Very old picture of Fratton Park

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pompeylee

Portsmouth v Ryde FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round in 1899/00 - one of the first matches to be played at Fratton Park.

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Is it my imagination or are the players all midgets?

'Course its not FP. I've got a very early photo and there were railings around the pitch fer starters - and if you think Pompey looked like that a century or so ago, ya don know the 'istory of ya city.

.....not to mention the two stands: the first, 100 feet long with seven rows of seats on the south side and the second, terracing which stretched for 240 feet on the opposite, north side.......

If the photo was taken from the North stand..would that be the I o W in the background

Attachment 2471

Map of area around FP dated 1909. It's clear that the photo could only have been taken towards the north-east corner (to the south are houses and to the west was the sprawl of the Fratton railway sidings.)

I had a map circa 1890 together with current one side by side,but couldn,t find a way to do it.
Anyway the old map had no houses at all in the area.

"It's clear that the photo could only have been taken towards the north-east corner (to the south are houses and to the west was the sprawl of the Fratton railway sidings.)"

Which is what I think you'll find I said. What was that about not knowing about the history of our city? :O

Not sure if Ryde played at Partlands or Smallbrook back then. If it is the IoW it looks more like Smallbrook facing south towards Ashey Down. Then Portsmouth are mentioned first in the caption - not sure if the convention was home team first in theose days.

Newspaper report suggests it wasn't at Ryde,

Attachment 2488

Some more old photos to mull over,

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I note from reading the article that Ryde's share of the gate was handed to their Executive. Bet Corky was in on the act somehow