This review posted on the Amazon website 17 Sep 2018: Review posted on the Amazon website 17 Sep 2018: These Old Ordnance Survey Maps are much more than just old maps! To be sure, there is on one side an excellent reproduction of the original OS Map of 1931. This one covers Gosport south of the High Street, RNH Haslar and the Gun Boat Yard and, of course, the harbour entrance from Fort Blockhouse to The Point in Old Portsmouth. On the eastern side the Southsea sea front is covered from the Aboukir Monument to Clarence Pier and all of Old Portsmouth from Sally Port to the Torpedo School, HMS Vernon, and east to the United Service Recreation Grounds and the Clarence Barracks and Victoria Barracks. It is odd that Fort Blockhouse is not marked as the submarine base, HMS Dolphin, given that HMS Hornet, home to patrol boats and small craft, is so named; perhaps a submarine base was still a secret (of sorts)!

Much more than just an old map, though, for on the reverse is three-and-a-half pages of text by Tony Painter - an introduction to the map overleaf. The writer provides a knowledgeable, detailed and interesting overview of what the map conveys, a potted history of Gosport and Portsmouth and rather more about the naval and military fortifications of the area - he really does bring the map alive. The other half of the reverse of the map are extracts from Kelly's Directory of Hampshire 1927 and these afford a glimpse into the businesses and people who occupied the premises so clearly marked on the map. Not surprisingly, there's a fair few public houses and a number of 'beer retailers' (off licences, I presume), as well as a Bushman, a Bazaar and Exhibition Decorator, an Ivorine Printer and Saccone & Speed bonded stores. ( )