Interview: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’s Ivano Turco

By Hugh Montgomery. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie comes to Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre in January. Ivano Turco who stars in the title role talks about the affinity he feels for the role. In his short career so far, super-talented musical theatre star Ivano Turco has already demonstrated formidable range: having...

Heritage: Southampton is 6 minutes slower…

By Martin Brisland.  Did you know that a Southampton sundial will always be six minutes slower than GMT or 1 hour 6 minutes slower than BST? Robert Morden’s map for Hampshire from circa 1695 is rather interesting. You can easily find it via Google. Along the bottom you will...

Save the Platform Tavern

By Charlie Hislop Fundraisers are being organised across Southampton in the next two months by musicians, and others, to help the Platform Tavern get back up and running after a night-time fire in the bar. A number of local bands have already signed up… Chicago 9, the Platform Posse,...

Heritage: Legacy of the Spanish Civil War

By Martin Brisland.  In May 1937 the SS Habana arrived in Southampton with nearly 4,000 child refugees from the Basque region of Northern Spain. They were escaping the  Spanish Civil War and were put into a temporary camp off Chestnut Avenue, North Stoneham until that September. The Civil War...

Heritage: Southampton and the demon drink

By Martin Brisland.  Many in Victorian England were concerned about the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption. There were local and national efforts as part of the Temperance Movement to encourage moderation with alcohol. William Westlake was a prominent local Liberal politician and Quaker. He held Temperance teas for...

Heritage: Pride past and present

by People’s Pride Southampton volunteer Frida Eliasson. Picture: Mike Daish. Pride has undergone a growth spurt since its inception in the UK, with the first Pride Parade being held on the 1st July 1972, marking the three-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. This first parade garnered a modest turnout...