London in 1906. The Bugle (on the right) is still a popular pub today. The message on the back reads: ‘This is a little yachting village on Southampton Water. The children standing on the shore wish you good day.’
On this day in 1120, the White Ship sank en route from Barfleur to Southampton. William Ætheling, King Henry I’s only legitimate son and heir to the throne, drowned whilst trying to save his half-sister, Matilda of Perche, who also perished.
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November 25, 2025 at 9:10 AM
On this day in 1120, the White Ship sank en route from Barfleur to Southampton. William Ætheling, King Henry I’s only legitimate son and heir to the throne, drowned whilst trying to save his half-sister, Matilda of Perche, who also perished.
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On this day in 1940, the Luftwaffe inflicted upon Southampton the heaviest bombing raid of the town’s war so far with a sustained and brutal six-hour raid that began just after 6pm. The German bombers would return on 30 November and 1 December.
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November 23, 2025 at 8:23 AM
On this day in 1940, the Luftwaffe inflicted upon Southampton the heaviest bombing raid of the town’s war so far with a sustained and brutal six-hour raid that began just after 6pm. The German bombers would return on 30 November and 1 December.
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HMHS Britannic sank on this day in 1916. She had left Southampton on 12 November but hit a mine in the Aegean Sea nine days later. Thirty people died. Among the survivors were Violet Jessop, Arthur Priest, and Archie Jewell, who had all survived the sinking of Britannic’s sister, Titanic, in 1912.
November 21, 2025 at 9:12 AM
HMHS Britannic sank on this day in 1916. She had left Southampton on 12 November but hit a mine in the Aegean Sea nine days later. Thirty people died. Among the survivors were Violet Jessop, Arthur Priest, and Archie Jewell, who had all survived the sinking of Britannic’s sister, Titanic, in 1912.
12 Rockstone Place. This attractive Regency-style end of terrace house doesn’t look like it has changed much since it was built in the 1830s but it was actually damaged in the Blitz. Happily, unlike many other lost buildings in Southampton, it was restored rather than demolished.
November 19, 2025 at 9:15 AM
12 Rockstone Place. This attractive Regency-style end of terrace house doesn’t look like it has changed much since it was built in the 1830s but it was actually damaged in the Blitz. Happily, unlike many other lost buildings in Southampton, it was restored rather than demolished.
Looking across Southampton towards Woolston in the 1970s.
November 17, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Looking across Southampton towards Woolston in the 1970s.
HMS Woolston in 1919. The W-class destroyer was built by Thornycroft on the River Itchen at Woolston between 1917 and 1918. She served briefly with the Atlantic Fleet at the end of the First World War.
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November 15, 2025 at 7:40 AM
HMS Woolston in 1919. The W-class destroyer was built by Thornycroft on the River Itchen at Woolston between 1917 and 1918. She served briefly with the Atlantic Fleet at the end of the First World War.
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On this day in 1977, the Clash played at Southampton’s Top Rank. The legendary punk band would visit Southampton again in 1980.
November 13, 2025 at 8:45 AM
On this day in 1977, the Clash played at Southampton’s Top Rank. The legendary punk band would visit Southampton again in 1980.
On this day in 1907, the Liberal Party MP Augustine Birrell held a meeting in Southampton. As soon as he started talking, five or six Suffragettes immediately began to interrupt him.
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November 12, 2025 at 7:46 AM
On this day in 1907, the Liberal Party MP Augustine Birrell held a meeting in Southampton. As soon as he started talking, five or six Suffragettes immediately began to interrupt him.
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Alwin Zeun and Max Bölkow, two German soldiers buried alongside each other far from home at Netley Military Cemetery near Southampton. They both died at the Royal Victoria Hospital on this day in 1918, the day the armistice was signed and the Western Front guns fell silent.
November 11, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Alwin Zeun and Max Bölkow, two German soldiers buried alongside each other far from home at Netley Military Cemetery near Southampton. They both died at the Royal Victoria Hospital on this day in 1918, the day the armistice was signed and the Western Front guns fell silent.
Over 3,200 local men and women are now remembered on the Southampton Cenotaph, which was unveiled in November 1920.
Thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by war today on Remembrance Sunday.
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Thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by war today on Remembrance Sunday.
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November 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Over 3,200 local men and women are now remembered on the Southampton Cenotaph, which was unveiled in November 1920.
Thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by war today on Remembrance Sunday.
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Thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by war today on Remembrance Sunday.
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Millions more embarked from Southampton during the Second World War and in later conflicts, such as the Korean War and the Falklands War.
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November 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Millions more embarked from Southampton during the Second World War and in later conflicts, such as the Korean War and the Falklands War.
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Tens of thousands of sick and wounded were taken by train from Southampton Docks, where they had arrived on hospital ships, to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley, a journey of only a few miles.
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November 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Tens of thousands of sick and wounded were taken by train from Southampton Docks, where they had arrived on hospital ships, to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley, a journey of only a few miles.
