Strong Island

Thomas Ellis Owen Shaper of Portsmouth, ‘Father of Southsea’ by Sue Pike

Friday, May 6th, 2011. Published in Architecture & The City, Archives, Books & Magazines, Features by

I’ve been holding on to this for a while now as I wanted to make a feature of it and had to wait for the exhibition to finish to give it pride of place on the front page. If like myself you’re always looking around at our local architecture you will have noticed many of the buildings within the book Thomas Ellis Owen Shaper of Portsmouth, ‘Father of Southsea’. Some could even be right on your doorstep but you have never noticed, or peeked over that high wall. Thomas Ellis Owen’s work is all over the city and you’d be forgiven for walking past as a lot of it is hidden or down those streets you may not stroll down too often. Other buildings however are right in your face. Ever noticed the huge block of flats at the entrance to Waitrose, the detailing on the building at Dover Court opposite the old Havana bar?



“Thomas Ellis Owen is probably the best known of Portsmouth’s nineteenth century architects, his construction of villas and substantial terraces in Southsea being responsible for the emergence of the district as a middle class locality. His work was recognised by Pevsner and Lloyd in their magisterial Buildings of England: Hampshire, and later by a rather more detailed architectural enquiry by two students, Preedy and Stewart. My own research was principally concerned with dating Owen’s properties and analysing their inhabitants. What Sue Pike has done is to cast the net very much wider, not only by providing great detail about Owen’s family, but also by demonstrating the impressive breadth of his activities outside architecture. Indeed, his interests were so wide that there must have been few aspects of Portsmouth’s development in the 1830s, 1840s and 1850s in which he was not involved. Infrastructural fields such as gas supply, the Portsea Canal, railways, the Camber Docks and hospitals lay within his purview, while he assisted in the purchase of land for one of Portsmouth’s defining features, the Palmerstonian forts. His tithe map has proved of inestimable value to local historians. Meanwhile Owen was an important local politician. All these facets of Owen’s life have been fully laid bare in this thoroughly well researched book by Sue Pike, who is to be congratulated on her labours.” Professor Ray Riley

Thomas Ellis Owen Shaper of Portsmouth, ‘Father of Southsea’ is a really interesting read and contains stunning colour photos of many Owen properties in Southsea and Alverstoke by Gosport photographer, Tim Martin. There is no real target audience and hopefully it will appeal to old and young alike. The detailed captions may be helpful to first year architecture students but it showcases Southsea well and may well appeal equally to academics, photographers, interested newcomers and people who just want a really nice book to put on their coffee table. I’m a huge fan of both history and architecture so this book is a real winner for me, and I have no doubt that if that’s not really your bag you will still appreciate what Thomas Ellis Owen Shaper of Portsmouth, ‘Father of Southsea’ has to offer.

You can purchase a hardback copy for £25 via the publishers www.tricornbooks.co.uk and www.whsmith.co.uk and read up on the book and the author Sue Pike over at www.thomasellisowen.co.uk















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7 Comments to Thomas Ellis Owen Shaper of Portsmouth, ‘Father of Southsea’ by Sue Pike

  1. Anyone know what’s happening to the Thomas Ellis house in Highland Road cemetery ? Was up for sale a few years back, was sold, had chimney removed – this was boarded up and has been left ever since.

    Dean on May 6th, 2011

  2. The father of Southsea but from what I understand didn’t have the cleanest of hands. Lots of good reading about him out there, interesting character.

    Pudding Snack! on May 6th, 2011

  3. A few years ago the University was disposing of a vast number of early dissertations and I luckily managed to salvage the original 1972 copy of Preedy and Stewarts research.

    It may be of use to future exhibitions/research etc so if there is any interested let me know

    Khalid on May 8th, 2011

  4. Wow, what a find! Hopefully someone will take you up on that offer in the future.

    Paul Gonella on May 10th, 2011

  5. I haved lived at The Friary for just over 12 years. Amazing changes in the last 3 years. When I first moved in 12 years ago was a completely different place but full of history. Each flat had their own bathroom but it was down a corridor in the right hand block I lived in so got to know the neighbours a bit more intimately! There was no central heating with just a gas fire in the living room and my kitchen was no longer than 6 ft and about 2 ft wide! Had a Baby Belling in those days for cooking and just enough room for a small fridge. The launderette was my local haunt for 10 years.

