Jane Austen
Jane Austen Back to A-Z index Jane Austen was an English novelist whose books, set among the English middle and upper classes, are notable for their wit, social observation and acute insights into the lives of early 19th century women. She was born on 16 December 1775 in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. Jane was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager. In 1801 the family moved to Bath. After the death of Jane’s father in 1805 Jane, her sister Cassandra and their mother moved several times eventually settling in Chawton. Jane’s family moved to Southampton in 1806 and lived here until 1809 with her brother Frank. The garden of her house backed onto the well preserved medieval town walls and, although the original house no longer stands, the Juniper Berry pub now occupies the site. Jane attended Winter Balls at the Dolphin Hotel in the High Street, where she had also celebrated her 18th birthday. We know she saw plays at the former Theatre Royal in French Street and also visited Hythe using a hired boat. Jane and her family worshipped at All Saints Church (once on the corner of High Street and East Street, destroyed during the Second World War). Jane herself wrote many letters whilst living here, some of which have survived as have some letters of her sister Cassandra. A later memoir by a descendant gives us some idea of her time in Southampton, the people she lived among and the places she visited. Henry Austen who was 4 years older than Jane, helped her negotiate with a publisher and her first novel, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, appeared in 1811. Her next novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, which she described as her “own darling child” received highly favourable reviews. ‘Mansfield Park’ was published in 1814, then ‘Emma’ in 1816. ‘Emma’ was dedicated to the prince regent, an admirer of her work. All of Jane Austen’s novels were published anonymously. In 1816, Jane began to suffer from ill-health, probably due to Addison’s disease. She travelled from Chawton to Winchester to receive treatment, and died there on 18 July 1817. Two more novels, ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Northanger Abbey’ were published posthumously and a final novel was left incomplete.
Air Raids
Air Raids Back to A-Z index Being the home of the Spitfire, Southampton was a target for German bombers. The first bomb fell on 19th June 1940 and the last, a Doodlebug, on 15th July 1944. 2,631 high explosive bombs and 30, 652 incendiary bombs were recorded. There were about 60 raids killing 631. There is a memorial seat to these events in Hollybrook Cemetery made out of town rubble. Southampton lost 12.5% of its housing stock – more than any other city in the U.K. There were 3, 589 buildings destroyed and about 40, 000 damaged. The worst bombing was on the night of 30 November/1 December 1940.
Richard Andrews
Richard Andrews Back to A-Z index Richard Andrews has been called Southampton’s Dick Whittington. In 1821 he walked 20 miles from his home in Bishops Sutton and rapidly built up a coach building business in Above Bar. A Liberal, he was Mayor five times during the 1850’s. Richard Andrews died in 1859 and his statue stands in Andrews (East) Park.
Artesian Well
Artesian Well Back to A-Z index As Southampton grew in the 19th century there was a demand for water. The reservoirs on the Common were inadequate despite well being sunk to 1,260 feet and finally abandoned in 1883. Attention then turned to tapping the Itchen at Mansbridge but this was impure. Finally, the Southampton Waterworks was opened at Otterbourne in 1888.
Arcades
Arcades Back to A-Z index Following the French Raid of 1338 the strengthening of the town’s defence system was ordered by King Edward III. The town was to be fully enclosed by stone walls, especially along the western quays, where wealthy merchants had built their houses. Due to a shortage of suitable stones, a compromise was found, which meant the integration of the merchants’ houses into the town wall. Of course, the merchants were unwilling to lose their sea front warehouses, but by 1380 the doors and windows in the front of the houses were blocked up with stone or converted into arrow slits and gun ports, and they became part of the town’s defensive wall. Henry Yevele, who oversaw improvements to the castle, probably was also involved in the construction of the Arcades. Wide arches were constructed that enforced the structure of the walls, which were then completed with parapets and machicolations.