'My family were lucky enough to have holidays before the war,' said Don Goward, who was born in 1931. Each year his parents took him to the south coast resort of Southsea in Hampshire. | 
An arial view of the beach near the South Parade Pier, with the Canoe Lake and its gardens in the distance.
| 'As I remember it, my mother packed a trunk and carter Paterson collected it and took it to Worthing Station for dispatch to Portsmouth two days before we departed, so that it would be delivered and waiting when we arrived.' 'We stayed at Mrs Peddle's in Talbot Road, Southsea (the house is still there having survived the blitz) where we had 'Board and attendance.' This meant my mother went out shopping each day for food which Mrs Peddle cooked and served for us.' 'Southsea had lots to offer in those days, Naval ships coming and going and the giant liners passing by in and out of Southampton. All ship movements were posted daily on giant notice boards along the seafront.' A favourite spot for the family was the greensward, known as Southsea Common, along the seafront, where they relaxed in the sun. There was no cricket being played on the large expanse of grass but a large scoreboard was positioned there, and programmes were even handed out showing the players currently in the Test Match. | 
The Bandstand on Southsea Common.
| 'My dad sat in a deckchair along with hundreds of others, watching the numbers revolve on a giant scoreboard when the Test Matches were on, the information I think being relayed from the match to Portsmouth by telephone with men keeping the scores up to date by the minute.' It sounds almost unbelievable now, but in those days it was revolutionary. Broadcasting was in its infancy then, and when the Test Match was being played in Australia, people would stay up half the night listening to awful wireless reception as the BBC broadcast the match live from Australia. 'Dad also spent time walking up and down the prom listening to the brass bands, but keeping his eye open for a newspaper representative whose photo appeared in a national daily. If you were lucky enough to spot this man and challenge him with a copy of the paper in your hand you won a prize. I don't think dad ever won anything though.' 'Canoe Lake was my favourite place just by South Parade Pier. I sailed my model yacht for hours. Somehow I always managed to fall into the lake on the last day of the holiday after mother had packed my clothes in our trunk and sent it for the return journey home.' | 
The Esplanade approaching the South Parade Pier.
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The Clarence Pier looking towards the Harbour.
| Pictures by courtesy of Portsmouth City Council Library Service.
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