    The new owner has done a wonderful job on converting the flats. We moved into the middle block 2 years ago. Bathrooms inside with a shower (bliss!), central heating (bliss!) and a fitted kitchen with oven and hob…we really do enjoy cooking now. Have a washing machine too which has saved so much time and money. Couldn’t be happier! The original features in the corridors have remained and where possible the original fireplaces have been kept too.

    Debbi on May 17th, 2011

  6. Thank you everyone for the kind comments and interest you have shown in my book and in Thomas Ellis Owen’s Southsea. Actually I am unable to sell it at mainstream bookshops because it was expensive to produce and the price would have to be prohibitively high if they were to add their 35% on top. Apart from the TEO website it can be purchased from The Gallery in Albert Road and from The City Museum.

    Debbi: I recall when I was delivering leaflets and letters to The Friary to advertise the Thomas Ellis Owen Festival held in 2004 there were some doors that didnt have letter boxes so I had to push the post under the doors… Were you ever in the bath when I did that?…

    Khalid and Paul: There was a lot of good stuff in Preedy and Stewart’s dissertation, it started the whole interest in Thomas Owen off and it should be applauded for that. However, if you ever decide to use it for research, please be aware that some of the facts in it were later proved to be incorrect. For example, Thomas did not come from Ireland to Portsmouth in 1820, his father did not design the City Keys and some of the properties they include as Owen’s are, in reality, ‘in the style of Owen’.

    Pudding Snack: When I first started researching Thomas Owen, I was interested in the one lady who stood at his graveside amongst the men. I was never able to find any ‘dirt’ though! Perhaps you know more than I do.

    Dean: The Planning Department are doing what it can to ensure The Lodge at Highland Road Cemetery is properly restored.

    Sue Pike on May 18th, 2011

  7. I live in a TEO house (Queens Place) and feel very priviliged to be part of Southsea’s history. It was also a bit sad and unloved when we moved in but hope that our efforts over the last 8 years have made it a home again.

    Gillian Russell on May 27th, 2011

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Features

The 2nd Strong Island Ale – Dry Dock No. 1

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012. Published in Features, Food & Drink, Strong Island by

As you may know each year we run a home brew competition in February where the winning brew has the opportunity to be brewed by Irving & Co Brewing Co. and sold around the city in the summer. Last year’s brew, the Strong Island Hopper Ale, was hugely successful being one of Inving’s best selling ales and selling out so quickly it went through a second brew run. This year’s winning ale is Dry Dock No. 1, originally brewed by Lee Immins, went on sale in some of Portsmouth and Southsea’s pubs over the weekend.

We spoke to The Hole in The Wall in Southsea who said the new ale went down a storm with it being their best seller on Sunday and with almost two barrels empty by the end of the Bank Holiday weekend. Those guys at the Hole in The Wall and their regular ale drinkers know their stuff so for us this was amazing early news with the ale.

To officially launch Dry Dock No. 1 we are having a launch party with the lovely souls at The Belle Isle on Thursday evening. The ale will be on full flow, come down and try a pint or two. As well as being on sale all around the city the ale will also be available in Chichester’s Belle Isle too, so you can drink it away from home for the first time too.






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The Isle Of Wight Randonnee 2012 – Team Strong Island

Monday, May 7th, 2012. Published in Bikes & Cycling, Features by

Just over a year ago, a group of Strong Islanders were sat on the Isle of Wight ferry on our way to the yearly Randonnee cycling event; 60 miles around the island spread across 5 checkpoints. Whilst on the crossing we couldn’t help but admire various enthusiasts and their custom team jerseys. Fast forward a year and it is my great pleasure to unveil the Strong Island cycling jersey. Made as a one off for the event, the jersey is our way of representing this city and all the values that come with it. Thanks to the combined designing efforts of Chris Ballingall and Tristan Savage, we were able to produce this clean, retro looking jersey that 11 of Southsea’s finest could wear to conquer the island’s endless hills. Well done chaps.

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