I read this earlier and it got me thinking about our city. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/14/olympic-torch-relay-day-57-southampton I have lived here since 1971 and I love the place and would not want to live anywhere else. The history of the city is fascinating and I usually get cross when people go on about the history of York as if it was unique when our wonderful city has an even greater history. The walls of my house are adorned with old images of Southampton and I am proud of my ancestors who have influenced the city in various ways. A cousin has been the Mayor as have friends and several of my ancestors were key business men in the city in Victorian times although like me they moved here rather than being born here. So not only do I love the Saints I love this city. How do you feel about?
I envy you Godders as I am not from Southampton, although a Hampshire lad who was born and bred there until I was 24. I was from a small town a few miles North of Southampton and have lived in various places around the country without any real affinity. I know alot of the history of my home town but it would be good to be a part of city.
Was born in Bournemouth, whilst still part of Hampshire, and lived in Christchurch until 14 then Winchester until I moved up to London in 1981. Have lived there ever since but certainly still consider myself a Hampshire man!
I love Southampton too Godders. I miss it everyday, having lived away for the past couple of years due to work reasons. I long to sup a pint on home territory. Starting at the Jolly Sailor in Hamble. Followed by the train journey into the city centre and on to Avondales, Vodka Revs and Orange Rooms! I have always taken for granted just how good a location Southampton actually is with easy access to Bournemouth, the new forest, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Winchester and under 2 hours to London! I love a bit of nostalgia.
I was born and bred in Southampton. I've been away and come back. Now I live in the New Forest. I love living in the area and being from the city gives me an extra emotional attachment to the Saints so I wouldn't want to change that. But do I love the city itself? I'm really not sure. Yes, it has a fantastic history but what I do know is that a succession of town planners have done their best to make it a soulless place without a centre. If there is one, the 'centre' now seems to be West Quay. If you like shopping then its great I suppose but it could and should be so much more. Maybe it takes an outsider to really appreciate what beauty there is. Certainly we are lucky to have the parks and the Roman influences are there to enjoy. I come in on match days obviously, and occasionally to see a band or something but if I have a need to shop then I prefer to go to Salisbury to be honest.
If you feel that way about Southampton Godders, why do you call yourself St Godders of Windsor? The only tolerable thing about Windsor imo is the race course. I left Southampton 30 years ago, and can't imagine ever leaving London (the Capital of Earth), but my mum and dad (born Londoners) still live in the heart of Southampton, a 10 minute walk from St Mary's, and it is a beautiful town. The surviving medeaval walls and buildings equal anything in York, Chester or Durham. Edit: Great article, btw. She hits the nail, that American journo.
Like everyone else on here I am very proud of my home town. I have a passion for Southampton and especially it's shipping heritage. having lived there for large parts of my life, I now currently reside in Barnet for expediency as I work in the City. I do enjoy Barnet but my wife will find herself heading south at some stage in the future. COYR
My user name was St Godders of Swaythling until a poster by the name of Joey decided it was a **** place and that it said a lot about me living there. So I changed my name to St Godders of Windsor as I was born a stones throw from the castle. Perhaps I was being far too sensitive. PS I forget to mention our unique and wonderful parks.
Great article St Godders I think you should return to your Swaythling roots. Every area of our city has an interesting history and you can be proud of that. Southampton doesn't always have the headline attractions of Oxford, but as a city to live in it works really well ... and has a a better football team than Oxford, York, Winchester, Salisbury and all those Chocolate Box places. I recommend to anyone re-discovering the historical places in your city. Start at the Bargate walk round the walls in the Arundel Tower direction, visit the Medieval Merchants House and Tudor Museum. Have a pint at the Red Lion, then on to the Maritime Museum, Gods House Tower, Titanic memorials, Royal Pier, Platform Pub (I love the place) and return via the Back of the Walls and fantastic parks. You could finish up at the Sea City Museum and Art Gallery. What a day out !!!
Good article and agree with most of it. I've always had a love hate relationship with the general mood of southampton folk. Our general "laidback" attitude is refreshing compared to many places in the UK which seem obsessed with always bigging themselves up (inferiority complex I guess)... but also sometimes it feels like you have to put a rocket up peoples backsides to get a reaction & things organised in the City. I do love the City, it is far from perfect and there have been many missed opportunities to design a better city centre & public waterfront. But with the Forest & Downs & Itchen Valley & Seaside only a few minutes away everything you could ever need is on your doorstep.
Having worked and lived in many different locations...trust me Southampton is a very good place to live and visit,there are some real crap places in the UK and Southampton is not one of them.
Personally i've always thought Southampton was a bit of a ****hole. I mean, where exactly are the nice bits? It's just a concerete jungle of a centre surrounded by low rent housing as far as the eye can see. I've always preferred Portsmouth, but that is my home town. At least it's got the historic dockyard, the harbour, a beach, Southsea, the Spinaker tower and couple of cathedrals.
Very wise post indeed! I've not really been in Southampton enough to be able to have an informed view, although I think I did go to a museum there once and it's interesting to see which cruise ships happen to be in dock at any given time. I was disappointed that there's nowhere to by sandwiches in Southampton Central, there's just pasties, I mean come on! To be fair though, I've not really seen that much of Portsmouth either, but there's the D-Day Museum, Sealife Centre, HMS Victory and Warrior, Hayling Island etc. But I'm sure both cities have their merits.
I've never lived in Southampton but growing up as I did in Andover it was always the place to go for days out with my parents, and for school trips. In the 1960's I spent many a Sunday afternoon in the Olympic pool or at Mayflower park, or at the Ocean dock looking in amazement at the big liners. Then my dad took me to the Dell in August 1966 and I was hooked on the Saints for ever. My aunt and uncle and my 2 cousins of around my age lived just off Bassett Green Road for a few years as well, so that was another reason to visit. Later on in my late teens my friends and I would go and watch bands at the Civic Centre. I have always been very fond of Southampton as a big town, and then a city, as well as the home of the best football team in the world.
I have to take issue with you wisescummer for I think you can't see the wood for the trees. PL I worked on Portsmouth in the 80s and thought it was an interesting city.
I used to live in Shirley, Bitterne, Bitterne Park and Woolston. I used to like taking the ferry to Woolston (before the bridge was built) - it was like going abroad !
Really? You mean the ONE cathedral, unfinished for decades & rather ugly? Southampton never needed a cathedral as its in the Winchester Diocese, but both St Mary's & St Michael's churches are IMHO more splendid than Portsmouth Cathedral.
Wisescummer shows his colours Jokes aside: I agree with CBK, if we can do something with the water front and the town centre. It will make this city far more attractivd, but I love it all the same.
I like the fact that many of the postwar buildings are a bit ugly. They contrast nicely with the beautiful old city walls and churches. Southampton is a lived in city, a bit scruffy and rough around the edges, but with an easy and unaffected swagger. Bit like it's people really. Swaythling beats Windsor in my book. The White Swan is nicer than any of those Thames side pubs.,
There is nothing wrong with Swaythling that some commitment, a little money and some determination on the City's councillors couldn't solve. Rather sadly there are parts of this city the council do not care enough about. We also recruit the most awful marketing people at the Civic Centre. This city almost sells itself but boy is it marketed badly.