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A short thread for Remembrance Sunday. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
During the First World War, over eight million troops from many different nations passed through Southampton, the country’s number one embarkation port during the conflict.
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During the First World War, over eight million troops from many different nations passed through Southampton, the country’s number one embarkation port during the conflict.
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November 9, 2025 at 9:13 AM
A short thread for Remembrance Sunday. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
During the First World War, over eight million troops from many different nations passed through Southampton, the country’s number one embarkation port during the conflict.
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During the First World War, over eight million troops from many different nations passed through Southampton, the country’s number one embarkation port during the conflict.
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On this day in 1837, a violent fire ripped through a warehouse on Southampton High Street. Twenty-two men and boys were killed as they tried to extinguish the flames. Of those who lost their lives, the youngest was just sixteen.
You can read about the fire here: historicsouthampton.co.uk/1837-fire/
You can read about the fire here: historicsouthampton.co.uk/1837-fire/
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
On this day in 1837, a violent fire ripped through a warehouse on Southampton High Street. Twenty-two men and boys were killed as they tried to extinguish the flames. Of those who lost their lives, the youngest was just sixteen.
You can read about the fire here: historicsouthampton.co.uk/1837-fire/
You can read about the fire here: historicsouthampton.co.uk/1837-fire/
The Southampton Cenotaph was unveiled on this day in 1920. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, his Whitehall Cenotaph was unveiled in London five days later, on 11 November 1920. An iconic symbol of remembrance, the names of 3,298 Southampton men and women are now remembered here.
November 6, 2025 at 1:25 PM
The Southampton Cenotaph was unveiled on this day in 1920. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, his Whitehall Cenotaph was unveiled in London five days later, on 11 November 1920. An iconic symbol of remembrance, the names of 3,298 Southampton men and women are now remembered here.
On this day in 1940, thirty-five people were killed in a daylight air raid on Southampton. The Civic Centre’s art gallery received a direct hit. A class of fifteen children had taken shelter in the basement; only one child survived. There is a memorial inside the building.
November 6, 2025 at 7:47 AM
On this day in 1940, thirty-five people were killed in a daylight air raid on Southampton. The Civic Centre’s art gallery received a direct hit. A class of fifteen children had taken shelter in the basement; only one child survived. There is a memorial inside the building.
Charlie Kimber ran the Pembroke Hotel in Pembroke Square, a small square on the eastern side of the Bargate, nestled up against the town’s medieval wall. The hotel became known as Kim’s Kosy Korner during Kimber’s management in the early 1900s.
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November 4, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Charlie Kimber ran the Pembroke Hotel in Pembroke Square, a small square on the eastern side of the Bargate, nestled up against the town’s medieval wall. The hotel became known as Kim’s Kosy Korner during Kimber’s management in the early 1900s.
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This grand building was formerly the main post and telegraph office for Southampton Docks. Construction started in 1902 and it was completed in 1905. This is where mail would have been sorted before being loaded onto ships in the docks. The building is now apartments.
November 2, 2025 at 9:22 AM
This grand building was formerly the main post and telegraph office for Southampton Docks. Construction started in 1902 and it was completed in 1905. This is where mail would have been sorted before being loaded onto ships in the docks. The building is now apartments.
Bill Rawlings was born in Andover in 1896. In 1914 he was playing football for Andover but when the First World War broke out he joined the Wessex Field Ambulance. He would be serving king and country in France by the end of 1914.
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November 1, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Bill Rawlings was born in Andover in 1896. In 1914 he was playing football for Andover but when the First World War broke out he joined the Wessex Field Ambulance. He would be serving king and country in France by the end of 1914.
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Southampton’s West Bay, early 1900s. Southampton West (now Central) railway station can be seen on the left. The bay disappeared when the land was reclaimed here in the 1920s and 1930s in order to create the vast Western Docks.
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October 31, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Southampton’s West Bay, early 1900s. Southampton West (now Central) railway station can be seen on the left. The bay disappeared when the land was reclaimed here in the 1920s and 1930s in order to create the vast Western Docks.
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Memorial in Southampton Old Cemetery to those who perished in the sinkings of RMS Rhone and RMS Wye, which were among eighty vessels wrecked during a hurricane in the Caribbean at the end of October 1867.
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October 30, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Memorial in Southampton Old Cemetery to those who perished in the sinkings of RMS Rhone and RMS Wye, which were among eighty vessels wrecked during a hurricane in the Caribbean at the end of October 1867.
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Y’day I posted about Sir Oswald Mosley’s pro-Nazi British Union of Fascists in the 1930s. Some comments on Facebook expressed support for Mosley and his ideology. I know you can’t really reason with people who will publicly support fascism but this is what Mosley’s ideology did to Southampton:
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October 30, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Y’day I posted about Sir Oswald Mosley’s pro-Nazi British Union of Fascists in the 1930s. Some comments on Facebook expressed support for Mosley and his ideology. I know you can’t really reason with people who will publicly support fascism but this is what Mosley’s ideology did to Southampton:
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