|
For centuries Gosport and its people have played a major part in the life of the Royal Navy. The Town, fortified in Charles ll’s rein, had massive
Victorian forts added as part of the defences of Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. One of these, Fort Brockhurst, is now open to the public. For well over one hundred years Clarence Yard, Frater and
Priddy's Hard have supplied the ‘Fleet’ with victuals, stores and
armaments. The Royal Naval Hospital (now Royal Hospital Haslar) was built between
1746 and 1762 to treat injuries and alleviate the sufferings and diseases of our seaman and mariners. HMS Dolphin became the base for RN Submarines in 1905 and the Royal Naval Submarine Museum was opened
to the public alongside in 1983. Major elements of the D-day invasion forces were assembled in and around the town and set forth on that great endeavour from Gosport shores on 6th June
1944. Amongst many other past and present military activities in the town was Gunboat Building at its height in the mid ‘1800s’, but giving way to the more
peaceful and gentlemanly yacht building which Camper and Nicholson are world famous for, especially the ‘J’ class racing yachts of the 1930’s.
|
